There are three main areas I would like to improve at Ravensbourne:

1. Making student voices heard - student input into how they submit work.

2. Hybrid learning - improvements to online and in-building learning.

3. Online communities - providing support to one another.

Here is a quick video I made about myself and my policies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Jx7BnLs4pw

I feel that I am the best person to bring these changes into place as I understand the importance of teamwork and listening to everyone's voices, having studied Digital Film Production for three years and worked as a director and editor on group projects. I will absolutely make time for students to be heard and their opinions represented if I am to be elected President. 

Firstly, I have heard many complaints about how many essays students write. I propose we let students decide the format they would like to submit in traditionally written projects. For example, a video showing what they have found with a voiceover, short film or animation. I feel that this would allow students to practise their crafts and show their creativity, which is what they have come to Ravensbourne to do.

Secondly, with coronavirus dragging on, it looks like hybrid learning is our new reality. To make this easier for everyone, I would propose a few areas to improve on: software desired by students available to assist with their learning, tutors filming tutorials for softwares to allow students to revisit it in their spare time, bringing back LinkedIn Learning to help students with their studies, and arranging extended Zoom calls, for students to be able to connect with each other, both in groups and with staff, creating a solid community and work support. I feel that these, along with many other improvements, will make our online experience much more enjoyable and comparable to what we would experience in-building.

Lastly, I would like to focus on the community side of Ravensbourne. For those who have had the chance to be in-building before Covid hit, I would love to be able to recreate the social feeling of Level 4 online. This would mean promoting the new Ravensbourne Discord server, to help students interact with people outside of their course or year group. I would also focus on programmes to help new and returning students connect and make friends; this would create paid opportunities for students to work with teachers helping out with this. Also, I would love to help develop or create new and improved cross-course units, helping students from different courses get to know each other and work on projects that are also beneficial to their degree.

In my three years at Ravensbourne I have had the honour of meeting many amazing people through my roles as a Welcome Intern, Student Rep and Chair of Student Parliament. I would love to continue to make these connections as President and help other students do the same.

Please get in touch! @soli.chaban on Instagram / s.chaban@students.rave.ac.uk