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Welcome to UPSU
The Students’ Union is an independent charity that exists to advance your education at the University of Portsmouth through a range of exciting services and activities. Our mission is to have a positive impact with every Portsmouth student by 2021.
Representation at UPSU

The Students’ Union is an independent charity that exists to advance your education at the University of Portsmouth through a range of exciting services and activities. Our mission is to have a positive impact with every Portsmouth student by 2021.
Advice from UPSU
We hope university will be one of the best experiences of your life! But, we also know it has its ups and downs, and it can be tough. In case you do have any issues, the Union’s Advice Service is here to help.
Course Representatives
Course Reps represent the academic interests of fellow students on their course and year group. They are an official first point of contact between students, University staff and the Union.
Course Reps seek students’ opinions on aspects of their course such as: learning resources, facilities, teaching, assessments and feedback, and they strive to use these opinions to improve the University experience. In doing so, they also attend relevant meetings in the University and in the Union throughout the year where they represent their peers. They are provided with training from the Union which enables them to deal with various issues or point students in the right direction to receive support and guidance.
They work together with other Course Reps and their Faculty Reps to ensure the students’ voice is heard and listened to. Course Reps are valued and supported by both the University and the Union. Being a Course Rep provides a unique opportunity to meet students from across the University, plus a chance to develop a wide range of skills whilst building confidence and gaining valuable experience that will look great on the CV.
Rep Conference
Rep Conference is our flagship training event every year, with over 400 students attending to share ideas and work collaboratively to make the Student Experience at Portsmouth the best it can be.
This year, Rep Conference took place on the 4th and 11th November. Did you miss out? Don't worry! You can access recordings of all of our training sessions below.
Key Contacts
Our Student Networks will work to enhance diversity on campus, improve student participation, lead and drive student campaigns and provide a crucial student voice in UPSU decision making. The role of Network chair is a voluntary position. For more information, please visit the Networks Page.
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Rama Hilouneh
- Title
- VP Education & Democracy
- Role
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Jon Scowen
- Title
- Student Focus Lead
- Role
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Adele Benson
- Title
- Student Focus Coordinator
- Role
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Jordan Howard
- Title
- Student Focus Coordinator
- Role
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Tom Radbourne
- Title
- Student Focus Coordinator
- Role
Faculty Reps
Faculty Reps are a vital link between students, Course Reps, Students’ Union and University staff. They work closely with Course Reps in their faculty to identify the most common issues and areas of best practice, which they will then put forward at Faculty meetings and other senior level meetings.
Faculty Reps are also members of their respective Faculty Networks, where Course Reps meet to discuss current issues within the Faculty, share best practice and build campaigns.
Faculty Reps are a part of the Union Actioning Body committee, which is the primary decision making body for all UPSU campaigns and democratic matters, where Faculty Reps work particularly closely with the Faculty Network Chair, fellow UAB members and the Academic Representation Officer.
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Francesca Crabtree
- Title
- BAL Faculty Rep
- Role
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Zain Mohammed
- Title
- Humanities Faculty Rep
- Role
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Pia Ewens
- Title
- CCI Faculty Rep
- Role
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Vinuri Fernando
- Title
- Science Faculty Rep
- Role
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Jas Kaur
- Title
- SCI Faculty Rep
- Role
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Matthew Harmen
- Title
- Technology Faculty Rep
- Role
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Paul Ajiro
- Title
- Technology Faculty Rep
- Role
Associate Deans of Students (ADS)
Each University Faculty has an Associate Dean of Students (known as an ADS). They are responsible for implementing the Course Rep Scheme in their Faculties and represent an important point of contact if you need to escalate issues. You may also find them a useful source of knowledge if you require additional information. A list of the University's ADSs can be found below.
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Simon Brookes
- Title
- Creative & Cultural Industries
- Role
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Mary Williams
- Title
- Humanities & Social Sciences
- Role
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Zoe Dann
- Title
- Business & Law
- Role
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Kirsten Farrell-Savage
- Title
- Science & Health
- Role
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Lee Woods
- Title
- Technology
- Role
Course Rep of the Month
Each month we run our Course Rep of the Month award. This award is given to a Course Rep who has excelled in their role, going above and beyond to represent their students. Students and staff can submit their nominations monthly with the award being announced in the first week of each month.
To be in with a shot of winning the award a Course Rep must meet the following criteria:
- Be a proactive Course Rep.
- Be able to deal with an issue before it becomes a bigger problem.
- Be able to feedback on all students' views, not just a few voices.
- Effectively uses course surveys, StART, Moodle, social media and speaks up in lectures to gain students' voices and views.
- Work closely with Student Voice Coordinators, Course Leaders and the Students' Union to represent the student voice.
Contact us
- Call: 023 9284 3628
- Email: hello@upsu.net
- Map & Directions
- Opening Hours
Social Accounts

The University of Portsmouth Students’ Union has a vision of creating a positive impact with every Portsmouth student during their time at University.
© 2020 UPSU. Registered charity number 1136115, a company limited by guarantee in England and Wales number 3934555.
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