We’re looking for students who are keen to feedback on their university experience and work together in partnership with each other and staff across the university teams to improve student experience through focus-group style meetings. Your input will help shape university policy through our Access and Participation Plan strategy that staff across student support services and academic teaching use to provide the best teaching, learning and support for underrepresented students. 

We’ll meet monthly up to 6 times a year online for up to 90 mins each meeting including a break. Timings of meetings will try to accommodate best availability of students around study and home commitments. There may also be an opportunity to present together at the university Learning & Teaching conference in the summer. Mandatory paid training will be provided for successful candidates.

We’re focusing on groups of students we’ve identified need more support at different stages from applying to university through to progressing on from graduation. These include care leavers and estranged students, Black, Asian and Mixed ethnicity British students, mature students (aged 21+ on entry), students eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years of their secondary education, students in receipt of the Cumbria Bursary and students with disabilities (including those with a disclosed mental health condition). Do you fit these criteria? We would love to hear from you, and if successful, would be reimbursed for your time. We are recruiting up to 12 students and to ensure we have a balance of representation across the panel. 

The role is fixed term until 31^st August 2027. Successful candidates will be able to express interest in reapplying should they still be a UoC student for the following year. Each year we have members of the Student Panel continuing. 

While our Access and Participation Plan focuses on undergraduate students, we recognise that our post-graduate students have valuable experiences and suggestions they can contribute to our panel. We are therefore recruiting up to two post-graduate students this academic year.

Informal Enquiries: Fiona Curry, Strategic Lead, Access and Participation - appstudentengagement@cumbria.ac.uk

Interview dates: Monday 30 November and Wednesday 2 December.

Closing Date: 15 Nov 2026

Sub Section: Casual Work

Salary: £12.71 per hour