Overview
Welcome to the first edition of my monthly blog as your SU President!
Each month, I’ll share updates on my current projects, key meetings. I’ve attended, made progress on student priorities, and reviewed upcoming events. This space is designed to keep you in the loop and ensure you know exactly how your voice is being represented across the Uni. In July, I officially began my role and have since been through inductions, intensive training, and a series of high-level meetings with Uni staff.
The goal is to build strong foundations for the year ahead and start working towards key issues raised in my manifesto, such as,
- International students support programme
- Female empowerment, and
- Student voices, to ensure they are being heard
Starting the Role
I began my term as President of the Kingston Uni Students’ Union on 30 June 2025. My first week was filled with introductions, onboarding sessions, and detailed inductions led by the KSU team and the Union’s CEO. It is important to note that my role involves wearing multiple “hats” representing students in five different capacities:
1. As a trustee of the Union
2. As a full-time employee of KSU
3. As a student representative
4. As an activist and advocate
5. And as a governor of the University
Each of these hats comes with unique duties, and together they allow me to influence student experience at every level.
Throughout the month, I have completed several training sessions designed to prepare me for this role. Some of the most valuable sessions included:
Building the Sabbatical Team
The second week focused on building relationships with the rest of the elected officer team. We spent a residential week at Imperial College Union, where we worked in new environment to reflect on our roles and how we could collaborate effectively throughout the year. During this residential, we developed something called the “Sabbs Shield” a reflective framework designed to guide our teamwork, values, and accountability, as seen below in the picture. We concluded the week with a social activity in Canary Wharf, which helped us connect with one another beyond our roles and begin the year as a strong and united team.
Meeting Key Uni Staff
The third week was dedicated to meeting senior staff members across Kingston University and introducing them to our aims for the year.
Meeting with Louisa Green
Our first major meeting was with Louisa Green, Executive Director for Student Services. We presented the key issues students have raised, from financial pressures to academic support, and shared our collective manifesto goals. I will be meeting with Louisa on a monthly basis to ensure student concerns are continuously addressed at a senior level. One topic we discussed was involving student societies in Open Days and Offer Holder Days. This would allow prospective students to engage more with the student led societies at our beloved KU community. While not confirmed yet, I plan to meet Louisa again to explore how this can be structured fairly and consistently.
Meeting with Annie Hughes
I also met with Annie Hughes, Head of Learning and Teaching Enhancement, along with my VPs, Canon and Ckyra. Our conversation focused on improving the academic experience for students. A key development I’m pleased to share is that recorded lectures will soon be available online, date yet to be confirmed. This is something many students have requested for a long time, and I will be supporting this project to ensure it’s implemented effectively. Additionally, we began exploring how artificial intelligence tools could be thoughtfully integrated into our learning environment. These conversations are still in the early stages, but it’s encouraging to see the University open to innovation.
Meeting with Jenni Woods
Together with my Vice President, Canon, I met with Jenni Woods, Director of Student Services. We raised concerns that students have expressed about the Town House, including study space availability and opening hours of the library. We also discussed the ICAT and wider library services such as integration of AI in the ICAT, with the goal of improving facilities and making them more accessible and responsive to student needs.
I have two follow-up meetings scheduled with Jenni’s team next week to discuss specific changes and implementation.
Upcoming important meeting
I am also appointed as the new governor at the board of Kingston University, and on 29th July, I’ll be meeting with the Chair of the University Board of Governors. This is a crucial opportunity to raise key issues directly with the University’s highest decision-making body. I will be discussing several concerns, including the lack of student parking on campus, as well as broader issues tied to the cost of living, well-being, and academic fairness
Staying Connected
I want this year to be one where students feel heard, supported, and empowered. If you ever want to share ideas, raise concerns, or simply have a conversation, my door is always open. You can reach out in person at the SU office, via email at M.Haroon@kingston.ac.uk, or message me on Instagram at @ksu_President.
Thank you for placing your trust in me. I look forward to updating you again at the end of August.
Warm regards,
Hamza Haroon
President, Kingston Students’ Union