Ayush Garg
Hi, I’m Ayush, a master’s student and am running for yous next VP Education.
As Postgraduate Social Science College Convenor, representing over 7,000 students, I have worked closely with the current VP Education and engaged in university-wide committees like the Board of Studies, contributing to discussions on new MSc programs. Beyond SRC, I am actively involved in INSA (Indian National Student Association), reviving a once-dormant student society into a thriving academic and professional networking platform. My experience in student advocacy, academic policy, and governance has strengthened my commitment to ensuring every student—regardless of background—has access to quality education, academic support, and fair opportunities.
What I Will Do If Elected
1. Strengthening Student Representation & Academic Advocacy
Education policies should be shaped by students, for students. I will establish regular consultation forums to ensure concerns around teaching quality, assessments, and academic structures are addressed in real-time rather than delayed. Working closely with the Student Voice Group,will ensure student feedback directly influences course improvements.
I will advocate for fairer scholarship allocations, ensuring international students receive better financial support. University resources should also be equitably distributed across all colleges so that students, regardless of their field, have equal access to funding, paid roles, and placement opportunities.
2. Fairer Workload & Assessment Policies
Many students face assessment overload, with multiple deadlines clustering within short periods, leading to stress and mental health challenges. I will push for better workload distribution across the semester to prevent unnecessary pressure.
I will also address "time poverty", ensuring students balancing academics, part-time work, and extracurricular commitments have flexible learning options and reasonable deadline extensions to support their success without compromising well-being.
Students often struggle with unclear or delayed feedback. I will push for structured feedback timelines and ensure students receive detailed, constructive comments.
I will advocate for improved dissertation and research supervision, for all students.
3. Expanding Support for Students with Academic Barriers
Support for non-native English speakers remains inadequate. I will push for stronger academic writing and communication support, particularly for international students. The Progress Committee, which supports students retaking exams or repeating a year, should provide structured academic mentoring to help students succeed rather than struggle in isolation
4. Better Study Spaces & Accessibility
With rising student numbers, finding study spaces especially in JMS and libraries has become increasingly difficult. I will advocate for better study space allocation to ensure all students, have dedicated spaces to focus and work effectively.
I will also push for stronger student support services, ensuring that disabled students receive reliable and tailored assistance to meet their needs.
5. Promoting Sustainability & Ethical Investment in Education
As someone involved in green energy initiatives, I believe the University must take a leading role in transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy. I will push for a clear roadmap for campus sustainability. Additionally, I will advocate for divestment from war- associated companies and promote ethical funding policies that prioritize education over corporate interests.
Vote Ayush Garg for VP Education
Gerardo Guio Archila
Hello everyone! My name is Gerardo Guio, and I am running to be your next Vice President of Education.
I am a 4th-year Microbiology student from Colombia. As an international student, I understand how challenging it can be to adjust to university life. Leaving behind friends and family to pursue an education is a sacrifice, and I believe that sacrifice should be worth it. University is meant to be a place of academic growth, but that only happens when students are fully supported in their learning. My dream job is to be a university professor. My passion for education comes from a simple goal: to ensure that every student, regardless of their background, has the tools, opportunities, and support they need to thrive academically.
My Experience
I have spent my time at university actively engaging in student representation and advocacy:
- School Representative for the School of Infection & Immunity
- Class Representative for three years
- President/Vice President of the Latin American Society
- Welfare and Outreach Officer of the Infection & Immunity Society
- Welfare Officer of the Angling Society
Through these roles, I have built friendships with students from diverse backgrounds, learning about their interests and concerns. My work with the SRC has given me an in-depth understanding of how the university operates and what can realistically be changed to improve students' academic and social experiences. Now, I want to take this further and ensure that education at our university is collaborative, transparent, and accessible.
My Key Priorities
- Fostering Collaboration Across Schools, Colleges, and Campuses
The university is about specialization, but learning becomes enriched through interdisciplinary collaboration. I want to strengthen connections between schools and colleges to encourage shared learning experiences. Additionally, I will push for stronger ties between Gilmorehill, Garscube, Dumfries, Chengdu, Tianjin and Hainan campuses to ensure that every student is supported and engaged. I will guarantee constant collaboration of campuses to support placements and in-field studies.
- Helping Students Critically Navigate Career Opportunities
Education shapes our futures, and students and staff must understand how to critically assess job opportunities. I will advocate for ethical considerations in employment, particularly regarding divestment from arms and fossil fuel industries. The university should prioritize relationships with responsible companies, ensuring that placements, internships, funding, and scholarships align with ethical and sustainable values.
- Improving Access to Learning Resources
The university offers a wide range of in-person, online, and community study resources. Navigating what is available is challenging for many students. I will work to simplify access to academic support services and tools, ensuring students know their options and how to get them. That will improve learning during class hours and during independent study time.
- Ensuring Fair and Transparent Costs
Hidden costs in education are a major burden, particularly for students already facing financial challenges. I will advocate for transparency in course-related expenses, ensuring no hidden fees and pushing for better financial support for essential costs like transport, lab coats, and placement-related expenses.
Vote Gerardo for VP of Education. Transparency, Access, Collaboration!
Aimée Storer
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Hello! My name is Aimée Storer, I am in my 5th year at the University of Glasgow, and I am running to be the Vice President of Education of the SRC.
The five years I have spent at the University of Glasgow have been the most enjoyable and rewarding years of my life, especially my year abroad. Although university is more than just lectures, I want to ensure every student receives the highest quality of education to allow them to fully enjoy the other aspect of student life.
Through my current position on the SRC council I have gained vital experience, working alongside the current VPed, to bring about change within the College of Arts and Humanities, which I would love to do on a large scale.
My experience:
-Undergraduate College Convenor for Arts and Humanities
-Member of the University Senate
-Secretary for the Catalan Society
-Previous Student Union President
- Sit on College of Arts and Humanities Learning, Teaching and Student Experience Committee.
My priorities:
- Continuing my current work improving the mandatory Year and Term Abroad for all SMLC students and ensure the University is offering the same funding as the other Scottish Universities. During my time as College Convenor I have worked with the Dean of the College and the Student Mobility team to ensure every student receives the minimum funding they are entitled to whilst abroad. As VP of Education, I want to increase this to ensure students at UofG receive the same funding as students at other Scottish Universities. I have also ensured the College has the correct resources in place to make the funding process as easy as possible, especially with the new post-Brexit visa regulations.
- I will work with the GoAbroad team to increase accessibility to Work and Study Abroad schemes. I will work to make the process as simple and smooth as possible, as well improve the funding available so that every student has the opportunity to undertake time abroad.
- Continue my current work on improving assessment feedback. Within the College of Arts, I am currently running student feedback groups in collaboration with the Dean and Head of Student services to gain insight from students to make all assessment feedback as effective as possible.
- Establish a minimum level of feedback to be given for all assessments within the University to ensure there are no discrepancies in the amount of support and opportunity to improve that different students receive.
- Work to establish a culture of more formative assessments, especially in First Year and Junior honours. Formative assessments allow all students to gain useful feedback without any impact on their final degree grade.
- Working towards a change in the Good Cause policy which will give students a wider window in which they can apply, as well as an additional window after the exam results have been released.