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Student Representative Summer 2026

Open SU

01 Sep 2026 - 31 Aug 2027
Student Representatives play an invaluable role in shaping the student experience at the Open University. We welcome all students who are passionate about using their thoughts, ideas and experiences to make a positive difference for the wider student community now and in the future.
In this role, you will work with a team of volunteers to attend meetings held by the Open University to promote the student voice at every level of governance. We welcome applications from all students. We have vacancies on the following committees:
- Access and Open Academic Committee Learning, Teaching, and Assessment
- Access Board of Studies
- Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Academic Committee Learning, Teaching, and Assessment
- Business Board of Studies
- Curriculum Partnerships Committee
- Education, Childhood, Youth and Sports Board of Studies
- Engineering and Innovation Board of Studies
- Environment, Earth and Ecosystems Board of Studies
- Law and Policing Board of Studies
- Maths and Stats Board of Studies
- Open Board of Studies
- Physical Sciences Board of Studies
- Psychology and Counselling Board of Studies
- Social Sciences and Global Studies Board of Studies
- Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Academic Committee Learning, Teaching, and Assessment
- Faculty of Wellbeing, Education and Language Studies Academic Committee Learning, Teaching, and Assessment
As a Student Representative, you’ll become part of a volunteer team that champions the views and interests of the wider student community, known as the Student Voice. Your role includes attending meetings held by The Open University to ensure that this voice is heard and considered at every level of governance.

A successful Student Representative will:
- Join a committee as a full member
  You’ll be able to comment, ask questions, and raise issues where appropriate. For details about each committee, see the Committee Descriptions and Chart.
- Prepare for meetings
  You’ll receive meeting papers in advance to read. There will also be opportunities to discuss issues with other Student Representatives and Open SU staff.
- Respect confidentiality
  Some papers are highly confidential. You’ll need to sign and follow a Confidentiality Agreement.
- Submit a report after each meeting
  This report highlights key discussions and helps keep other Student Representatives and Open SU staff informed.
- Attend the Student Voice Monthly Online Forum (optional)
  A great way to stay connected and share ideas.
- Engage with the Student Representative Community
  Through our online Student Rep Hub, you can keep up to date and get involved.
- Take part in other Student Voice activities (optional)
  Opportunities will be shared as they become available.
To apply for a Student Representative role at Open SU, you must meet the following criteria:

Active Student Status
You must be a registered and active Open University student. This means you are either:
- Currently studying a module, or
- Have previously completed a module and are registered to begin your next module when the Student Representative role starts.
Eligible Modules
- You must be studying Open University modules worth at least 30 credits, or an Access module.
- Students registered as Postgraduate Researchers are also eligible.
Role-Specific Requirements
Some roles may have additional eligibility criteria. For example, certain positions might require you to be studying specific modules or qualifications. For example, if you are studying Maths, you will not be eligible for a Law committee.

Academic Progress
To support your academic success, we will not consider applications from students who have failed or not completed their three most recently started modules at the time of application. This is to help you prioritise your studies and maintain positive academic progress.

Decisions on eligibility will be made by the Student Voice team at the time of application.

Role terms expire on 31 August 2027.

Commitment

The role usually lasts for 1 year.

Most committees meet 3-5 times per year.

You should allow:
- 3–5 hours to read your committee papers before the meeting
- 30 minutes ahead of each meeting to meet with Open SU staff (optional)
- Up to 5 hours to attend the committee meeting
- Additional travel time if meetings are held on campus in Milton Keynes. All meetings will usually provide a hybrid option, with most meetings held entirely online.
Other Ways to Get Involved (Optional)
- Contribute to online discussions via MS Teams
- Attend the Student Voice Online Forum once a month (1 hour)
- Take part in non-governance committees, discussions, and consultations as opportunities arise
Training

When you become a Student Representative, you’ll complete a training programme designed to support your introduction to the role and your ongoing development.

Induction Programme

All new Student Representatives take part in a dedicated induction, which includes:

Core Training:
- GDPR
- Safeguarding
- PREVENT
- Accessibility
- Equalities Essentials
What Else You’ll Learn:
- The Student Voice – how the governance structure works and what student representation means
- How to read meeting papers
- How to submit a report and why they matter
- How to access the Student Rep Hub
- Practical advice to help you get started
Community and Support

You’ll be invited to join online spaces where you can connect with other Student Representatives and get support from the Student Voice team:
- Student Voice Online Forums – monthly drop-ins
- Weekly Student Rep drop-ins
Onboarding

You will also be given a dedicated email address for use in your role. This is known as an @open email address and will provide you with access to certain spaces you will need as a Student Representative. You will be required to complete the steps detailed by the Student Voice team to set this up.

To become a Student Representative, you must complete the full onboarding and induction training before the role starts.

Location

This role can be carried out online, so it can be fulfilled anywhere with an internet connection. However, some meetings may be held in person with sufficient notice. All reasonable expenses incurred in attending committee meetings will be reimbursed.

The opportunity closes at 11:59pm on Monday, 22nd June 2026.

All volunteers sign the Open SU Volunteer Policy and agree to the Open SU Volunteer Agreement.

If you have any queries or require the application form in an alternative format, please contact oustudents-voice@open.ac.uk

Want to find out more before applying?

Thinking about becoming a Student Rep, but would like to find out a bit more first? We have a selection of online information sessions, which will be an opportunity for you to discuss the role and answer any questions you may have. Alternatively, we can arrange a one-to-one call to discuss the role and give you a chance to ask any questions. Just email us at oustudents-voice@open.ac.uk

Dates for Student Representative information sessions:
To continue an application in progress, please visit your Volunteer Profile
- ActivityIn-person, Online
- Problem Solving - Core skills and competencies
- Communication - Core skills and competencies
- Collaboration - Core skills and competencies
- Numeracy - Core skills and competencies
- Digital and information literacy - Core skills and competencies
- Initiative - Personal attributes and behaviours
- Self-management and resilience - Personal attributes and behaviours
- Self-awareness - Personal attributes and behaviours
- Commercial and/or sector awareness - External awareness
- Global citizenship - External awareness
Closing date for applications is 22 Jun.
You need to be logged in and registered.
Postgraduate and Research Student Representatives 2026

Open SU

01 Sep 2026 - 31 Aug 2027
Student Representatives play an invaluable role in shaping the student experience at the Open University. We welcome all students who are passionate about using their thoughts, ideas and experiences to make a positive difference for the wider student community now and in the future!
In this role, you will work with a team of volunteers to attend meetings that are held by the Open University to promote the presence of the student voice throughout each level of governance. We welcome applications from all students. We have vacancies in the following areas:

We have vacancies in the following areas:
- Research Degrees Committee
- Academic Research Committee (all faculties)
*You need to be a Postgraduate Research Student to apply for these roles.

A successful Student Representative will:
- Become a full member of the committee that they are appointed to with the ability to comment, ask questions and where appropriate raise issues to that committee. For more information about the individual committees, please see the committee descriptions and chart.
- Before the meeting, you will be sent the meeting papers to read in advance. There will also be an opportunity to talk about these papers beforehand with other Student Representatives and Open SU staff, in accordance with confidentiality.
- Some papers are highly confidential, so you will be required to adhere to a Confidentiality Agreement for Student Representatives.
- Effectively close the feedback loop by communicating contributions and outcomes to students and fellow Representatives. Attend the Student Voice Monthly Online Forum (optional attendance)
- Keep up to date and get involved with the Student Rep community.
- Be prepared to champion Open SU’s values, priorities and initiatives.
To be eligible for this opportunity you must:

Be a member of Open SU to apply. All registered OU students are automatically members according to our Articles of Association.

Be studying a qualification relevant to the committee you are applying for. Please see the Committee Chart and Committee Descriptions.

Commitment

This Student Representatives term will last for around 12 months. Terms will start on 1 September 2026. Most committees meet 4 times per year during the working day.

For each meeting, you should allow:
- A minimum of 3 hours to read your committee papers before the meeting.
- A minimum of 30 minutes to meet with Open SU.
- Up to 6 hours to attend the committee meeting.
- At least 1 hour for feedback on the discussions of the meeting.
- Travel time to Milton Keynes if meetings are held on campus - though most meetings are online or offer a hybrid option.
In addition to the meetings, you may choose to get involved with the Student Representative community:
- By contributing to online discussions with other Student Representatives.
- Attending the online Student Voice Forum once per month (1 hour).
- Blogging about your experience on our online student magazine, The Hoot.
Details of training offered

As a Student Representative, you will be required to complete a training program designed to support both your introduction and ongoing development in the role. To carry out the role, you must complete the full onboarding and introductory training, which is expected to take place in August 2025 through video recordings and live welcome sessions.

We offer a dedicated induction programme for all new Student Representatives which will include:

Introduction to Volunteering with Open SU, which includes a suite of core training:
- GDPR (keeping personal data secure)
- Safeguarding (keeping young people and vulnerable adults safe)
- PREVENT (our duty to prevent extremist radicalisation).
- Your induction training programme will also provide in-depth information about:
- The Student Voice - (‘How the Governance Structure Works’ and ‘What is Student Representation?’)
- Guidance on reading papers for meetings
- Support to access online spaces
- Information and practical advice on getting started
We will also invite you to join online community spaces where you can access support and advice from other Student Representatives and the Student Voice team.

You may also express an interest and on occasion be invited to get involved in other areas where your Student Voice is valued. E.g. (Non-governance groups, discussion forums (consultations from PVC students) and Faculty-based projects/working groups.

Location

This role can be carried out online, so it can be fulfilled anywhere if you have an internet connection however some meetings may be held in person with sufficient notice. All reasonable expenses incurred in attending committee meetings will be reimbursed.

The opportunity closes at 11:59pm on 22nd June 2026.

All volunteers sign the Open SU Volunteer Policy and agree to the Open SU Volunteer Agreement.

If you have any queries or require the application form in an alternative format, please contact oustudents-voice@open.ac.uk
To continue an application in progress, please visit your Volunteer Profile
- ActivityIn-person, Online
- Problem Solving - Core skills and competencies
- Communication - Core skills and competencies
- Collaboration - Core skills and competencies
- Numeracy - Core skills and competencies
- Digital and information literacy - Core skills and competencies
- Initiative - Personal attributes and behaviours
- Self-management and resilience - Personal attributes and behaviours
- Self-awareness - Personal attributes and behaviours
- Commercial and/or sector awareness - External awareness
- Global citizenship - External awareness
Closing date for applications is 22 Jun.
You need to be logged in and registered.

Graduation Stall Volunteer Autumn 2026

Open SU

01 Jun 2026 - 04 Nov 2026 23:59

Are you currently studying with the OU and would like to develop transferable skills whilst representing Open SU? Join fellow #OUstudents to help celebrate each important graduation ceremony by applying for the role of Graduation Stall Volunteer at locations throughout the UK and Eire.

Please note you will need to be logged into oustudents.com to apply for this opportunity. If you don't have a website account, please register for an account first: www.oustudents.com/registration/

The Open University's degree ceremonies are the culmination of many years' hard work for graduates. You can take part and play an important role in these exciting and moving events as a Graduation Stall Volunteer.

Working with a small team of volunteers and led by your Graduation Stall Coordinator, you'll be engaging with graduates, their families and guests promoting the work of Open SU and selling OU branded merchandise to raise funds for our charity, the Open University Students Educational Trust (OUSET). The Trust’s purpose is to provide study-related grants to support current OU students in financial hardship where other sources of funding are not available, to help them to continue their studies.

In the lead-up to the ceremony, as a volunteer Graduation Stall Volunteer, you'll take part in training, including an online self-learning module and a live MS Teams webinar and we use a dedicated online volunteer space to stay connected and share information leading up to your ceremony,

On the day, you'll help set up the shop stall, process payments, ensure that the relevant paperwork is complete and process manual orders.

As a Graduation Stall Volunteer, you may like to take part and process at the ceremony for which you're volunteering. If you do, please complete the application form and let us know as soon as p[possible so we and the OU can make the arrangements for the day.

Be part of the graduation experience and help graduates celebrate their special day!

Location	Date and Time of ceremonies	Applications close
London	Mon 14 Sep 2026 10:15 and 14:15 Tue 15 Sep 2026 10:15 and 14:15	Sunday 9 August 2026
Newport	Fri 25 Sep 2026 11:00 and 15:30	Sunday 16 August 2026
York	Thu 1 Oct 2026 11:00 and 15:30	Sunday 30 August
Belfast	Tue 13 Oct 2026 14:30	Sunday 6 September
Manchester	Wed 14 Oct 2026 11:00 and 15:30 Thu 15 Oct 2026 11:00 15:30	Sunday 6 September
Glasgow	Thu 22 Oct 2026 11:00 and15:30 Fri 23 Oct 2026 11.00 and 15:30	Sunday 13 September
Brimingham	Thu 29 Oct 2026 11:00 and 15:30	Sunday 20 September
Brighton	Tue 10 Nov 2026 10:30 and 15:30	Sunday 18 October
Poole	Fri 20 Nov 2026 14:30	Sunday 25 October
London	Wed 25 Nov 2026 10:15 and 14:15	Sunday 25 October

You can apply to volunteer for one or more graduation ceremonies if you meet the criteria (see Eligibility below).

Commitment: We recommend that you area available for one full day per ceremony e.g 9am to 5pm (this depends upon the location and venue). Volunteers should be available before and after ceremonies to help graduates purchase items from the stall.

Training and recognition

Training is mandatory and starts two to four weeks before the date of the ceremony you're volunteering at.

Please see the table below for training dates, times will be confirmed when onboarding, there will be a choice of morning, midday or evening.

Location	Training dates
London	Tuesday 25 August or Wednesday 26 August 2026
Newport	Tuesday 25 August or Wednesday 26 August 2026
York	Tuesday 15 September or Wednesday 16 September 2026
Belfast	Tuesday 15 September or Wednesday 16 September 2026
Manchester	Tuesday 22 September or Wednesday 23 September 2026
Glasgow	Tuesday 22 September or Wednesday 23 September 2026
Brimingham	Tuesday 29 September or Wednesday 30 September 2026
Brighton	Tuesday 27 October or Wednesday 28 October 2026
Poole	Tuesday 3 November or Wednesday 4 November 2026
London	Tuesday 3 November or Wednesday 4 November 2026

You will also be asked to complete online self-learning essential reading that takes up to an hour. This includes the core training module for all our volunteers which covers:

GDPR (keeping personal data secure).
Safeguarding (keeping young people and vulnerable adults safe).
PREVENT (our duty to prevent extremist radicalisation).
Equality Duty (Why it is important and who it protects).

It also includes a training module for both Graduation Stall Coordinators and Graduation Stall Volunteers.

You will then attend a 90-minute MS Teams training session and meet your team (there is a choice of morning, afternoon or evening) a few weeks before the day.

You will be sent a link and sign up to our online volunteer communication space so that venue details can be communicated to you and the Graduation Stall Coordinators, and to keep in touch.

Please note: Only fully trained and onboarded Coordinators and Volunteers are selected for each venue’s Graduation Stall team.

After the ceremony, you will be asked for your feedback and to complete your expenses form for travel and subsistence for the day and remind your team to do likewise. You can also request a digital certificate of volunteering after volunteering.

Eligibility for this volunteer opportunity

To apply we recommend you live within 50 miles from the graduation venue as you can claim up to £70 in travel and £20 for subsistence expenses.

Please note that no overnight accommodation is paid.

You need to be a member of Open SU. Members of Open SU are defined in Section 11 of the Open SU Articles of Association*

Applications are open now

Please note you will need to be logged into oustudents.com or if you don't have a website account, register for a website account to apply for this opportunity.

Applications close as indicated next to each graduation ceremony.

Please click on the 'Apply Now' button below which will allow you to complete your application form, and you must complete this by the closing date and time to be considered for this opportunity.

All volunteers sign an Open SU Volunteer Policy and volunteer within the Open SU Volunteer Agreement. If you have any queries or require the application form in an alternative format, please contact oustudents-volunteer@open.ac.uk.

ActivityIn-person

Communication - Core skills and competencies
Numeracy - Core skills and competencies
Initiative - Personal attributes and behaviours
Self-awareness - Personal attributes and behaviours
Commercial and/or sector awareness - External awareness

You need to be logged in and registered.

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