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Working with our Partner Colleges

Greenwich Students’ Union exists to support students at the University of Greenwich by:  

  • Promoting the interests and welfare of students at the University during their course of study and representing, supporting and advising Students. 

  • Providing social, cultural, sporting and recreational activities, and forums for discussions and debate, for the personal development of its Students. 

  • Being the recognised representative channel between Students and the University and any other external bodies. 

Greenwich Students’ Union (GSU) delivers several services to support these charitable objectives for students at the University. Some of these services and support systems at the Medway campus are delivered in partnership with Kent Union (KU), enabling a specialist provision for students based at the Medway campus including students at Canterbury Christchurch Student’s Union (CCSU).  

List of Partner Colleges

 

Partner College Network: 

  • London South East Colleges (LSEC – Bromley and Bexley) 

  • Bird College 

  • NESCOT (North East Surrey College of Technology) 

  • Activate Learning (formerly Guildford College) 

  • Mid Kent College 

  • North Kent College

  • Hadlow College (part of North Kent College)  

  • Flourish Learning Trust (Previously known as Whitefield Academy Trust)  

  • Plumpton College 

  • Barking and Dagenham College

 
Further Education and Skills Sector partners (managed by FEHHS) 

  • Farnborough College of Technology 

  • Hertfordshire Regional College 

  • Kingston College 

  • Wiltshire College 

 
School Centred Initial Teacher Training partners (managed by FEHHS) 

  • Cambridge SCITT 

  • Colchester SCITT 

  • Mid-Essex SCITT 

 
Other Partners 

  • Royal School of Military Engineering (RSME) – managed by FES 

  • Truro & Penwith College – FEHHS 

  • Canterbury Christchurch University – FEHHS  

  • International College of Oriental Medicine – FEHHS (teaching out) 

 

PLEASE NOTE: Colleges not included in the list above will not be considered Partner Colleges.  

 

University of Greenwich International College (UGIC) 

An exception to the partner college model are University of Greenwich International College (UGIC) students. UGIC is an embedded college located near the main campus at University of Greenwich - currently at Bounty House, offering a range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses for international students. UGIC students have full university student status with access to university facilities and services. Upon enrolment, UGIC students become members of GSU and can therefore access full GSU services. 

GSU & Partner Colleges

GSU exists to support fully registered University of Greenwich students. The relationship the University has with Partner Colleges is complex, with varying degrees of partnership and/or outsourced provision across numerous colleges. The University of Greenwich has several responsibilities to students studying relevant courses across the Partner Colleges.  

It is important to note, however, that GSU is not responsible nor positioned to extend its charitable objects (or provide any related services) across Partner Colleges. As Partner College students are entitled to their own representation at local Students’ Unions, it would be inappropriate for GSU to duplicate or confuse these students’ local provision and systems of representation, which will be determined and delivered by their own Students’ Union. Importantly, GSU respects the autonomy and relationship of local Students’ Unions with both their own membership and their institution (in this case, the Partner Colleges themselves). It is important that home Unions maintain their status as the recognised representative channel between Students and the Institution. Additionally, GSU is funded to support the needs of students studying primarily at the University of Greenwich only, and is not funded to extend limited resourcing beyond the given cohort. 

The MoA between Partner Colleges and the University does not stipulate provision by GSU for Partner College students but rather places responsibility on the Partner Colleges themselves to ensure adequate provision is in place to meet basic quality assurance and enhancement expectations and processes (e.g. through academic representatives, who may be supported and overseen by local Students’ Unions). GSU would encourage Partner Colleges to work closely with their own Students’ Union (and/or student representative body) to build best practice and partnership work locally. Key areas of Students’ Union activity, as well as expectations of both GSU and Partner College Students’ Unions, are outlined for clarity below:  

Elections & Officers

  • Partner College students are not eligible to vote or participate in any GSU Elections. 

  • Elections for any student representatives should be run locally by Partner College Students’ Unions. 

  • GSU Officers are not held to account by, nor responsible to, Partner College students. GSU Officers are only held to account by and responsible to full University of Greenwich students. 

  • UGIC Students can take part in Officer elections. However, students under the age of 18 are not eligible to run or vote in elections.

Academic Representation & Communities 

  • Academic Representation and Community programmes (e.g. Programme Reps, Course Reps, School Reps, Faculty Reps, Academic Societies) must be run by Partner Colleges and associated home Students’ Unions. This should ensure that issues identified by students can be solved locally in line with relevant feedback mechanisms and enhancement processes.  

  • Partner Colleges (and their Students’ Unions) will be responsible for the training and engagement of Academic Representatives (as outlined above). However, in the spirit of partnership, GSU can freely provide Partner Colleges copies of any resources produced for University of Greenwich students to support the development of Academic Representative support programmes locally.  

  • UGIC students are entitled to engage in the same representation structures as all UOG students. 

  • GSU is not responsible for Partner College NSS promotion or scores on Q26. 

Advice & Policy  

  • Students should seek Academic Advice locally at their Partner College, ideally via their home Students’ Union.  

  • GSU will provide trained and briefed student panellists for any escalated University procedures (e.g. complaints, academic offences, disciplinary, fitness to practice, etc.) which are under review by University of Greenwich panels, in line with policies and procedures. 

  • GSU will not review Partner College policies and procedures in the same way it does for the University of Greenwich. Where capacity allows, GSU may support home Students’ Unions and/or Partner College representatives with policy reviews on request.    

Student Groups 

  • Students studying at Partner Colleges are eligible to purchase Associate Memberships for selected GSU Student Groups, including sports clubs and societies.  

  • GSU will not be able to provide logistical or staff support for Student Groups across Partner Colleges, and this should be provided by the Partner Colleges themselves and/or their Students’ Unions. 

  • Partner College students are not eligible to play competitive sports via BUCS (British University College Sport). 

Commercial 

  • Partner College students studying near or living at Avery Hill campuses will have access to The Tudor Café, which provides essentials to local students and staff. 

  • Partner College students can attend the Lower Deck bar based at the Greenwich campus within Dreadnought, the pop-up bar at Avery Hill and The Deep  End in Medway. Students must be over 18 and have photographic ID and Student ID. For specialist nights requiring ticketing, tickets may be purchased through the GSU website. Details about ID requirements to enter our venues can be found on our website.