Hi, I’m Jianing, your LCF Sabbatical Officer, here with my termly update.
Academic Quality
This term, I have been working on assessment criteria transparency by benchmarking approaches across institutions such as UCL, KCL, Goldsmiths, University of Westminster and RCA. The aim is to better understand how different frameworks support clarity and student confidence in marking.
As a next step, I will be organising a small group discussion with Course Representatives next term to gather student perspectives on how assessment criteria are currently experienced across courses.
I have also contributed to EDI Committee discussions on Extenuating Circumstances (EC) and Individual Support Agreements (ISA), highlighting some of the structural challenges students face in accessing support. This aligns with our new strategy, and I will be taking this forward in further discussions.
An upcoming student funding application has been finalized and is currently under review. This initiative is expected to support approximately 30–40 LCF students with grants of at least £100 each toward their final projects for the 25/26 academic year. Please stay tuned to our channel and we encourage you to apply!
Sustainability
This term has focused on developing opportunities to extend the reach of existing sustainability initiatives. I met with Jessica (Dean of Media School) to explore how current projects could engage Media School students, and have reached out to two Course Leaders to begin this conversation.
In relation to the Re-use Unit, discussions are ongoing around whether expansion is feasible. If not, the focus will shift towards improving awareness and accessibility of existing systems, potentially through clearer guidance or a student-facing handbook.
Graduate Futures
Work is underway to develop a second recruitment event with MiHoYo, following positive outcomes from last year’s collaboration. The aim is to expand access to a wider group of UAL students.
I am also continuing outreach to confirm China-based employers for the LCF Career Fair, with the goal of finalising participation by the end of April.
In addition, I have started engaging with alumni who graduated within the past 2–3 years. Three alumni have confirmed interest in contributing insights on early career pathways across fashion design and agency roles.
The International Student Exhibition shortlist process has now been successfully completed. The exhibition will open on 23rd April, featuring work from over 15 student artists. Everyone is very welcome to attend.
Student Experience & Belonging
I have continued to promote inclusive approaches to event design through LCF and UAL Interact activities, ensuring accessibility considerations such as communication clarity and inclusivity are embedded in planning.
Alongside this, I have maintained regular communication with students through both formal and informal channels to identify key themes relating to academic experience and access to opportunities, and to ensure these perspectives are represented in relevant discussions.