Delegates at the NUS students’ union’s national conference will this week set about choosing the next leaders of the students’ movement.
The current president, former Lewisham College student Shakira Martin, who has been in post for two-years, has served the maximum number of terms she can, as has Emily Chapman, former Leeds City College student.
So the next representatives of students on the national stage are likely to be unfamilar faces. Here is an introduction to the candidates for national president and vice-president further education, in their own words.
The votes will be cast on Tuesday afternoon.
Read more: ‘Why the NUS supports a People’s Vote on Brexit’
More news: Tes people of the year 2018: Shakira Martin
Background: College students and staff unite for more funding
Candidates for national president
Bilal Bin Saqib
- “As a student of innovation & entrepreneurship, I have immense experience in building projects, teams and bringing long muted social and political issues into the limelight for creating sustainable solutions. NUS needs to get its house in order and see how it could generate more income to help with the upcoming challenges, NUS needs to be on top of anti-discrimination on a national and international level, NUS needs to champion the student voice during Brexit and Augar review. If elected I will aim to ensure that we increase solidarity and innovation that will bring us all together.”
Justine Canady
- “I’m a socialist and standing as a Student Left Network candidate. The current NUS leadership are overseeing a drastic programme of cuts and anti-democratic reforms behind the backs of members. These reforms will take our union even further away from being a democratic, campaigning voice for students. I’m standing for President because we need an NUS with a clear, radical message, which sees itself as part of a wider movement of the oppressed and exploited against the rich and powerful and is mobilising thousands of students, not limiting its activities to a small layer of sabbaticals and committee members.”
Zamzam Ibrahim
- “Hi, I’m Zamzam and I’m running to be your national president. Our National Union and our Education sector are facing some of the biggest challenges it has had to confront in living memory and is in dire need of transformation. Universities across the UK are facing bankruptcy, college students are unable to afford their journeys to class and racism is running rampant on our campuses. There has never been a greater need to rebuild our National Union as the fighting, unwavering force that is primed to brave the challenges that lie ahead - Vote Zamzam for a fighting Union!”
Meike Imberg
- “I am Meike Imberg & I’m standing to be your national President because I know that the National Union of Students has SO much potential to change the world for ALL students & future generations. I know we can transform OUR movement for students and SUs into a thriving, not just surviving NUS. But in order to do that, we need to sort the in house out. You do not need an NUS who fights against itself - you need an NUS that fights for you! Vote for Meike as your national President for a thriving, not just surviving NUS.”
Nelly Kibirige
- “Hey! I’m Nelly Kibirige, and I’m the President of London South Bank University Students’ Union. I’m running to be the next President of NUS because it’s time to do things differently. I didn’t have a ‘traditional’ journey through education- it’s taken 10 years, 4 children, and countless challenges along the way but I knew that, like thousands of students across the country, I was doing this to give my children something more. My time at college and University changed my life, and now I want to give back to the movement that saved me. #Nelly4Prez.”
Momin Saqib
- “Being the first non-European international student to be elected as the President of King’s College London SU in 144 years, I have worked relentlessly to make a positive impact for our student body. I firmly believe that the NUS is a great institution with an even greater unleashed potential. Unfortunately due to the internal political turmoil that grips, it has not been able to work effectively for its membership. NUS needs to be transformed to be in line with Students’ views and this can only be done through a change in leadership to achieve the success it deserves.”
Candidates for vice president further education
Juliana Mohamad-Noor
- “Hello, I’m Juliana and I’m running for VP Further Education. As President of Liverpool College SU I represent over 20,000 Students made up of HE, FE, part-time, mature and International students as well as apprentices. I entered the movement and felt let down by the conversations on FE. That’s why I brought policy to Conference and ran to sit on the NUS NEC. There’s so much for us in the fight for FE, and as NUS goes through turnaround I want to defend FE for future generations to come. FE changes lives, let’s make sure it stays that way.”
Alexander Rollason
- “I’m Alex Rollason, a former apprentice engineer and the current NUS Wales Deputy President. I’m running to be Vice President of Further Education because I believe that with the current state of NUS and the FE sector we need a strong and loud voice. A voice that will fight to make it fair for FE and a VP FE that ensures the FE collective isn’t forgotten. Vote Alex #1 for a VP FE that will fight for a fairer and united FE.”
Viljo Wilding
- ” Hi my name is VIljo Wilding and I’m running to be your next Vice President Further Education. I’m the President of Woodhouse College Students’ Union and a member of the FE and Soc Cit committees. I’ve seen first hand how NUS has failed FE students, our campaigns are less funded than others and most of our National officers only visit our unions closer to election times. I want FE to stop being a buzzword for candidates to use in elections and put the issues facing FE students at the heart of NUS.”
