The National Union of Students (NUS) is more than just a discount card and has been championing the voice of students and students' unions since 1922. Broadly they are made up of affiliated Students' Unions through which they can engage over 7 million students in the UK. They are also split into three entities that focus on maximising benefits to students' unions. These entities are:
- NUS UK - is the campaigning arm that champions the voice of students and Students' Unions.
- NUS Charitable Services - is the charitable are that looks to improve the quality of Students' Unions.
- NUS Services Ltd - is the commerical arm that supports the resourcing of Students' Union and provides students with Totum (powered by NUS Extra).
Below you will be able to find out more information about NUS and your Students' Unions involvement with the NUS.
Aston Students' Union Affiliation
Your Students' Union is affiliated to the NUS making us a constituate member and able to send delegates to conferences and events, gain benefits for our students through their commercial arm and engage in national campaigns. This also allows us to access recourses, training and other networking events which helps us to ensure we are staying up to date with the sector.
student voice and the nus
NUS provide lots of opportunities for your voice to be heard at a national level. They work with the Students' Union and your student leaders to engage with the sector and ensure that we are all working in your best interests.
NUS National conference
Every year the NUS hold a national conference that brings together delegates from all its affiliated Students' Union (also known as constituate members) and is one of the world largest gatherings of students. Aston can take up to 4 delegate to national conference with one place reserved for your President who acts as lead delegate. We run an elections to elect the remaining 3 delegates so that you can decide who will represent the Aston Voice.
At conference your delegates will:
- discuss and vote on motions sent to conference from around the UK and decide whether they will become NUS policy
- elect NUS's Full-time Officer team
- network with delegates from all over the UK
If you are interested in becoming an NUS Delegate then check out our Leadership Race page (click here) to find out when the election will be.
Note: half (rounded down) of the full delegation must be made up of individuals who are self-defined Women in accordance with NUS policy.
other areas of nus
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National Union of Students (NUS) has a number of autonomous liberation campaigns which unlike policy zones do not have to pas policy at NUS National Conference. These campaigns have their own national officers, run their own conference and set their own policies.
Learn more about each liberation campaign below.
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NUS Black Students' Campaign
The NUS Black Students’ Campaign represents students of African, Asian, Arab and Caribbean descent at a local and national level on all issues affecting Black students.
The campaign focuses on equality in education, black representation, anti-racism and anti-facism and international peace and justice. They campaign on issues affecting Black students at a local, national and international level. As a liberation campaign, they are a self-organised and autonomous part of NUS. This means that Black students elect their national officer and committee, and set the campaign’s policies at our democratic summer conference.
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NUS Disabled Students' Campaign
The NUS Disabled Students’ campaign aims to remove the stigma from all disabilities, challenge perceptions and encourage all members of our society to take a positive attitude towards understanding the nature of disability and overcoming prejudices.
The national officer, committee, and policies are decided by disabled student representatives from across the UK at our summer conference. The officer and committee are bound by our policies but can make decisions on interim policies between conferences.
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NUS LGBT+ Students' Campaign
The NUS LGBT+ campaign has been instrumental in changing the lives of Lesbian, Gay, Bi and Trans (LGBT) students in the UK.
They’ve been a key player in the number of campaigns leading to major legislative changes, including donating blood, civil partnerships and gender recognition.
The officers, committee and policies are decided at the summer conference, which is attended by LGBT+ student representatives from around the country. The officers and committee are bound by they're policies but can make decisions on interim policy between conferences.
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NUS Trans Students' Campaign
NUS Trans students’ campaign exists to represent trans students and fight for their rights. As an autonomous campaign, they are led by trans students in our governance and decision-making processes.
They campaign for the rights of trans students through campaigning, activism, research, and training, all of which we develop with the input of trans students.
At their summer conference, the officer, committee, and policies are decided by trans representatives from across the country. The officers and committee are bound by their policies but can make decisions on interim policy between conferences.
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NUS Women's Campaign
NUS Women’s campaign represents women students around the country and works to extend and defend their rights. The campaign is open to all who self-define as women, including (if they wish) those with complex gender identities which include 'woman', and those who experience oppression as women. They affirm that self-definition is at the sole discretion of the individual in question.
Throughout the year, they work on key areas identified by our policies to better the lives of women students and towards freedom from oppression. They do this by running campaigns backed up by research and training activists to fight for the change they want to see on campus and wider society.