Welcome to your role as a Postgraduate Representative (Rep)! The Postgraduate Rep Training Framework is designed to help you in your role. It consists of a package of development opportunities to: enhance your ability to represent and work better with others in meetings and departments; negotiate assertively, and to understand systems at Imperial including SSC meetings.
PG Representatives, Academic Staff, Faculties, Student Union, and the Early Career Researcher Institute (ECRI) have worked in partnership to design this provision; and it is strongly recommended!
The aims of the ‘Postgraduate Representative Programme’ are to enhance your ability to:
- Identify your goals and relevant stakeholders.
- Recognise contacts for you as a rep, and how to signpost others.
- Discuss and explore issues in order to determine appropriate solutions.
- Devise a flexible approach to assert your views and those of others.
- Assess contexts to apply your skills and better represent your peers.
Contacts for queries:
- ICU Representation Team and Jordon Millward regarding Imperial College Union inductions and provision
- Dr Caroline Hargreaves regarding courses
(Assertiveness/Negotiations/Early Career Researcher Institute provision) - Jacob Eyre, Deputy President for Education (DPE)
- Sarah Azam, Deputy President for Welfare (DPW)
Courses
Courses 2
Assertiveness for Postgraduate Representatives
Postgraduate Representatives, Academics and the Union recommend that you will need to use assertiveness appropriately as a representative.
We recommend that you attend ECRI courses and be sure to ask the tutors if you have specific questions regarding assertiveness as a representative:
- If you are a Doctoral/PhD student rep sign up here: Understanding and Developing Assertiveness
Negotiation Skills for Postgraduate Representatives
Postgraduate Representatives, Academics and the Union recommend that you will need to use negotiation skills appropriately as a representative.
We recommend that you attend the ECRI course and ask the tutors if you have specific questions regarding negotiations as a representative:
- If you are a Doctoral/PhD student rep sign up here: Negotiation for your Research and Beyond
Further information
PG Representation Training 2026
Sign up via the Union what's on pages. If you can't make any of the training dates outlined below get in contact with the representation team.
- Senior PG Rep Essentials - Tuesday 27th October, 12:00-14:00 in in MR1, Imperial College Union (AWO Business School, VP and Officers, PG Chairs)
- PG Representation Essentials - Wednesday 28th October, 12:00-14:00 in MR1 , Imperial College Union (all PG reps)
Effective Meetings and Chairing Training
- Effective Meetings & Chairing Training - Wednesday 4th November, 18:00-20:00, Online (Senior Reps)
Key Union & Welfare Contact Information
Please click on the following link to access key resources and contact information for Postgraduate Student Representatives and Imperial College Union (ICU).