"Hi everyone!
 

For those of you who don't know me, my name is Martins Akhemigbeze and I am your Postgraduate Part-Time Officer here at the SU.
 

I just wanted to let you know that applications for the Postgraduate Development Fund are now open. If you have an idea, project, event or activity that could benefit you and other postgraduate students, then your Students' Union has funds to support you. It is an amazing opportunity you do not want to miss!
 

Previous applications have seen a postgraduate student-run poetry workshops for their colleagues, another attend a conference in Amsterdam to then disseminate what they found with their peers, and another organise a networking event in a local pub to share their research, generate ideas and grow understanding with fellow postgraduates.
 

Full details and the application form can be found here. The deadline for applications is Friday 17th April
 

On another note, I'm really pleased to inform you that the Students' Union, via its Union Council on Tuesday 25th February, has resolved to enhance the voice Postgraduate Students have at the University of Plymouth by:
 

• Creating a Postgraduate Research Part Time Officer, which will sit on Union Council to represent PHD and MRes students.

• Ensuring all roles, particularly postgraduate officer roles, are communicated with relevant university staff members for more promotion e.g. Associate Heads of School for Teaching and Learning, and Director of the Doctoral College Board.

• Mandating the VP Education and President of the SU to ensure a postgraduate officer is included on the University's Teaching and Learning Quality Committee (UTLQC) and other relevant committees eg. Doctoral College Board.

• Mandating the relevant SU Sabbatical Officer to lobby the university to create an Access and Participation Plan for Postgraduate students.

• Mandating all sabbatical officers to work with departments within the Union to ensure services are relevant and accessible to postgraduate students.
   

This is a great win for Postgraduate Students, particularly research students, and I will continue to work hard to make sure that the above points come to fruition. Don't hesitate to get in touch with me should you have any further questions, or have an issue you are looking to resolve - martins.akhemigbeze@postgrad.plymouth.ac.uk"

Part Time Officers represent particular groups or demographics of students, they support students and make sure that their voice is heard. This could be within the Students' Union, the University or even nationally. Each Part-Time Officer actively seeks student feedback and should communicate any developments back to the students they represent. Part-Time Officers are unpaid and work with UPSU while studying.

Student representatives, including part time officers, are involved at every level of decision making within the union and at many university meetings. Part Time Officers and Academic Representatives play an important part in leading and shaping your union, your university and your wider community.