Advance HE has appointed two students from The University of Manchester to its Governance Strategic Advisory Group (SAG).
Melody Stephen (cover image, left) and Miguel Gonzales-Valdes Tejero (cover image, right), currently serving as General Secretary of the Student Union and Education Officer respectively, were appointed from a strong field of applicants. Bringing complementary perspectives from one of the UK’s largest institutions together, they will add invaluable insight to the SAG.
Melody Stephen, said, “I applied for the role as I believe the importance of student voice and lived experiences in higher education is more imperative than ever before. I wish to bring a diversity of experiences and voices from students over the year as well as my own to this role,
“I truly believe that students need to have a voice in decision making for education to work for us especially in the context of rapid and exponential change in the sector. It’s an honour to contribute in this way to such an important sector of society.”
Miguel Gonzales-Valdes Tejero said, “I was surprised to find that I liked governance as a sabbatical officer, and I was drawn to it because good governance has the power to not only run but improve an institution, and it has the potential to be a process where all the voices of the institution can be represented which should be its ultimate aim.”
Welcoming the new SAG members, Janet Legrand QC (Hon), who chairs the group, said, “Advance HE is committed to supporting the success of all its members and all those who play a governance role on an equal footing.
“The insight and contribution of student governors and officers to our work, with the appointment of Melody and Miguel as part of our Governance Strategic Advisory Group, are both important and exciting and we welcome them to the Group”
Later this year Advance HE’s 2022 Governance Conference (London, Thursday 24 November) central theme will be ‘Governing in the interests of students’ – with a focus on the student experience.