LJMU pledges to secure successful student futures at House of Commons

The Student Futures Manifesto will be a joint action between the university and its students to tackle the problems caused by the pandemic. 

LJMU’s Pro-Vice Chancellor for Student Experience, Phil Vickerman and JMSU’s Chief Executive Officer, Paul Chapman, visited a House of Commons reception this week to formally launch the final report of the University Partnerships Programme (UPP) Foundation’s ‘Student Futures Commission’. 

Developing a Student Futures Manifesto is the key recommendation from the Commission. The Manifestos will be a blueprint for how universities and students work together to improve the student experience.  

The pledge to the Student Futures Manifesto comes after the appointment, earlier this year, of Phil Vickerman as Pro-Vice Chancellor for Student Experience. The role reaffirms LJMU’s commitment to delivery an outstanding student experience, putting students at the heart of everything we do. 

Phil Vickerman, LJMU Pro-Vice Chancellor for Student Experience, said: 

“Here at LJMU, our dedication towards our students is strong, it’s been integral in developing our new core values and why our first ‘Students at the Heart’ Conference will take place this June.  

“Every contact with students counts, from before they arrive, throughout their university experience and beyond graduation and we all play a critical role in ensuring LJMU is a student-focused university of which we are all proud of.” 

Paul Chapman, JMSU Chief Executive Officer, said:  

“The very focus of John Moores Students’ Union is on LJMU students and their university experience. Wherever possible, our work is designed by students, delivered by students with the best interest of our student community. JMSU’s, and LJMU’s, pledge to develop our Student Futures Manifesto alongside students, shows our commitment to this”. 

As part of the Manifesto, LJMU will co-produce and publish a series of actions within the six themes the final report of the Student Futures Commission identified for successful student futures:  

• Support for students before they reach university 

• An induction into university life for each year of study 

• Support for mental health and wellbeing 

• A clear outline of the teaching students will receive and the necessary tools to access it 

• Activities inside and outside the curriculum that build skills, networks and communities 

• A clear pathway towards graduate outcomes 

Continuing LJMU’s commitment to student experience, Phil Vickerman also took part in a Q&A Instagram takeover on LJMU’s social feed last week.  

Questions and suggestions from students included more multi faith rooms in university buildings, to developing a central app where everything a student needs is in one place, both of which Phil is looking into as part of his student experience remit. 

LJMU and JMSU will continue to use Instagram and social media, alongside a variety of outreach methods, to seek students’ views, in order to develop the student manifesto, and what should be in it, with them. 

Students at the Heart:

As we move towards our bicentenary in 2023, LJMU has reaffirmed our focus and commitment to delivering an outstanding student experience. Each and every one of us has a critical role in this. Reflecting the University’s Vision and Values, this section highlights thoughts, tips and ideas for how we can care for our students to give them a transformational University experience, building up to the Students at the Heart conference on the 15/16 June 2022.