Strategic Conversation is an annual opportunity for CEOs and Senior Managers to come together, network, share ideas and have open and honest conversations about the issues affecting students' unions. It's a space to share, learn and think about how we can work together to overcome challenges and strengthen the movement.

 

This year senior leaders across our movement came together in Cardiff to discuss topics such as commercial approaches, recruitment and retention, freedom of expression, union strategy, driving diversity and engagement post covid, advice services and supporting our officers. You can find the various sessions which were run below:

• Recruiting in a challenging market - employer brand, values led recruitment and finding the right candidates
• Navigating post-covid commercial headwinds – market update and macro conditions Autumn 2022
• Strategy in tactics, tactics in strategy – how do we win for your students with your institution
• Understanding the students’ union employee experience – what are we getting right and how can we make it even better?
• Driving income, diversity and engagement in Students’ Unions post covid
• Future-proofing your advice service
• CEO Recruitment Guide – feeding into a better experience for everyone
• Freedom of Expression/HMRC VAT
• The Big Squeeze - could it be the big share? Creating an actual plan for how we share more services
• What tools and insights can CEO’s and senior leaders use to create a high-challenge, high support environment for elected officers?

Attendees also heard from Lodestone on the state of unionism in the UK, where collectivism has really worked and how collective action can play an important role in improving students’ lives. We also had an update from NUS UK on the Independent Investigation on antisemitism, including an update from Rebecca Tuck KC, as well as a session from NUS UK on Thriving not Surviving: Sticking plasters and a glimmer of hope (Cost of Living).

 

Finally, we took some time at the end of Day 1 to recognise and celebrate students’ unions who had completed Quality Students’ Unions in 2021-22 and students’ unions who had achieved great things demonstrated through their Employee Engagement Survey results in 2022. You can find this year’s recognised students’ unions for QSU 2021-22 here and for Employee Engagement Survey Awards 2022 here. Congratulations again to all those who were recognised this year!

If you attended the Women’s CEO Community of Practice session at Strategic Conversation 2022, and would like to be added to the group, please enter your details below.

 

If you attended Strategic Conversation 2022 and would like to send us feedback about the event, please do email us.