History and presence
Students' representative councils in Scotland were established as part of the system of ancient university governance by the Universities (Scotland) Act 1889 in the four extant universities of the time: Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and St Andrews. The existence of an SRC was also incorporated in the royal charter of the University of Dundee, which adheres to the ancient governance structure.
More recently, SRCs have been established at the University of Strathclyde and at Heriot-Watt University's Scottish Borders Campus.
In general, SRCs have been submerged into wider students' associations, which are an umbrella term for various bodies which not only perform representation tasks, but also cater for student welfare, societies, entertainments (in the form of a Students' Union) and sports (in the form of a sports' union). In acknowledgement of this, Aberdeen University Students' Association has elected to use the name Students' Association Council for its SRC, despite its formal and legal title remaining unchanged. An exception to this system is Glasgow University Students' Representative Council which is not part of a Students' Association as a result of the university's retention of its separate male and female students' unions (in the form of the Glasgow University Union and the Queen Margaret Union respectively), although since 1980 both now admit both men and women as full members whilst retaining their separate identities.
The University of Glasgow is a public research university in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded by papal bull in 1451, it is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Along with the universities of Edinburgh, Aberdeen, and St Andrews, the university was part of the Scottish Enlightenment during the 18th century.
The University of Aberdeen is a public research university in Aberdeen, Scotland. It is an ancient university founded in 1495 when William Elphinstone, Bishop of Aberdeen and Chancellor of Scotland, petitioned Pope Alexander VI on behalf of James IV, King of Scots to establish King's College, making it Scotland's third-oldest university and the fifth-oldest in the English-speaking world. Aberdeen is consistently ranked among the top 200 universities in the world and is ranked within the top 20 universities in the United Kingdom according to The Guardian.
The ancient universities of Scotland are medieval and renaissance universities which continue to exist in the present day. The majority of the ancient universities of the British Isles are located within Scotland, and have a number of distinctive features in common, being governed by a series of measures laid down in the Universities (Scotland) Acts 1858–1966. The Universities (Scotland) Act 1966 uses the term 'older universities' to refer to St Andrews, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh. The same act provided for the independence from St Andrews of Dundee, which was then granted a similar form of governance under its royal charter.
A students' union, also known by many other names, is a student organization present in many colleges, universities, and high schools. In higher education, the students' union is often accorded its own building on the campus, dedicated to social, organizational activities, representation, and academic support of the membership.
Edinburgh University Students' Association (EUSA) is the students' union at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. The Association's aim is the advancement of education of Edinburgh students by representing and supporting them, and by promoting their interests, health and welfare within the community. It is led by a team of five elected student sabbatical officers.
Glasgow University Students' Representative Council was founded on 9 March 1886 and recognised as the legal representative body for students of the University of Glasgow by the Universities (Scotland) Act 1889. The SRC is responsible for representing students' interests to the management of the University and to local and national government, and for health and welfare issues. Under the Universities (Scotland) Acts, all students of the University automatically become members of the SRC. However, they are entitled to opt out of this.
The (Lord) Rector of the University of Glasgow is one of the most senior posts within the institution, elected every three years by students. The theoretical role of the Rector is to represent students to the senior management of the University and raise issues which concern them. In order to achieve this, the Rector is the statutory chair of the Court, the governing body of the University.
The University of Newcastle Students' Association (UNSA) is the student organisation at the University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia (UON). The organisation provides a range of student services and supports campus life activities and events. UNSA facilitates the UON's elected Student Representative Council (SRC) which is the peak representative body for all students at the University.
The Tasmania University Union Inc. (TUU) is the peak body of student representation for tertiary students attending the University of Tasmania. Established in 1899, the TUU represented only southern students for much of its history, but in 2008 it amalgamated the Student Association in the north of the state, encompassing the entire university.
The governance of the University of St Andrews is laid down in a series of Acts of Parliament enacted between 1858 and 1966, and the Higher Education Governance (Scotland) Act 2016.
An academic senate is a governing body in some universities and colleges, and is typically the supreme academic authority for the institution.
The University of St Andrews Students' Association is the organisation which represents the student body of the University of St Andrews. It was founded in 1885 and comprises the Students' Representative Council and the Student Activities Forum.
Victoria University Student Union (VUSU) is the peak body representing and supporting all students at Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia. The stated objectives of VUSU are to provide a range of representation and general services to a student population of approximately 50,000 on all campuses of the university.
A university council may be the executive body of a university's governance system, an advisory body to the university president, or something in between in authority.
Aberdeen University Students' Association is the students' association of the University of Aberdeen, an ancient university in the city of Aberdeen in North East Scotland. It organises recreational activities; provides welfare and employment services for students; promotes equality and diversity of students; advancement of education; and provide facilities and support for student societies and sports clubs.
The ancient university governance structure in Scotland is the organisational system imposed by a series of Acts of Parliament called the Universities (Scotland) Acts 1858 to 1966. The Acts applied to what were termed the 'older universities': the University of St Andrews, the University of Glasgow, the University of Aberdeen and the University of Edinburgh. Together these four universities are commonly referred to as the ancient universities of Scotland. Whilst the Acts do not directly apply to the University of Dundee, the same governance structure was ordained for use by that institution in its Royal charter.
Aberdeen University Sports Union (AUSU) is the sports union at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland. It is a constituent part of Aberdeen University Students' Association. It is not responsible for facilities and rents time for its clubs from Aberdeen Sports Village.
In universities in the United Kingdom students' unions are constituted under Section 2 of the Education Act 1994. The ultimate purpose of students' unions is to democratically represent the interests of their members. Students who resign their membership may still use union social facilities provided since they are for the benefit of the students of the institution, not just union members. The vast majority of UK students' unions are affiliated with the National Union of Students (NUS).
The Sydney University Postgraduate Representative Association (SUPRA) is the peak body of elected representatives who campaign on behalf of the Research and Coursework Students at The University of Sydney, alongside the University of Sydney Students' Representative Council.
Glasgow University Sports Association is a student organisation at the University of Glasgow responsible for the promotion of sport and physical activity around campus.
