Welcome to your role as a Postgraduate Representative (Rep)! The Postgraduate Rep Training Framework is designed to help you in your role. It consists of a package of development opportunities to: enhance your ability to represent and work better with others in meetings and departments; negotiate assertively, and to understand systems at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø including SSC meetings.

PG Representatives, Academic Staff, Faculties, Student Union, and the Early Career Researcher Institute (ECRI) have worked in partnership to design this provision; and it is strongly recommended!

The aims of the ‘Postgraduate Representative Programme’ are to enhance your ability to:

  • Identify your goals and relevant stakeholders.
  • Recognise contacts for you as a rep, and how to signpost others.
  • Discuss and explore issues in order to determine appropriate solutions.
  • Devise a flexible approach to assert your views and those of others.
  • Assess contexts to apply your skills and better represent your peers.

Contacts for queries:

Courses 2

Assertiveness for Postgraduate Representatives

Postgraduate Representatives, Academics and the Union recommend that you will need to use assertiveness appropriately as a representative.

We recommend that you attend ECRI courses and be sure to ask the tutors if you have specific questions regarding assertiveness as a representative:

Negotiation Skills for Postgraduate Representatives

Postgraduate Representatives, Academics and the Union recommend that you will need to use negotiation skills appropriately as a representative.

We recommend that you attend the ECRI course and ask the tutors if you have specific questions regarding negotiations as a representative:

Further information

PG Representation Training 2025

Sign up via the   If you can't make any of the training dates outlined below get in contact with the  representation team.

  • PG Representation Essentials - Wednesday 29th October, 12:00-14:00 in Union Concert Hall, 51³Ô¹ÏÍø College Union (all PG reps)
  • PG Representation Essentials - Thursday 6th November, 12:00-13:30, ONLINE (all PG reps if not attended in person)

Effective Meetings and Chairing Training

  • Effective Meetings & Chairing Training - Thursday 13th November 18:00-20:00, SAF G16 (PG Representation Chairs, Academic and Welfare Officers & Department Representatives)
  • Effective Meetings & Chairing Training - Tuesday 18th November, 17:00-18:30, ONLINE (PG Representation Chairs, Academic and Welfare Officers & Department Representatives if not attended in person)

Key Union & Welfare Contact Information

Please click on the following link to access key resources and contact information for Postgraduate Student Representatives and 51³Ô¹ÏÍø College Union (ICU).