RGU Students’ Union secures national award for outstanding student support

RGU Students’ Union won The Star Award at the Alliance Awards 2024 after being recognised for introducing and enhancing a range of support services to its 18,000 strong student population.

A Breakfast Club was introduced in the previous academic year which gave the community access to free food and drinks every Tuesday morning. Alongside the University’s catering provider, Aramark, this was expanded to a Supper Club in March which attracted 80 students each week, ultimately serving 640 meals during the last semester.

Most recently, the Union also introduced an Emergency Food Parcel Service in collaboration with local charity Cfine which supports students who are most affected by financial pressures. Each parcel answers critical food needs by providing dry and canned food items, designed to sustain an individual for a week. 

Professor Steve Olivier, Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Robert Gordon University, said: “Supporting our students through the cost-of-living crisis through these initiatives has been absolutely crucial to ensure our learners can continue to focus on their studies. 

“Winning the Star Award is a tremendous accolade for everyone involved, particularly RGU Students’ Union who can all be very proud of their hard work.

“The award shows RGU’s unwavering commitment to ensure we, as a university community, are helping our students successfully navigate challenges. We all want to deliver a positive experience and support networks of this type play a vital role in that.”

Gregor Mailer, Chief Executive of RGU Students’ Union, said: “The Students’ Union exists to support our members throughout their time at Robert Gordon University. Students have told us that the cost-of-living crisis is impacting them greatly, so we are proud to have worked with partners across the campus, including the University Executive and Aramark, to deliver projects such as the Breakfast Club, Supper Club, and Emergency Food Parcels, as we aim to alleviate some of the financial pressures being faced.

“These initiatives, which have been led by the Union’s team of staff and student representatives, demonstrate our commitment to supporting the welfare of our student body, while contributing towards the strong sense of community across the University. We are delighted this has been recognised at the University Alliance Awards.”

RGU Student’s Union initiatives addressed food poverty but also promoted cultural appreciation and diversity at RGU, growing the sense spirit of community in what is already a vibrant and inclusive campus. The clubs were further supported by the addition of music, dances, and quizzes alongside the meals to positively engage students. 

University Alliance represent 16 of the UK’s leading professional and technical universities. RGU was also shortlisted in the The Innovation Award category for the consistently excellent work by the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Group (EIG) while Bill Somerville, Director of Estates & Property Services, was nominated for a Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Star Award was awarded to the team or individual who have motivated others through their ability to stay upbeat, even in the toughest of times.  It was presented to RGU Students’ Union at the Alliance Awards which were held at The University of West London on Tuesday 10 September. The awards celebrate excellence in higher education and recognise achievements across all parts of universities who are members of University Alliance. 

Image shows Oluwatoyin Bolajoko-Braimoh, former Student President and current Student Engagement & Partnership Officer, with the award.