Investigating the Relationship Between Students and NUS Wales

Abstract

The National Union of Students, Wales (NUS Wales) has been a politically autonomous organisation for nearly 40 years. In that time, and especially in recent years, it has gained a measure of respect from other lead stakeholders in the Welsh higher education sector. But how does NUS Wales relate to students? The idea of what it means to be a student has undergone significant change in recent years, as has the structure of the movement. NUS Wales receives at least a part of its legitimacy from the idea that it is representative of students, and this project aims to investigate whether or not this is the case. Using a survey method, this chapter examines attitudes of students within Welsh higher education to their local union, the issues that are important to them and their opinion and levels of awareness and interaction with NUS Wales. The survey also included a section for sabbatical officers at NUS Wales, as they are seen as the main link between NUS Wales and the wider student body. The survey found that while awareness of NUS Wales is relatively high, engagement of the student body in the organisation is not.