The Sabbatical Officers write a fortnightly update on the work they've been doing to represent you. Their reports cover updates on current projects and collaborations with different student groups, academic departments, and community organisations.
Additionally, their work, as outlined in their report, is scrutinised and voted on by other elected student leaders in our Zones. You can read more about them here: Policy Zones & Union Executive.
Eda, Equity & Inclusion Officer
What I've been up to!
I have been working on several projects and campaigns as we approach the start of the academic year. Most of my time is consumed by getting ready for Black History Month and ensuring that all the events are in place. We are also getting ready to launch the first Liberate exhibition of the year!
- This is how I've been connecting with students.
I have filmed several videos with the Comms team on key initiatives and messages for our audience. I stayed in close contact with my liberation officers, aligning efforts and incorporating their insights. This collaboration strengthened our messaging and increased our impact in the community.
- Here's more about the meetings I've attended over the past two weeks.
Since most committee meetings haven't started yet, I’ve had a great opportunity to focus on other projects I'm excited about. I’m currently dedicating a lot of my time to preparing for Welcome Week, where we'll have the chance to meet all our wonderful new students. I’m also busy working on the launch of the Liberate Art Gallery. Don't forget to get your submissions in before the deadline on 17 October 2025!
Ana, Activities & Engagement Officer
What I've been up to!
Overall, the last 2 months have mostly consisted of training within our roles and induction sessions with a variety of teams, both within the SU and with UCL, to understand the plans of the teams for the year and for them to understand our priorities so that we can work more cohesively together.
On top of that, I have been actively catching up with the relevant teams separately to start working on some of my priorities for the year:
- Reducing barriers to engagement for shy and/or introverted students.
- Creating a specific programme of events for commuter students.
- Improving facilities for students for extra-curricular activity (Union building, home for TeamUCL, and an improvement of current booking procedures).
- Engaging the wider student body with the Varsity series.
- Making sure the Bloomsbury theatre becomes the first student-led theatre.
- Students being at the heart of UCL200 activity.
- Ensure students are aware of the variety of skills development programmes (including ELOs, student leadership positions, volunteering, etc.), whilst providing the appropriate recognition systems so that students feel rewarded for their hard work.
I have already started working on a lot of these priorities, with some implemented into the wider SU strategy so please look below for further details and updates on individual priorities.
- This is how I've been connecting with students.
Since it has been the summer break and students still haven't arrived at campus, my communication with students has been limited, as a big part of my role so far has been planning for the upcoming year.
However, some communication included:
- Filming content for YouTube, Instagram and other social media platforms about the importance of joining clubs and societies, how to make the most of student life, and other useful information.
- I have had separate meetings with the elected officers and reps to discuss their priorities and understand how I can provide a system by which I am able to support them and how we can work together to achieve our priorities.
- I have attended graduation ceremonies and spoken to many students there about their time at UCL, feedback, and also to many students who are staying at UCL to carry on doing their master's.- Here's more about the meetings I've attended over the past two weeks.
- I met with the Head of Grand Challengers to talk about how we can work together to support students and provide more interesting events, following the success of their event at ELOs. Some of the things we talked about included how to engage PG students, a club/society grant pot to allow groups to run activities on GC themes (which has since been implemented), and running a taster session on what GC are. I will also now be sitting on the GC steering group as the student voice.
- Chaired the 2 Union Estates Board during the summer, where we approved further funding for our small project works in relation to our current sports facilities. The estates team has also provided us with updates on the SU building timeline, which was very positive. We have been looking into the potential sports facilities, and set up a separate sports facility work stream (which will report to the board) and is a clear indication that UCL is taking the lack of sports facilities seriously.
- I have been helping Darcy build a business case for her Career Supercharger project expansion, particularly in relation to the strands I will be leading on, like the societies section, where societies will be able to upload their career events to the landing page to encourage more members to join their events and get membership to their society.
- Had our first sports facilities work stream to discuss how we will be using the group effectively to report back to the wider SU Estates board. We also discussed adding more structure around when we submit projects for approval and gave updates regarding the sports facilities that are currently a potential that UCL is exploring.
- Had a meeting with an external consultant about the current What's On Calendar and how we can improve it to make it more understandable for students. The feedback indicated that while many liked the timetable format, they would prefer more precise timing, location, colour coding, and tags to help students filter and view events more easily. Some of this feedback has been implemented to create the new updated calendar.
- Presented at the UCL Staff Town Hall about what events the student union will be doing for UCL 200. This was presented to 500 staff members across different UCL teams to showcase the breadth of our activities and how we are engaging students.
- Met with our current merch producer in the Hanger to discuss using them as a supplier for society and club merch, in a way that we can offer societies better prices and delivery times. However, these conversations are still in progress.
- Had the first meeting about Varsity - talking about WWW this year and what can be done better next year. We discussed the best venues for this year, the first aid we will be using, and the most successful sports. This year, our focus will be on having more on-campus activations to make sure more students who do not play sports feel involved in Varsity, including creating a pre-Varsity league for societies and hosting some of our fixtures on campus if UCL allows.
- Co-led an induction with Katie about the current landscape of sports facilities, making sure the new officers know what they should be saying to key stakeholders to put sports facilities as a priority on the UCL agenda.
- Met with key stakeholders within UCL at the SU Annual reception and following that to talk through my key priorities and how they can support me with those, including the SU building, better facilities, and sports facilities.
- Attended the annual BUCS conference, learning from other institutions about what they do and networked with other activities/sports officers.
- Had a UCL200 exhibition workshop about student life at UCL, which will be happening in the student centre. We have selected a shortlist of images and historic pieces to include, focusing on an area that warrants highlighting.
- Provided feedback about the HLM process and what could be done to improve that award. Some key points mentioned included the need for an in-person panel, more precise criteria that allow for flexibility, and an additional item as the award prize.
- I have had many conversations about improving the current SU bars to make more students attend the events, such as having consistent deals, forms of entertainment, and more society presence (whilst fighting for the reduction/removal of the minimum spend).
- Sat on the UCL Charity Swimathon working group, where we talked about what went well last year and what improvements we can make to engage more students this year. We discussed our marketing strategy and communications extensively to ensure we are being as inclusive as possible when explaining what a Swimathon is. We also discussed creating a more social space at the aquatics centre before & after the event to encourage people to make friends and interact.
- I have met with senior UCL stakeholders to discuss a better process for allowing clubs & societies to book rooms at later hours, and which rooms are available for that, as currently this is confusing and is done on an ad-hoc basis. This is not an ultimate fix but should allow for more student activity to run on campus whilst we wait for the SU building.
- I have also, as part of my role, taken on the voluntary position of the BUCS London Region student chair, which reports to the overall BUCS advisory group, leads the officer communication within the region, and co-chairs the LUSL management group. I have chaired the first regional meeting, leading the officer discussion of our priorities as the region and the commuter student workshop to understand what other institutions in London do to support their commuter students. I have taken an active role in enhancing the student experience for UCL students and other London students through BUCS and LUSL.
- As part of my meeting regarding what we are doing for Welcome Week, I raised the need for having commuter-specific events in this period, thus we added some of-peak pizza events and speedfriendings that sold out. We have also added a quiet area during the Welcome Fest in the Gordon Square for more introverted students so they have a space they feel comfortable in.
- Met to talk about some of the UCL200 ideas: Varsity on campus, Student festival and other big events. We also discussed forming a student working group for the festival to ensure that all our decisions are well-informed. We also discussed how we actively target relevant groups for events, ensuring that there are numerous opportunities for all students to participate in the UCL200 celebrations.
- Had a conversation to discuss arts awards and how we can improve them: having different panels (for studio and theatre, where free tickets are given) and a general panel (and how students are selected). This is part of my broader project to improve awards so student efforts and hard work are recognised.
- Had a meeting with the Sports Consultancy for them to present the research they found about the Outdoor Sports Centres, regarding suggestions of use, what other universities do, and how we can use it to support the offering of our clubs, societies and other student groups.
- As part of our meeting with the UCL HEDS department and brainstorming our priorities for the year the following came out: tailored career support, career support for students going back home (as different markets), more bigger focus on career support throughout UCL as a whole, working on the skill development piece through ELOs and the platform and how we can make it the most useful and accessible for students.
- Attended the brainstorming session about the UCL200 Summer Festival regarding some of the potential events and what groups of students we can target. We had discussions around the name and how we need to market it in a way that is not confusing. We also discussed how we can have events that are PG, carer, and mature student friendly during the day, and since a lot of the events lend themselves to being arts-based, how we can engage the wider UCL community to make sure they feel like they are included. We have also spoken about spotlighting some of our student leaders and specifically inviting them to events.
- Darcy and I met with the alumni team about some of the projects we are thinking of doing in Term 2, such as workplace visits, events where alumni come from different backgrounds, so students can discover different career paths, as students have been saying career support is something they would want more of.
- Visited the School of Management in Canary Wharf, as we will be having an SU presence there this year, and discussed with the student experience leads there on how we can improve student life there: arts, project active, and societies sessions, improving academic rep structures and bringing more student-led career events.
- Met with the heads of department to talk about implementing a new policy (subject to its passing) of having societies and clubs offer a Term 2 only membership. We also discussed encouraging groups to host more taster sessions throughout the year, utilising the taster fund, and creating a best practice section on the website to provide societies and clubs with the necessary structures to set up families, particularly within cultural and departmental societies.
- In the conversations about priorities with the intercultural engagement team, we talked about how to get a broader range of students engaged in cultural celebrations. These discussions included: having a dress in your culture day, bringing more cultural sports and music on campus to learn about different cultures, and having promotional material that ensures that all students feel confident to attend our SU-run celebrations. We will also implement being more welcoming to shyer students, including having staff there actively talking to students and introducing them to others, so that they feel more comfortable taking part. We also talked about how to encourage cultural societies to work with each other and teach about their culture to others, such as through the cultural fund and the taster session fund, so students can learn in an intercultural environment.
- I have had many conversations and created a business proposal and an action plan around how to break down barriers for engagement for introverted/shy students. The main focus included a buddy scheme specifically for extra-curriculars, so that students will be matched with someone who has similar interests to them, and then they are able to go to tasters together, thus making them feel a bit more comfortable. This is currently set to be implemented softly during the January welcome to gather feedback and see if it works.
- Following many conversations with staff and students, I came up with a new plan of working with the activities zone so that they feel like they have a more structured approach in being able to provide feedback across different strands and events that we run. Zone will now have different staff come to gather feedback from students on the projects that they are doing to ensure that zone members feel like they have the power to implement short-term changes and are listened to.
- I have taken over the Phineas policy from Rachel, so I have been having meetings with the comms team about the plaque and communicating to students the history and his significance.
- I have had a meeting with Sarah and the departmental society manager to discuss the importance of departmental societies this year through enabling and encouraging cross-society participation and the potential of students becoming automatic members of a departmental society.
- With Hana and the comms team I have been meeting to discuss what comms we can do to make sure commuter students feel like they are included in the overall student life - some suggestions included blog posts around how to have a great time as a commuter, day in a life, life skills content, and the promotion of commuter-specific events.
- As part of one of my biggest priorities - targeting commuter student engagement, I have been having many discussions around how we can set up a big programme for the SU (as it is now part of the strategy). We have agreed that a commuter identifying category will be added on the SU website so that we have some identification of commuter students that we can reach out to, and that we will have a commuter-specific tag on the What's On Calendar (both have now been actioned). We will also use the welcome period to talk to commuter students by attending the commuter events and using that as a starting point in using the student voice to develop events. I will also be having a stall on Monday of the Welcome Week for the commuter students to come and talk about how they can engage with the students' union and also provide ideas of what type of events they would like to see. Following that, in our meetings, we have agreed to set up a working group, including students, to develop a commuter-specific events programme throughout the year, similar to the current PG programme.
- Following Rachel's previous discussion at Union Executive, I have met with the representation team to discuss the new sabb accountability proposal, particularly the part where Union Exec would be censuring officers if they feel like their reports were rejected for valid reasons, after which 2 censures would trigger a vote from Union Exec on whether a vote of no confidence would be triggered. This is the proposal that I am working on so that officers are more accountable to their members with real consequences, and will hopefully be going to the 1st or 2nd Union Exec.
Sarah, Education Officer
What I've been up to!
Over my first two months in office, I've taken part in a lot of induction and training sessions. We're coming to the end of this now, as we approach the start of term 1, but I've become much more informed on a range of topics: from Students' Union and UCL structures and stakeholders, to national influencing, to chairing and panel training, amongst many more.
I've started working on my officer priorities: I've been meeting with different members of staff at UCL and the SU to discuss my ideas and develop plans for the next steps. I hope to have further updates soon as they start coming into fruition!
I've also been working with your Welfare and Community Officer, Hana, on a time-sensitive matter of supporting our offer holder students in Gaza. These students, alongside the intensely difficult and grave conditions they are facing, are unable to complete the biometric tests and Secure English Language Test (SELT) requirements, as the centres have been destroyed. We've lobbied the government; created blog posts and template letters to encourage students to write to MPs; and worked with UCL's University of Sanctuary group to help the students navigate these barriers.
- This is how I've been connecting with students.
Last week, I was incredibly honoured to have the opportunity to speak at the graduation ceremonies for the students of Maths and Physical Sciences (MAPS). It was such a special day, getting to watch so many graduates cross the stage, and speaking to proud families and friends sharing their joy!
With other members of staff at the Union, we sent out a blog post informing our students of the situation of the offer holders in Gaza. It encouraged students to use their voice, by contacting their MPs via a template letter we drafted. I then worked on some social media content to promote this more widely.
I've also worked with our Social Media and Marketing teams to create some content to be ready in time for Welcome, so keep an eye out!- Here's more about the meetings I've attended over the past two weeks.
Over the past fortnight, I've been rounding up the induction period by having meetings with some of the departmental teams. From Intercultural Engagement, to Sports, to Arts, they've sparked a range of interesting ideas which I then discussed, such as Project Active or volunteering sessions to develop a better sense of community for the Academic Rep Network, or engaging and encouraging departments and faculties to more widely promote our departmental societies.
I recently attended UCL's Recruitment and Admissions Committee, where I expressed support for delaying the deadline for tuition fee deposit for master's students. Currently, the deadline is earlier than UCL's confirmation of scholarships, so pushing the deadline back means that the two would be aligned, and that there will be less financial stress for prospective students. This decision is still under debate, but I will continue advocating for it in subsequent meetings.
I've also attended meetings to hear about the prospective plans for UCL200. In those, I was able to express the need for low-cost, lower commitment and easily accessible activities for students, as well as the more upscale flagship events. A lot of this has already been in discussion, but it was good to talk about how we can make the bicentennial year the extra-special moment that it is, while keeping it inclusive for students. I also suggested that, alongside the other 200-themed activities we have going on, it would be nice to plant 200 trees, as a symbolic and practical way of expressing the need for a focus on environmental sustainability as we look to the future
Darcy, Postgraduate Officer
Due to sickness and technical difficulties, Darcy could not submit her report.
Anam, President
What I've been up to!
Over the past month, I have been actively advancing several initiatives at the UCL School of Management. I have focused on making our projects more inclusive, working closely with Balraj Singh and the Director of Management, Professor Davide Ravasi.
In the area of sustainability, I met with Victor Chu to explore innovative solutions, including the development of sustainable beer. I have also been prioritising career opportunities for our community, establishing connections with Kate Gould and Karen to bring in more job prospects. In addition, I have been pushing forward efforts related to new building initiatives, ensuring that these plans align with our long-term vision.
- This is how I've been connecting with students.
In the past fortnight, I have maintained regular communication with students through direct engagement with society presidents, ensuring that their concerns and ideas are heard and addressed. I was also interviewed by the Cheese Grater Society, which provided a valuable platform to share updates on our ongoing projects and priorities.
- Here's more about the meetings I've attended over the past two weeks.
- Estate committee board
- Finance committee
- UCL 200 physical legacy working group
- Branding group.
- Residential RGSU in Belfast, Manchester.
- Sustainability inclusive UCL
- Board of Trustees induction.
Hana, Welfare & Community Officer
What I've been up to!
I have been attending the comprehensive range of induction sessions (from national influencing, learning about my responsibilities, to learning how to build communicative, transparent and successful relationships with the rest of my team and our whole student body) to prepare myself to best represent you fully!
As part of my start to this role, I have visited all of the SU spaces as well as the UCL satellite campuses, and I have learnt so much more about what the Student Union and UCL offer (as well as the areas for improvement!).
Another key objective I have been working on is supporting students affected by the horrors in Sudan, with the support of the University of Sanctuary Working Group. Mine and Sarah's collaboration with the remarkable staff from this group has also been vital in our current efforts to evacuate all students with offers to UK universities from Gaza, welcoming and supporting them.
Moreover, I have spoken to one of our Sustainability Officers, Oskar Barltrop, about several topics, including informational media on sustainability and its importance to all of us, reducing employment outsourcing and choosing ethical suppliers.
In the course of the Student's Union's dedication to improve our spaces, services & processes, we set off to Queen's Belfast SU, Uni of Manchester SU and Manchester Met SU and made note of all their inspiring ideas :)
- This is how I've been connecting with students.
I have had the pleasure of giving a speech at the Graduation Ceremonies for the Faculty of Medical Sciences, Brain Sciences, and Population Health Sciences! As someone who hasn't graduated yet, this was such a uniquely profound and inspiring experience where I feel I connected with all the incredible graduates. It was lovely to talk to some of the graduates, congratulate them with their families and friends around. It was also so important and heartfelt to me that some students told me they felt represented by me, which I only wish is the pattern that carries on between the sabbatical officers and students.
- Here's more about the meetings I've attended over the past two weeks.
This fortnight, I attended the Infrastructure Advisory Group, where I shared my concern that lift maintenance should be prioritised. This is essential for students with mobility needs, as it must be more reliable.
In addition, I have had multiple meetings with Sarah and other staff from the Union and UCL regarding UCL students who are in Gaza; providing each other updates, figuring out immediate action as well as long-term support.
In addition, I have had introductions with the amazing teams at the Student Union. Here are some of the departments I got to meet with, and some of the ideas we shared:
Sport & Physical Activity: Having a Sports Rep for each society will be an awesome way to bridge everything sporty and active that the Union offers with students!
Intercultural Engagement: From Culture Days, Food Exchanges (Potluck) to highlighting other cultures' deep histories, we were buzzing with ideas!
IT & Digital: Maybe one of my top ideas I am most excited for (and was thrilled to see already coming to life from our awesome team) is a completely personalised side of the Student Union website, with such features so many of us know and love, making access and engagement easier for a much larger and diverse range of students!