Nominations: Nominations closed
Voting: Voting closed
Election
Students' Union UCL is affiliated to the National Union of Students (NUS) and will send a delegation of students to this year's national conference between in March 2023. The Conference's location and exact date will be confirmed shortly.
Eleven delegates will be elected as part of the Leadership Race and as per NUS policy, 50% of the delegation must self-identify as a woman.
The results of the non-self definition election can be found here.
Category
Candidates
Maheem Imran
What do you hope to achieve in the role if you are elected?
I hope to represent UCL students and minority students especially those from a South Asian background. I support the #DecoloniseEducation campaign and hope to bring more ideas and representation to build it. Some of my ideas include removing stereotypical examples from syllabuses which I have first hand heard professors at a world class university use like examples of women running beauty salons or examples of activities like fraud and child labour being linked to South Asian countries. I hope to take all of your ideas to this national conference and bring back more ideas to UCL.
What will you bring to this role (e.g. experience, skills or qualities)?
Throughout high school, I have been participating in Model United Nation (MUN) conferences. I have participated as a delegate in numerous conference and also chaired many. I have been very passionate about debating and coming up with resolutions. I will bring these experiences with me which will help me share my ideas and listen to others and come up with ways to improve the education system. Having lived in Pakistan, Singapore and the UK I have a good idea of a variety of education systems. I have changed schools 13 times in my life and have ideas that can make transitions easier for others.
Please summarise why students should vote for you.
Students should vote for me because my sole aim for going is to represent UCL students especially minorities and I can represent them, having similar experiences. Before the conference, I will gather all the students ideas and take them with me to this national conference of students where we will make better decisions for all of us.
I have been at UCL for 3 years now, and have experienced a lot myself and through my friends from racism to harassment issues and therefore I can take all this experience to this conference and hopefully come up with solutions to help the rest of you.
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Hamna A Malik
What do you hope to achieve in the role if you are elected?
I hope to voice the values, needs and political priorities of the UCL student body at a national level. National Union of Students are affiliated with around 600 student unions in the UK. Every year students face problems with mental health, accommodation, fees and costs, and student visas; the NUS provides an effective and prominent voice to the students and I will ensure that as an NUS delegate, I represent the views of our Union at the NUS National Conference so such problems are integrated and resolved in the next annual policy-making of the national union.
What will you bring to this role (e.g. experience, skills or qualities)?
I am studying History, Policy and Economics (final-year) where I have gotten the opportunity to learn and familiarize myself with political issues and policy-making processes. I believe this can help me present our Union's case at the conference. I have also been on the committee for Pakistan Society and Sign Language Society where I have collaborated with people from different backgrounds. I have learned to work well and communicate clearly & effectively within a team to achieve a collective objective. I am a friendly and approachable person so students can easily raise their concerns to me.
Please summarise why students should vote for you.
As a NUS Delegate, I would like to ensure that all student voices (esp. of all marginalized and minority groups) are heard.
I aim to address visa issues so internationals can obtain their visa timely without disruptions to their studies plus have access to a visa extension after course completion. Work on tuition and accommodation fee reductions and find more avenues of gaining financial aids to make it more accessible and affordable (esp. for internationals).
I would like our UCL students to vote for me so I can represent their needs, values and concerns on the national level to the NUS who has the ability to lobby the government on these issues to find solutions.
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Anushae Khan
What do you hope to achieve in the role if you are elected?
If I am elected, I hope to utilise the information and experience gained from the conference to better the student experience at UCL for everyone. I would also like to ensure that my ideas including those of my peers are voiced clearly and communicated to the board present at the conference. By attending the conference, I hope to gain a better understanding of students' experiences and concerns around the country as well as hear the ideas which they may have to overcome student difficulties.
What will you bring to this role (e.g. experience, skills or qualities)?
As an incredibly involved student at UCL, I have gained many skills from different experiences throughout my university life. I have had many engagements through societies and clubs. Currently, I am serving as the President of UCL Pakistan Society, one of the biggest cultural societies at UCL and the biggest PakSoc in the UK. This role has allowed me to develop skills and gain insight into the student experience that many people don't have a chance to see. Other than my natural leadership skills, I also have strong communication skills and am able to work efficiently as part of a team.
Please summarise why students should vote for you.
If I am elected, I pledge to represent all students at University College London, no matter their age, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation etc. I will ensure that the concerns of all students around me are clearly communicated and heard at the conference. I will work towards campaigning for the implementation of new policies to better the student experience as a whole. Concerns I would like to voice are: Extreme fees, accommodation crisis and the effect of academic stress on mental health. Along with these, I would ensure to relay the issues discussed at the conference back to the students.
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Laura Bianca Ionescu
What do you hope to achieve in the role if you are elected?
I thoroughly understand the importance of such a conference and wish to engage with its importance in formulating policies that will better the welfare of students and staff. The NUS has the capability of mobilising students nation-wide. As reiterated below, I stand by free education, student-worker solidarity, fair pay, caped rent, equality in employment and education and more.
By pushing NUS to become an active vehicle for change across the UK, but most importantly UCL, we can make a difference. I will be sure to stand by this at the conference.
What will you bring to this role (e.g. experience, skills or qualities)?
Transparency and reactionary behaviour. The first means I value the importance of honesty and success within the student body: understanding everyone’s wishes and aspirations for the union and consequently acting towards catering to your needs. Reactionary behaviour comes as a result of things gone wrong; which is inevitable in an ever-changing, fast-paced environment, ardently striving towards the betterment of our academics. I am well accustomed to the need to adapt, complete unforeseeable tasks at uncomfortable times having worked within 5 international corporations globally.
Please summarise why students should vote for you.
Free education. Student-worker solidarity. Fair and equal pay.
I am standing as a candidate for the UCL NUS Conference Delegate because I believe in the importance of optimism during crisis. As students, we hold the power to make a difference in our education as well as within the workforce even before we enter it. As I took part in the UCU strikes and marches, the UCL's trans and women rights campaigns as well as in the Palestine, Ukrainian and Yemen protests, things became clear - the possibility of change is within our student grasp.
Thank you for your trust!
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