I joined sabbatical officers from across the UK in Parliament this month to set out our key priorities for the next Government.

This is part of our call on Government to lift students out of poverty and invest in world class institutions, like UCL.  

We’re part of the Russell Group Students’ Unions collective, and one of 24 students’ unions that together represent over 700,000 students studying in world-class, research-intensive universities across the UK. 

The Russell Group Students’ Unions manifesto, created using research conducted at UCL and across the Russell Group, calls on the next Government to: 

• Address the cost-of-living pressures experienced by students across the UK.  
• Improve the quality and affordability of student accommodation.  
• Remove students from net migration targets and improve the UK visa system.   
• Commit to a full review and reform of higher education, increasing public investment in Higher Education and reducing student fees in the long term.   
• Strengthen the research and innovation culture in universities. 

The manifesto outlines our vision for the future of UK Higher Education - one in which the rising cost of living is not a barrier and where the Government meaningfully invests in universities.

With a General Election now lined up for 4 July, the future of Higher Education in the UK is at stake. 

Here is what we want to see happen...

Support students through the cost-of-living crisis 

Students today are struggling due to the cost-of-living crisis. One in four students regularly going without food or necessities and average rents now accounts for almost 100% of the average student maintenance loan in England. 

We’re calling on the Government to increase student maintenance loans in line with inflation, bring back maintenance grants and reform how graduates pay back their loans. 

We also want to see an increase in funding for medicine and dentistry students, and improved access to free childcare for students. 

Better living conditions for students 

We know that the environment within which students live and study directly impacts the quality of their learning.  

We want to see an increase in the quantity, quality and affordability of housing available to students. We want to see better legal protections for student renters, and more financial support to help with cost-of-living pressures. 

Improve our global reputation 

We also need to strengthen the reputation of the UK HE system.

We're calling on the Government to improve the student experience of the UK visa system and improve access to postgraduate research study. 

More financial support and investment

We also want to see better financial support for UK universities. We want to see an increase in HE public funding, better support to make universities more environmentally sustainable, and the Office for Students to improve their engagement with student communities. 

These themes have been developed to further enable inclusive participation, protect and promote the vital role that UK HE plays in shaping the future of society and the economy, and to ensure that institutions can become world leaders in sustainable teaching and research – shaping the future of our planet. 

Find out more about the Russell Group Students' Unions and the manifesto, and take two minutes to register to vote.