We’re making some important changes to our student leader roles from the 24/25 academic year onwards that we wanted you to know about. 

After a period of serious review by the Student Leader team, including discussions with current and former international student representatives, and followed by votes in both SU Council and the SU Trustee board, we’ve decided to adjust the way that we represent our international students by removing the role of VP International and merging the responsibilities with the VP Community & Engagement and other leadership roles. 

First and foremost, we want to reassure you that this does not mean we are reducing the level of support and care for our international student community, a community we’re extremely proud to have and celebrate at Essex. 

We started this period of review because we were repeatedly finding that the current system of representation for international students was not working as well as we think it could and should do. 

Our aim is to improve the quality and scope of representation for Essex’s international students by ensuring that they have a voice at the most important university committees and increasing the power of our representative networks.  

This decision has not been made lightly but we believe that it is the right one; ensuring that all student voices are represented whilst also ensuring the financial stability of Essex SU. 

From the start of the new academic year representing international students will be the responsibility of all six SU Student Leaders, rather than just one. At the same time our international student community will also continue to have a dedicated point of contact through the role of VP Community and Engagement.

We will also be increasing the power of our amazing International Student Association (ISA), who we will be working with to ensure that all regions and communities have a voice at Essex.  

Alongside the update to the Student Leader roles, we’re making the following changes to ensure that we can better represent our international students and communities at Essex: 

• We’ve added two new International Student Community Officers (SCOs); one in Colchester and one in Southend, who like all other SCOs will have access to a budget specifically protected for events for our international student community  
• We’ve started work on re-writing the International Student Associations’ constitution to provide it with additional responsibilities and powers. The ISA will also have regional positions so all areas of the world should be represented.  
• VP Community and Engagement will now also attend all ISA meetings, giving ISA a leading role in the organisation of events such as One World Essex.  
• The new ISA constitution will be developed through consultation with you; Essex students, the ISA and others before once again going through SU Council and Trustees for final approval 
• International students will continue to be represented at all levels by the Student Leaders, with particular involvement from the VP Community and Engagement who will represent international students as a community at committees and with key University staff. International student issues will also be picked up by the relevant Student Leaders.  

Why are the changes being made?  

• Over recent years the VP International role has been limited in its ability to represent international students at the university level compared to other Student Leaders who have much better access and power to make change.  
• As a result our international students at Essex have not been represented as effectively as they could be.   
• There’s no clear ownership of the communities within the International Student Community. The role of VP International often overlaps with the role of VP Community and Engagement. 
• International students are a very important community and the VP Community & Engagement already supports cultural and regional events and representation  
• Many of the issues that international students have faced in the past, have been managed by one of the other Student Leader roles due to them being better placed to have an impact and work with the University; e.g. academic issues fall under VP Education, welfare support falls under VP Welfare. 
• VP International is currently expected to run all of the ISA events, which means they can be quite limited with what they can offer. The ISA deserves to have more ability to lead on their own events with the support of a Student Leader.   

What happens next? 

The changes have been made now so that we can promote updates in time for the SU Leadership Election which opens for applications in February.

The roles available will be:  

• President  
• VP Education 
• VP Community and Engagement  
• VP Welfare  
• VP Student Experience  
• VP Southend   

These roles will start in July and will represent students during the academic year of 24/25.  

Got any questions? 

If you would like to discuss these changes your SU President; Kieran Phillips (supresident@essex.ac.uk) and current VP International; Adrian Wong  (vpinternational@essex.ac.uk); and SU Engagement Team (suengagement@essex.ac.uk) are happy to discuss the changes further or answer any questions you may have.