Russell Group Students' Unions launch new manifesto

16 May 2024

The Russell Group Students' Unions have launched their new Student Manifesto, calling on Government to prioritise students ahead of the next general election.

Commenting today ahead of a launch event in parliament, Joanna Burton, Head of Policy (HE) at the Russell Group, said:

“The Russell Group SU network plays an important role in bringing together the invaluable work that each union does in their student community, and strengthening their voice in the sector. It is crucial that students have a platform to advocate for a higher education system that meets their needs, provides value for money and supports them to thrive during their studies.

“The Manifesto rightly raises some important challenges for any future government to respond to, in particular the ways mounting cost-of-living and accommodation pressures are affecting the student experience across the board – as well as making the UK welcoming to international students, and the need for a long-term sustainable funding model. It has also identified the specific needs of our postgraduate community, who play such a vital role in creating the thriving research and innovation environments at Russell Group universities.

“Our universities will continue to work with their SUs to listen to and understand students’ lived experiences, and to ensure students’ perspectives are front and centre when tackling the sector’s current challenges”.

Russell Group Students’ Unions represent over 700,000 students research-intensive universities across the UK. Read the Student Manifesto 2024 in full here.