The Student Panel is an advisory group led by students that supports the development of access and participation initiatives and other key pieces of strategic work to improve the experiences of students who are underrepresented within higher education.

We caught up with a couple of our current panellists to see what it was like to participate on the panel.

Read on to find out more.

Supporting students

At the University of Sussex we aim to support every student. We use a range of ways to support you throughout your University journey, from general support services to specific initiatives aimed at making sure everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed. The basis for this work is captured in our Access and Participation Plan (APP).

A key part of creating effective support is to get the insight and ideas of students directly. Co-creation, students working with staff in collaboration, is at the heart of Sussex’s Connector Programme and it was also the impetus behind us launching the Student Panel this year. Our Student Panel meet once a month to discuss and advise on projects, programmes and interventions designed to support students to access higher education, succeed whilst they’re here, and progress into their future careers.

Why is this work important?

The University of Sussex aims to support all students, but not all students are always able to access the support they need owing to certain barriers. These barriers often disproportionately affect students who are identified as being part of marginalised groups. The APP helps us provide equal opportunities for all students.

While the APP is aimed at supporting underrepresented groups, it benefits everyone. That's because diversity strengthens our community and because many of the initiatives we put in place to support these groups end up helping all students.

What does this support actually look like?

The APP covers three strands of support, helping students access, succeed in and progress from higher education.

Our Widening Participation team offers prospective students the support, guidance and experiences to help navigate their post-16 education options. They run a range of events and programmes for partner schools, to support learners who are under-represented in higher education. Find out more about their work.

Whilst at Sussex, there is a wide range of support for all students ranging from academic skills development to enhanced opportunities to engage in co- and extra-curricular activity. Belong at Sussex aims to support your involvement with university life and to build a sense of belonging through various year-round activities and can help students navigate university life and make the choices that are right for them.

Current students and recent graduates can also access a wide range of career support through the University. Career Lab brings together a series of opportunities designed to develop your skills, experience and confidence, to help boost your career prospects whatever stage of your university journey you are at.

How you can help

If you've got ideas on how we can make our support even better, or if you want to get involved in making a difference through the Access and Participation Plan, we want to hear from you.  Contact APP Programme Manager, Jo McKinney-Green with your thoughts.