Coming to the end of the 2016/17 academic year Krum Tashev, CCSU International Students' Officer, is here with his round-up blog.
First of all thank you to all of you who gave me your trust last year and voted me as your international students’ officer. It was an extremely busy and hard, but at the same time rewarding year in CCSU. I am happy to say that I achieved every single point of my manifesto and most importantly working together with the full time officers, the union staff, the local community and the university we put the interest of the international students on the top of our agenda.
Here is what I have done this year as an international Students’ Officer:
‘Mental Health Awareness day’ in November
We encouraged all international students to use the 24 hours library and speak with their families, in prevention of homesickness and depression. At that day international students in CCCU shared their stories how their involvement in Sports, Societies, Student media and Student democracy helped them to make the Students’ Union and the University their 2nd home.
‘One World Week’
We ran ‘One world week’ for first time in 6 years and we hope next year is going to be even bigger and get even more students involved. The main two events this year were:
- ‘Racial and religious discrimination in the UK’ panel discussion with Malia Bouattia (NUS President), Razia Shariff (CEO KRAN) and Fahid Qureshi (Criminology lecturer in CCCU). Whit this panel discussion we engaged with home and international students and talked about topics such as Islamophobia, racism and ‘PREVENT’.
- ‘Food and Culture Fayre’ at this event international students had the opportunity to come to the Students’ Union and introduce their culture and traditional food to other students (both home and international).
‘International Students’ campaign day’
This campaign day was organise in a cooperation between CCSU and NUS as part of the NUS’s national campaign Liber8. Students and student officers from around the South-East and London came to discuss issues that international students face with housing, mental health and racial and religious discrimination.
‘One Day Without Us’
We organised with local unions, the local community, the UCU in CCCU, the NUS and some university departments such as’ Politics and International Relations’ and did a walk out in solidarity with international students and migrants. This event not only showed our solidarity with the struggles that many international students and migrants experience, but also brought us together as a community. I am extremely happy to say that with this event we won ‘International Students Campaign of the year’ at the NUS international Students’ Awards.
Other campaigns
There are two other events that CCSU organised and I was involved indirectly as International Students’ officer. Both of these events were ran and organised by Nick Beard (President Student Activities) and Ellie Martin (Campaigns coordinator)
- ‘Free Speech debate’ organised by the University and the Union.
- ‘Earth Hour International Candlelit Feast’ where international students from more than 10 countries from 6 different continents and brought home made traditional food and celebrated ‘Earth Hour’
Union Council Motions
As international Students’ Officer I sit on the Union Council, this year I wrote three motions that passed. The first one mandates the future Union Presidents to lobby the University to start acting as housing guarantor for international students and students from disadvantage background. The second one was to make the ‘International Students campaign day’ an annual event. And the third one was to lobby the university to announce one day in the end of November as’ International Students’ mental health awareness day’.
Work with NUS (National Union of Students)
I am extremely proud of the relationship that we build between the National union of Students’ and Christ church Students’ Union. As an International Students officer I co-organised with the NUS the ‘International Students’ Campaign day’ and the ‘One day without us’. Building networks with other officers around the country brought positive impact to our campus. From Malia Bouattia coming to inform the CCCU Students about the campaign ‘Students not Suspects’ to sharing information with University of Aberdeen Students Association on how we can lobby the university to start acting as a housing guarantor for students(Something that they successfully did this year). Also I was invited and attended a panel on ‘Xenophobia in the UK’ in University of Reading, building relations with other unions in the south-east.
On a National level, I was honoured to receive an NUS award for ‘International Students’ Campaign of the year’ and also to be elected on NUS NEC (National Executive Committee) and NUS ISC (International Students’ Committee). Furthermore, at international Students’ conference I wrote an amendment to a motion (That passed YAY!!!) that mandates the International Students’ Campaign to help Unions to lobby their institutions to provide better mental health support services to international students, which will improve the services for all students.
Work with the University
This year I sat on the university’s EU Referendum Group which gave me the opportunity to see and contribute to all of the amazing work that the University is doing to ensure that students and staff are safe and also are informed what is happening post BREXIT.
I had monthly communication with the International department, and coordinated some of our campaigns. The close work between the Union and the University in the area of ‘internationalisation’ will improve the student experience of international students in CCCU from fresher’s week, thru student support and engagement with non-academic activities.
I had the opportunity to work with Dr. Amelia Hartfield the director of CEFES (Centre for European Studies) at Canterbury Christ Church University, which provides a lot of useful data for staff and students on what is BREXIT and what is happening. Most importantly they started a ‘BREXIT Hub’ where students and staff can learn more about BREXIT and how is going to impact them.
Charities
I am extremely happy to see our sport clubs and societies getting involved with the International Students’ Campaign in CCCU. This year I worked closely with the Show Choir and the American Football team which on two different events (Super Bowl party and Valentines concert) raised around £700 towards local charity called KRAN (Kent Refugee Action Network)!!!
Finally
Finally I want to say thank you to few people who made all of this possible. First of all my Union, all of the sabbs and the staff made my work as a part-time officer much easier and without all of their support I couldn’t do even half of it. I want also to thanks the University for being really responsive and supportive and for helping us to communicate what we do with the students. Also I want to say thank you to the NUS International students’ officer – Mostafa Rajaai and the ISC for their support and being there for me every time when I need them. Most importantly thank you to all international students’ in Christ Church it have been a privilege to serve you as your officer. If you have any questions please come to me and I will do my best to help you.
Love you all
I am off
*mic drop*