Lancaster University Students’ Union (LUSU) has been shortlisted for the Higher Education Students’ Union of the Year award at the National Union of Students (NUS) Awards 2013.
LUSU is one of seven Students’ Unions across England to be nominated, alongside others including Bath, Leeds and Sussex. LUSU has been recognized for its student development as well as engagement among Lancaster students both internationally and domestically.
The NUS Awards 2013 is a competition between unions across England – Wales and Scotland hold their own at their respective regional conferences – celebrating the achievement of students and their unions over the academic year. There are 15 categories ranging from Higher Education Students’ Union of the Year to Best Student Media to Community Relations Award. The awards will be decided from the shortlists of the 15 categories by 13 judges, who are independent of the NUS, engaged in Higher Education journalism, research and development.
Criteria for the Higher Education Students’ Union of the Year category include: evidence of vision, student experience, participation, and campaigns that the Union has promoted through active engagement within the University’s student community. LUSU cited widening development in all these areas as a reason for their application for consideration at the NUS Awards 2013.
A spokesperson told SCAN: “This year we have delivered on our promises to our membership by creating opportunities for 190 of our student to travel between international campuses, by securing a new first class building from which to base our services, and by mobilising officer networks to oppose cuts to the Arts that could have established a dangerous precedent.”
On hearing the news of LUSU’s inclusion on the category shortlist, LUSU President Ste Smith told SCAN: “I’m absolutely thrilled that LUSU has been shortlisted for the NUS Higher Education Students’ Union of the Year Award! It’s certainly the best achievement of the year for the entire team.”
The results and awards ceremony will be held at the close of Students’ Union Conference 2013 in Manchester on Wednesday 3 July. This the first time in the NUS Awards event’s six-year history that LUSU has been shortlisted for Students’ Union of the Year.
This achievement by LUSU encouraged Ste Smith to conclude his comments by saying: “I don’t even care if we don’t win, I’ve never known us to be recognized at this level for the fantastic things we do and so that is an honour in itself!”
