NUS is led by students and students’ unions. You actively shape and lead our campaigns. Every year we run a series of events across the UK to bring together students and build focused, high-impact campaigns that can win. 

These events are NUS’ democratic conferences and we hold one in each part of the UK plus a dedicated Liberation Conference. In our democratic spaces, we come together to grasp at the root of the big issues facing students today. 

Expect feedback and dialogue with our officers and students across the movement on what has been happening, plus sessions building our core campaigning skills to take this work forward.

Conferences also serve as a space to shape upcoming priorities for students, students’ unions, and NUS.

Students’ Unions / Associations - you can find out how many NUS Reps you can send to our Conferences here.

Conference priorities in 2024

In 2024 there will be a number of priorities for NUS Reps to discuss in the run up to and at each of our conferences. In each of these areas engagement starts early! The physical conferences are designed to bring together discussions held in other forums throughout the year. In some cases, like formal changes to our organising model (see below), the majority of the shaping and discussing work will have taken place prior to the conference itself. So we encourage NUS Reps from across the membership to engage early.

An obvious big focus will be the next General Election, which is likely to happen in 2024, and organising around this.

There will also be big changes in NUS’ organising model – these are being consulted on throughout 2023/24 and final proposals going to Conferences in the spring.

At National Conference this will include reviewing proposals for the creation of NUS England, regional organising and exploring student representation based on policy passed at Conference 2023

Liberation Conference will receive proposals for a Liberation Collective following policy passed in 2022. This year we’ll also be consulting on the name of the Black Students’ campaign, with any proposals on a name change going to Liberation Conference.

NUS Scotland Conference will be receiving proposals on the future of NUS Scotland following policy passed in 2022

In NUS Wales we’ll be looking at representation in NUS Wales and in particular of north Wales based unions based on policy passed in 2023.

In NUS-USI it’s about how we continue to represent students in this model.

All this plus the usual business that NUS Reps take part in! Electing our leaders, setting our priorities and scrutinising officers. Read more on this below.