The Leeds Students’ Union Network is a powerful partnership of four Students’ Unions in Leeds (Leeds University Union, Leeds Beckett Students’ Union, Leeds Trinity Students’ Union and Leeds City College Students’ Union) united by a shared goal: to represent the voices of over 100,000 students in the city. By working collaboratively, we advocate for meaningful change across civic and regional organisations for a better student experience.

What makes us unique?

We are one of the few partnerships in the UK that brings together both Higher Education and Further Education institutions — ensuring that students of all backgrounds and ages have a say in shaping the future of our city. Together, we represent the next generation of leaders, residents, and changemakers in Leeds.

Our Story

How did we come together?

Our journey began when four student officers met at a National Union of Students regional event. It became clear that by working together we could achieve far more for our student communities than we ever could alone.

Why We Exist

Student experience is more than just the University experience – for many, it is living in a new city and navigating this. Leeds plays an immense part in the student experience and students add so much to the culture and economy of the city. Over 500 student societies engage with organisations and venues all over the city for the greater good of the whole community. Leeds is vibrant because it is a hub of the student community boasting an impressive number of higher and further education institutions considering its size. Students are even more valuable as they choose to stay once they graduate, adding even more to the city. Because of this we are keen to amplify student voices within local government decision making. We recognise that there are many civic issues which we can advocate more effectively for when we come together.

Our Priorities

Our three key areas are – student safety, housing and transport. To tackle these issues we work with civic organisations such as Leeds City Council, West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Safer Leeds. We have begun our conversations with key stakeholders and our aligning priorities with them. Recently, we have been touring across the Student Union’s collecting data to find out your priorities in these areas.

Affordable, reliable and accessible

We want all students in Leeds to have access to reliable public transport with affordable student fares in all areas of the city. We also have a focus on increasing nighttime transport as this came out as a priority in our data collection. In conversation with West Yorkshire Combined Authority and First Bus about how we can expand student bus fares across the city.

Quality homes. Fair rents. Informed tenants.

We want all students in Leeds to have accessible, high quality and affordable accommodation. We also want to ensure that students know their rights as tenants particularly as for many students this is the first time renting without parental or guardian guidance. We are working with Unipol and Leeds City Council on how to improve student housing particularly with the recent Renters Rights Bill.

Safe on campus. Safe in the city.

We want all students in Leeds to feel safe on campus and in the city. Our focus so far has been on nighttime safety – tackling spiking and harassment, improving venue security and bar staff and getting home safe. We have been in conversation with Leeds City Council and Safer Leeds on how to improve nighttime safety and carried out a Walk and Talk with relevant stakeholders to increase awareness around getting home safe.