Your feedback is always highly valued by the University but making positive and effective changes in response to that feedback is so important too. We are asking for your help to make some of these changes happen. If you want to take the lead on a funded Student Change Project to improve or fill a gap in provision, then we want to hear from you.

Are you an academic rep or a group of reps wanting to lead a project that has developed from discussions at a Staff-Student Liaison Committee? Do you want to collaborate with student leaders in your department or across your Faculty/School to host some networking events? Do you have an idea for project that you want to pilot locally with your cohort but has the potential to have a wider impact?

How does the scheme work?

Both the University and the Students’ Union support this scheme. It provides undergraduate, postgraduate taught and doctoral students with the opportunity to lead a change project related to one or more of the strategic priorities for the institution.

We will be looking to support projects related to the following themes:

Student Skills e.g., organise a workshop to provide an additional opportunity for your cohort to develop critical, problem solving and creative thinking skills in a different context to your subject discipline.

Digital skills and the use of technology e.g., as a team of students run a debate about how Generative AI could be used to enhance your learning experience or run a skills development session with a talk from a specialist.

Building a greater sense of community within departments, faculties and across discipline areas e.g., collaborate with student leaders in your Faculty/School to run a team challenge event for UG and PGT students.

Equality, diversity, and inclusion e.g., create a subject-specific podcast for alumni from diverse backgrounds to share their early career experiences after graduating from Bath.

Research culture e.g., organise a series of sessions to bring your student research community together to discuss good practice in key skills areas such as scientific writing, thesis structure and delivering presentations.

Climate emergency e.g., invite a guest speaker to an event to inform your peers on how they could make changes to ensure your department is adopting sustainable practices.

Please note that project funding will only be awarded where there is an identified gap in provision. We will not fund purely social activities as there are other opportunities to do these within the University and Students’ Union. Read further guidance about the scope of projects.

Find out about projects that students are currently working on. These may provide ideas to develop your own project. Not sure if your idea fits any of the themes above? Email one of our staff contacts and we can consider your proposal before you complete an EOI form.

If you have an idea for a project to enhance learning and teaching then consider applying to the Teaching Development Fund. Details of how and when you can apply are provided.

If you are seeking funding on behalf of a Vertically Integrated Project, please contact Vertically-Integrated-Projects@bath.ac.uk to discuss your requirements.

What can the money be used for?

Students can request funding of up to £250, £500, £750 or £1,000 to support the delivery of their project. In the expression of interest form you will be asked how much funding you are likely to need.

Funding usually covers costs such as:

• resources for events and activities
• external speaker fees and/or travel
  
• catering

Please note you cannot request funding for yourself to run the project.

What can I gain from the scheme?

You will gain invaluable experiences for your personal and career development. The scheme can also help to further develop your skills in the key areas of:

• leadership
  
• project management
  
• researching
  
• communication

You will have concrete examples in all these areas to reference in job applications and interviews, as well as the opportunity to positively contribute to the student experience.

How do I get involved?

All you (or you and a group of your peers) need is an idea about how to make a change that will have a positive and meaningful impact in at least one of the areas listed above. Complete a short Expression of Interest form about your plans for the project and then, if approved, a staff mentor will support you to create an action plan and get underway. Your mentor will stay in regular contact with you throughout the project and you can reach out to them if needed.

Have any questions?

If you have any initial questions before submitting an expression of interest please email your staff contact:

• Engineering & Design UG/PGT students – Sarah Stead
  
• Humanities and Social Sciences UG/PGT students – Amy Childe
  
• Science UG/PGT students – Kate Campbell
  
• Management UG/PGT students – Claire Martin
  
• All doctoral students – Alice Forty
• SU groups and societies - Charlie Slack