Big Welcome 2025 – Join our interest list

Jargon Buster

A rep holding a speakerphone

  • ADM – Art, Design, and Media
  • BLSS – Business, Law, and Social Sciences
  • CEBE – Computing, Engineering, and the Built Environment
  • HELS – Health, Education, and Life Sciences
  • RBC – Royal Birmingham Conservatoire
  • BCUIC – Birmingham City University International College
  • DRC – Doctoral Research College
  • PGR – Postgraduate Research
  • FSC – Faculty Student Centre

  • SSRA – Student Success and Retention Advisor
  • GSEM – Graduate Student Experience Mentor
  • AD – Associate Dean
  • TESE - Teaching, Education, and Student Experience
  • HoC – Head of College
  • DHoC – Deputy Head of College

  • SU / BCUSU – Birmingham City University Students’ Union
  • ART – Activities and Representation Team
  • VP – Vice President
  • Officer Trustee – The five students elected to run the Students’ Union and work on your behalf across different areas: SU President, VP Student Voice, VP Academic Experience, VP Opportunities and Community, VP Equity and Inclusion.

  • CFF – Course Feedback Forum
  • CCPC – College Course Performance Committee
  • FSVC – Faculty Student Voice Committee
  • FLTAQC – Faculty Learning, Teaching, and Assessment Quality Committee
  • FRDEC – Faculty Research Degrees and Environment Committee
  • RETC – Research Environment and Training Committee
  • TOR – Terms of Reference – A document outlining who attends a meeting, how it should be run, and what should be discussed.
  • Minutes – A record of what was discussed and agreed upon in a meeting.
  • Agenda – An outline of the meeting, stating when and where it will be held and what is to be discussed.
  • Chair – The person who leads the meeting, ensuring the discussion stays on topic and all agenda points are covered, as well as keeping the meeting to time and making sure all views are heard.
  • Secretary – The person who supports the meeting chair, they usually write the minutes and keep track of actions agreed on in the meeting.

  • Course Rep – Students elected to represent the academic interests of the students in their cohort at Course. For RBC, there are additional Course Reps that represent specific musical departments.
  • Lead Rep – Students recruited by an interview process to support the Course Reps and students in their College. A Lead Rep is usually responsible for a specific area of study in their College, be that level of study (Undergraduate and Postgraduate), or a department or Campus.
  • PGR Rep – Students elected to represent the academic interests of PhD students. PGR Reps represent broad areas of research, similar to Colleges.
  • PGR Faculty Rep – Four PGR Reps selected to represent the interests of PhD students at RETC.
  • Student Rep Toolkit – A page on the BCUSU website with resources to help you be an effective Rep.
  • Rep Feedback Hub – The central database of all the feedback Reps have collected from students. You use the submission form to add feedback to the Feedback Hub and access the Hub to view and update the feedback you’ve submitted.
  • Student Rep Community Group – A Teams group just for Reps, where we post announcements and key information, as well as a space for Reps to chat and send each other praise.
  • Student Rep Hub – A special area on SharePoint accessible BCU and BCUSU staff, as well as Lead Reps, where they can view lists of Reps, access resources, and view statistics about the Reps in their Faculty and College.