Manchester's senior leadership values the insight and feedback our students provide, and want to connect with you on important topics that can sometimes feel unclear or overlooked. Throughout the academic year, we host Open Meetings to provide you with the opportunity to make your student voice heard and ask our leadership anything.
Each session runs for an hour and brings together members of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) as panellists, with SU Execs hosting the discussion. The focus is often related to key parts of the Manchester 2035 strategy, with questions submitted by students ahead of time through Mentimeter.
The events are hybrid-style, held in person with a live audience, and everything is recorded.
Click on the links below to watch past sessions back in full:
The first Ask Me Anything meeting was with Manchester’s President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Duncan Ivison and hosted by SU Exec Officers Lexie and Aisha. They discussed a whole host of different topics in the University’s podcast studio.
Students gathered at the Nancy Rothwell Blended Lecture Theatre for the second Ask Me Anything Open Meeting, featuring President and Vice-Chancellor Duncan Ivison, alongside Ben Ward, CEO of the University of Manchester Students’ Union, and hosted by your Student Union Executive Officers Elliot Briffa (City and Community Officer) and Charlie Roberts (Activities and Culture Officer), who asked your questions about student activism at Manchester.
On Monday, 2 December 2024, members of the Fallowfield redevelopment project held a virtual Student Open Meeting to tell students more about the redevelopment of the current Fallowfield accommodation and consult on the future of the project.
The panel included:
On Wednesday, 11 December 2024, the University of Manchester's Chief Financial Officer, Carol Prokopyszyn was joined by Lexie, Union Affairs Exec Officer, to answer your questions and map out how the University spends its money. From the University's financial performance, to where the University receives it's money, the panel discussed some of the key areas of University finances.
Why are student rents so expensive?
For the third Ask Me Anything Open Meeting, Prof. Duncan Ivision, President & Vice-Chancellor of the University of Manchester, answers student questions on rent and accommodation. From the cost and accessibility of rooms in the new Fallowfield redevelopment, to using University money to subsidise rents, postgraduate housing, and student accommodation support, we leave no stone unturned in the latest podcast episode.
Hosted by Student Union representatives, Nahid Farzalizadeh, FSE Officer, Esa Rehman, School Rep for Natural Sciences, and Elliot Briffa, City and Community Officer.
For details on forthcoming Open Meetings, check out the schedule below:
| Date | Topic | Host | Panel members |
|---|---|---|---|
| TBC | Priorities for improving the student experience in the Faculty of Humanities | Katie Jackson | Fiona Devine, Fiona Smyth |
| TBC | Priorities for improving the student experience in the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health | Gabrielle Bailey | Allan Pacey, Jennifer Hallam |
| TBC | The Ethics of University investment | SU Rep | Carol Prokopyszyn, Nalin Thakkar, Colette Fagan |
| TBC | Priorities for improving the student experience in the Faculty of Science and Engineering | Nahid Farzalizadeh | Peter Green, Martin Schroder |
| TBC | Session with Estates and Facilities – title TBC | Charlie Roberts | Alison Shedlock, Steve Jordan |
| TBC | How the University chooses international partners: Decision-making on collaborations | TBC | Colette Fagan, Richard Cotton |
| TBC | Progress against the University’s zero carbon strategy | Nahid Farzalizadeh & Charlie Roberts | TBC |
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The University of Manchester
Oxford Road
Manchester
M13 9PL
