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AMSU Conference 2009

As conference finishes for another year lets carry on the discussions

Posted 25 June 2009 at 11:41am by Andy Smith

Firstly, another thank you to the Conference Planning Committee and the Union of Brunel Students for hosting a great conference.

Secondly I would love it if we could make the benefits of conference last a little longer by developing discussions that were had in the sessions. Or even just keep in touch with people you met in those sessions. You can view those sessions and post comments about them by following the link: http://www.amsu.net/events/conference09/

I overheard someone who went to conference saying "I had 4 lightbulb moments"

If everyone had 4 and then followed up and implemented change as a basis of that then that is nearly 500 improvements being introduced to SUs as a result of conference. Surely that would make a big difference to our students...

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Andy Parsons: 12:39am on 29 Jun 09

As Jaki and I walked towards our car to head for home after the AMSU conference, Jaki said “ Why would anyone not think that was a great conference?”

It’s a very good question.

There were a number of very strong sessions from both external speakers and student union professionals. There was a fantastic, friendly and relaxed atmosphere where people from a host of different jobs in students union and NUS mixed well and discussed some of the interesting ideas and issues that are important to us.

It was a chance to see a very good Union show us what they can do ( well done all at Brunel).

A very decent and thoughtful debate about the future of AMSU conducted in a way rarely found anywhere, with people speaking openly as friends who respect each other and really listening and taking on board points that were made.

There were some outstanding keynotes including from Brunel’s VC, the CEO of NCVO and the legend that is Heinz Wolff. Actually Matt Hyde and I speculated about what Prof Wolff would be likely to say of relevance to the student movement. We underestimated the man. He raised some of the most interesting ideas of great relevance to the student movement we had all week. I found his ideas about finding new means of exchange for social goods like health support and volunteering had a strong resonance with ideas put forward by the Chair of the NUSSL E&E committee a couple of weeks ago.

The biggest problem the conference has, is that some of the leading figures in the profession just aren’t there to contribute and to discuss.

Next year we are going to have some trustees, some American Union professionals , some great new ideas including, I understand, the possibility of a stream of unconventionally structured sessions, and as always a host of people new to the profession and developing their careers bringing challenge and vitality.

What’s not to like?

I suspect that AMSU is a bit like some people’s attitude to Radio 2. People think that it’s not for them because they are thinking about it as it existed years ago, when their parents listened to it.

Radio 2 has moved on and so has AMSU conference.

It’s a place to raise your sights and broaden your vision. It should be the place where student union professionals process a host of ideas, drivers and experiences from inside students unions and from the wider world and discuss what all of it means to us.

If a few more of our distinguished colleagues joined the party it could turn an already excellent event into something really remarkable. Come on guys we would love to have you join in, stop making excuses and make it a priority help lead your profession.

See you next year.