New student-led forum launched to boost community collaboration in Newcastle

A new student-led group to develop and promote ways to work together to make Newcastle the best possible place for its students and everyone who resides here has been launched.

Working together, Newcastle and Northumbria universities and their Students’ Unions, along with Newcastle College and Newcastle City Council, have launched the Students as Partners forum to support the needs of Newcastle’s large and diverse student population.

The new, student-led forum aims to promote positive, mutually beneficial relationships within communities across the city. By working with the Council and other organisations to ensure effective delivery of public services to students, it is hoped that the quality of the student experience will be enhanced and will promote the city as a place to live and study – both while students are at university and after they’ve graduated.

The aim is that this group will ensure students are recognised and valued as members of the communities they live in and will celebrate the work students do, whether through volunteering in their local area, supporting residents or being responsible neighbours. In turn, by advocating for the city’s 75,000 students and the wide range of social, cultural and economic benefits they bring to the Newcastle, the group aims to highlight the importance of students’ voices in shaping future city plans, particularly those relating to the provision of housing and health and wellbeing support.

Speaking about the contributions that students make to the city, Northumbria University Students’ Union President, Mary Udeze said: “From the diversity of culture to volunteering, to recycling and to the economic benefits of thousands of students and graduates enriching the city and region; students are an integral part of the Newcastle community. Many love the city so much they choose to stay after graduation. Through Students as Partners the Students’ Unions aim to raise awareness of students’ positive impact, and work closely with the City Council and others to ensure these benefits continue to grow and be shared with all parts of the community.”

Newcastle University Students’ Union President, Ilsa Hartley added: “Whether our students were born and brought up in Newcastle or have made it their home while they study, the city is an integral part of their university experience. We are delighted to be part of this forum where we can shine a light on the positive contribution that students make to the city. We look forward to building positive and productive relationships with our key partners to make the city an even more vibrant and inclusive place for all.”

The Students as Partners forum is part of the Collaborative Newcastle Universities Agreement (CNUA), a partnership between Newcastle and Northumbria universities to make a positive change for the city by working closely with the City Council and other city stakeholders.

The group’s inaugural meeting took place last month where discussions covered safety in the city, the value of student contributions including to city-wide events such as Pride, improving access to public transport, and housing challenges and opportunities.

Cllr Karen Kilgour, Leader of Newcastle City Council, said: “We’re incredibly proud of the educational institutions we have in Newcastle which offer a range of world-leading opportunities for the brightest young minds from the North East and across the world.

“The Students as Partners forum offers a fantastic platform to harness all the best aspects of our universities and the college, give students the best experience possible in our city, and help us ensure there are opportunities for them to build long and successful careers and lives in Newcastle and the wider city region.

“Everybody in our city is a Geordie, whether they have been in Newcastle for a day, a few months or years. Everyone contributes to the city in some way, shape or form, and this forum promises to make the very most of that."

The forum builds on a long-standing history of the Universities, their respective Students’ Unions and their students working to make Newcastle the best possible place for their students and everyone who resides here.

This includes initiatives such as ‘Leave Newcastle Happy’ and ‘Best Neighbour on Campus’. Leave Newcastle Happy is a student-led campaign which runs at the end of each academic year to ensure that students leaving private accommodation in Newcastle can dispose of and recycle unwanted items, avoiding littering and increasing sustainable disposal of unwanted items. The  ‘Best Neighbour on Campus’ awards,  recognised students for going the extra mile to support their neighbours and the communities they live in.

Speaking about the importance of partnership working, Dan Monnery, Pro Vice-Chancellor External Affairs, Northumbria University, said: “As anchor institutions in Newcastle, the impact of Northumbria and Newcastle University's roles is significant and wide-ranging. The launch of the Students as Partners forum reflects the shared commitment of our Universities, our Students’ Unions, Newcastle College, and the City Council to building positive, inclusive, and mutually respectful communities. This initiative exemplifies the power of partnership and the positive impact students can have in helping to develop a more connected future for everyone who calls this city home."

Professor Jane Robinson, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Engagement and Place, Newcastle University, added: “Our two universities are integrally linked to the city, and we’re committed to making Newcastle the best place possible for both students and residents. A productive and supportive relationship between the universities, students and the City Council is beneficial for all so it’s great to see students from both institutions taking the lead in shaping and developing a community that understands, respects and supports each other.”

Find out more about the Collaborative Newcastle Universities Agreement (CNUA).

Image caption - left to right: J’orga D’Adamo, Oliver Scanlon, Stevie Smith, Catherine Kersey, Isaac Akakpo, Vashti Hutton, Mary Udeze, Harvey Burn, Ilsa Hartley, Sajda Nawaz-Bhatti, Ita McCrory, Victoria Powell, Arushi Sinha, Pam Smith, Lucy Backhurst, Leo David, Lily Allan, George Watkins, Hisham Salamathullah.