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Strategy 2025-28

A Union for All Students

The Community and Voice of Bristol Students

We want to be a progressive, impactful and exciting part of student life, uniquely positioned to champion and improve the student experience.

We'll be relevant to all students and make a real difference to their lives by being the voice of the whole student body to the university and further afield. We'll offer expert advice, support and information to help our students thrive. And we'll develop community and belonging by being the home of student groups, communities, activities and events at the University of Bristol.

We're bigger, better and stronger than we've ever been before, and we're ready for what the next three years hold.

Our Values

Everything we do is guided by our values. Our values are what we stand for - it's not just what we do that matters, it's how we do it. We're embedding commitments to our values within our strategy to make sure they remain at the heart of what we deliver.

Community

Wellbeing

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

Sustainability

Fun

Our Strategic Priorities

The challenges that students and our organisation face are serious. Over the next three years we'll address five strategic priorities to make the biggest difference to our students' lives as their voice and community. This will be underpinned by operating as a Strong Students' Union.

Legend

Default:

Keep cheap food on the menu

Complete:

Keep cheap food on the menu

On hold:

Keep cheap food on the menu

Blocked:

Keep cheap food on the menu

Connected
Communities

Success: We are at the heart of student life, providing opportunities to create community across all campuses and throughout the year.

View our actions
  • More access to and repurpose university space to be used by students
  • More in-person outreach and ensure students have a great SU experience wherever they are based
  • Develop as the home of student led community building at Bristol
  • Focus on year-round events that are affordable, build community and are student-led

Financial
Accessibility

Success: All students are able to benefit from Bristol SU events, activities, services and roles, regardless of personal circumstances.

View our actions
  • Reduce costs for engaging in student community or representation activity
  • Keep cheap food on the menu and we'll scope out opening an SU food and drink outlet
  • Launch our Housing Advice Service and trial short-term accommodation
  • Deliver and develop sustainability and cost-saving initiatives

Empowered
Changemakers

Success: Being a greater force for change, with models for activism and representation that more students want to participate in.

View our actions
  • Launch paid community organising and faculty rep roles
  • Develop a strategic longer-term approach to influencing on key issues
  • Make sure the SU is seen as the route for campaigning and changemaking activity
  • Create a Climate Action Plan which empowers our members to make a difference

Supported
Student Leaders

Success: Student groups leaders feel supported to run safe and inclusive communities and that their hard work is recognised and valued.

View our actions
  • Embed the outcomes from recent reviews of how we support Student Groups
  • More time for relationship building, managing risk, and transformational development and training
  • Establish and support Wellbeing Officers
  • Improve guidance, support and training to help student group leaders run safe and inclusive groups

Inclusive
Changemakers

Success: We take action to meet the needs of all our students, so that satisfaction is high across the board.

View our actions
  • Champion all marginalised students, with a focus on improving accessibility to SU activities
  • Visibly advocate for our disabled students.
  • React to feedback and data, with initial focus on further enhancing our offer for PGRs and male students
  • Longitudinal study to demonstrate our impact and improve our ability to make interventions.

Foundation: A Strong
Students' Union

Success: In order to fulfil our strategy, and deliver for students, we need to make sure we're well-positioned to face and respond to the challenges ahead.

View our actions

Smarter Ways of Working

  • Continue to develop our inclusive staff recruitment practices
  • Understanding and address the causes of workload challenges, to drop high-effort, low-impact work
  • Continue work to be evidence-led and use digital solutions including ethical AI use to support our delivery

Stronger Customer Service

  • Streamline the ways students can contact us
  • Introduce consistent expectations around customer experience for a consistent, seamless and high-quality service
  • Conduct a deeper student journey mapping exercise

Sustainable Finances

  • Grow and diversify our income streams
  • Develop a three-year financial plan

Measuring and Reporting Success

We'll monitor our progress throughout the next three years. We'll use the following high-level measures to set long term targets and check ourselves annually.

Satisfaction

% of students who are satisfied with the SU

Baseline

96%

Target August 2026

90%*

Students feel the SU effectively represents students' academic interests' (NSS)

Baseline

67%

Target August 2026

73%**

% student leaders who agree Bristol SU has helped me fulfil my role as a leader

Baseline

74%

Target August 2026

80%

Impact

% students who agree Bristol SU supports their wellbeing

Baseline

87%

Target August 2026

90%

% of students who agree Bristol SU has helped me feel part of a community

Baseline

95%

Target August 2026

90%*

*above 90%, with a survey response rate that is a representative sample of the students population

**or the top half of Russell Group Universities, whichever is higher