News

Liberate LUU is a hub filled with events, campaigns, resources, and news for you and your community. Established with a mission to go beyond raising awareness, Liberate LUU embeds liberation in all that we do and inspires everyone to take action. On this page, you’ll find resources tailored for the following liberation groups: Black, LGBTQ+, Trans, Women, Disabled, Working Class, and Asian.

What to expect at Liberate LUU? We hosted a variety of liberation events last year, such as the Liberate LUU Film Festival where students could immerse themselves in good movies and stories that matter around the Black, LGBTQ+, Trans and Women’s identities, struggles and victories. There was also a series of Liberate and Make events, when students could get to know each other in a safe and relaxed space over mindful crafts and meaningful conversations. You should also take a look at the Liberation Library in the Rep Room, where you can access texts by authors from marginalised groups, outside traditional reading lists.

Wanna take it a step further? If you are passionate about providing a voice for marginalised groups on campus, you can join the Liberation and International Student Network (LISN) to lead on liberation issues within the Union, the University and the city of Leeds.

Be educated, be supported, be empowered.

Sustainability is embedded in our strategy at LUU, and we offer initiatives, resources and opportunities for our students to stay informed and take action to leave a positive impact on our planet.

An event to look out for is Climate Week, which usually takes place in spring. Last year we held an event-packed Climate Week, which offered something for everyone – there were opportunities to learn, to take action, and to celebrate. Some highlights were: Student Sustainability Research Conference, plant giveaway, Careers In Sustainability Fair, Climate Week Special quiz at Old Bar, and workshops on everything from taking a stand to sustainable startups.

There are plenty of volunteering opportunities at LUU, like our litter-pickers who put their heart into keeping our local spaces clean. We also have multiple societies with sustainability at heart, like the Plant Society, and Green Action, who run their own Green Action Food Co-Op where you can pick up ethical, low-waste food essentials.

Wanna take it a step further? If you are passionate about sustainability, you can become a Sustainability Rep, and take action by leading your own sustainability project.

Go green!

Wanna make a real change in LUU, in University, or in the city of Leeds? Make sure to get involved with Better Forums.

Every student is able to present their idea to a student panel to be voted on. There are three forums – Better Union, Better University, and Better Leeds, and they take place in November, March and May. Even if you don’t have an idea but are interested in change-making, you can attend the Better Forums to see student pitches and the panel’s vote in person.

Some student ideas that were pitched and passed to become policies at LUU last year were: LUU should support striking staff, LUU should provide access to drug testing kits for students, and the University should revise speaking/presentation assessment policies to make them less ableist.

All you need to have is an idea.

If you are looking for more, you could also be the next leader of LUU! There are four main election periods every academic year, so there is always an opportunity to get involved in democracy at the Union. Anyone is able to vote and to stand, and you don’t have to be a campaigning expert to get involved. Just bring your passion, ideas, and a drive, and we will provide further support, guidance and training.

Lead LUU is the annual Student Executive leadership race – the biggest opportunity to become a leader at LUU, and a major event in the Leeds campus calendar. Every student is able to nominate themselves and to lead their campaign with a goal to encourage other students to support and vote for them. The winning candidates become the Student Exec for the upcoming academic year. It is a paid full-time role, which can be taken as a sabbatical or as a placement year during their studies or after they have graduated. The Exec lead the Union for a year, by representing the voice of the whole student body in high-level decision making at the Union and University.

If becoming a leader doesn’t suit you, you should still take part in the elections by voting for the next student leader who represents your needs.

Your voice counts.

If your heart is set on improving the student experience in your course or school – consider becoming an academic rep.

Course reps represent the students on their course/programme of study, school reps speak on behalf of students at school, faculty and university level, and PGR Reps raise ideas, issues, and concerns regarding postgraduate researchers. We support every rep with training and guidance, and every rep plays a role in changing the educational experience for their peers.

Finally, if you’re looking for a more personal change, such as improving your CV and picking up useful skills for your future career, visit our job shop, Joblink. It is the go-to stop to find the perfect student job to work alongside your studies. If you want to stay close, there are always vacancies to work in the shops, cafes, offices and events at LUU.