NUS National Conference 2023
Hey everyone, it’s Gaby, your VP Community and Wellbeing – I have some exciting news to share with you all regarding a recent trip Marie, Shaquita and I took to National Union of Students (NUS) National Conference in Harrogate. Each year, JMSU’s Student Officer Team attend the conference with other Student Officer teams from around the country. Policies are proposed and debated and after the conference is complete, delegates decide whether to pass each policy.
It was a very intense and busy two days filled with debates, workshops, and talks, not to mention speaking and introducing our policies to over 800 delegates! We took to the stage to give a brief about our policy proposals. We also attended a live debate to encourage other delegates to vote for the policies, showcasing why it is so important to us and to many students across the country. I had the chance to deliver the summary of the live debate – it was nerve-wracking to say the least.
The two main policies regarding the international student issues that we proposed in the NUS conference are:
- Abolition of 20 hour working limit for International Students: There should be no cap imposed on working hours for university students.
- Abolition of increased fees for international students: International students often pay twice the amount of tuition fees that students from the UK pay. This must be scrapped.
Great news - from 21st of March, NUS has announced all main policy proposals and amendments were passed! Thank you to all the delegates who voted for our policies.
We believe that NUS should put international students at the forefront of their campaigns and advocacy efforts, as well as change the presumption that all international students are rich. The perception of international students as cash cows must be argued; the 20 hour per week working limit must be removed, bursaries and scholarships must be adjusted to inflation and increased fees for international students must be abolished. You can read more about the campaign I’m supporting to challenge this.
Not only this, but other policies and amendment regarding Cost of Living, Housing, Education for Further Education and NUS organising and democracy have been passed too.
Now, JMSU will work along with other SUs to ensure that NUS will be getting to work on how passed policies will influence their campaign plan going forward and I hope that you will hear more good news soon about us! You can read about the full NUS report about the updated policies and amendments on their website.
