Academic Reps do one of the most important jobs in the Union - they make sure you have a voice in your education.
Each month, we’re featuring your reps and the work they’re doing to make UCL better. If you have an idea about how to improve your course, your department or UCL you can contact your own Academic Rep using our Find Your Rep page.
February's Academic Rep of the Month: Josep Prats!
Josep displayed extraordinary engagement in his role as an Academic Representative by campaigning on behalf of his peers for a more fair examination and degree classification.
He managed to effectively cut through UCLs bureaucracy and reverse decisions him and his course mates saw as inadequate and unfair.
One of the decisions banned the previously allowed use of dictionaries, in the German written exam. As this decision was made after students have enrolled on the Module, effectively changing the rules of examination during the course of teaching, Josep saw it as against student interest. He organised a petition and managed to revert this decision.
Similarly, the degree classification was also changed mid-year, which in some cases would result in a lower overall grade. Using a similar tactic, Josep campaigned to retain both the old and the new system of classification ensuring everyone's benefit.
Fantastic work Josep!
Here's a bit more about Josep:
Hello, everyone! My name is Josep Prats and I come from Spain. I am a 3rd year student on the European Social and Political Studies Dual Degree here at UCL, majoring in economics. After spending the first two years of my degree in France in Science Po University, I am excited to have joined UCL this year and I am thankful for the opportunity to (try to) help improve our student experience as an Academic Rep.
I’ve always enjoyed being a student representative because I believe that improvements to student life, even if small, do matter, and that often the missing element for them to materialise is not lack of ideas, or opposition from staff or the teaching institution, but merely lack of effective communication to get things done. Throughout my time as student rep and later Head Boy in school, and as a cohort delegate at Sciences Po I’ve tried (with varying degrees of success) to make a positive change, and I am very proud of what has been achieved here at UCL this year so far.
As for other interests, I am passionate about economics and politics, and I love music and playing the piano, having graduated from the Conservatory of Music in Spain.
Thank you to all fellow course mates for their confidence, to teaching and administrative staff for their help and willingness to cooperate, and to all of you reading this for taking the time to do so! I look forward to continuing my work as cohort and departmental Academic Rep next semester (and hopefully next year too)!
1) Want a quick and easy way to find your Academic Rep? You can find them in our directory here!
2) You can also put forward a nomination for your academic rep for the chance to be 'Rep of the Month'.