The University of London Institute in Paris Students' Union was formed in April 2004 to provide an official voice for the University of London 's students studying at the Institute, i.e. BA, post-graduate and year-abroad students. In addition to this primary role, the union also provides students with the opportunity to enrich their experience at the Institute by providing social activities.

History
Although the Students' Union is still quite new, students have in the past had input into the running of the Institute and its courses, by way of the Student-Staff committee and the newsletter – both of which have been running for several years. Students had also set up social activities, such as a theatre society and a football team. However, these clubs were under-funded and the unofficial status of the Student-Staff Committee gave it little weight. These problems led to the official forming of the Students' Union in 2004.

So far, so good
Since then, the union has been involved in the Institute's major projects including the extensive renovation works and presented a report to the QAA institutional audit of the University of London . It has, of course, also played a role in highlighting and solving so-called “smaller” issues with the Institute – helping the Institute to improve its student welfare procedures, careers advice and so on. This role is never ending, of course but improvements have been made and the positive relationship between the Students' Union and the Institute has enabled and continues to enable this. The Students' Union provides a student's perspective on student issues, the Institute and therefore the students prosper as a result.

Naturally, there's a good time to be had too! The forming of the Students' Union has meant that it's far easier to set up and run clubs and societies. Current societies include the football team, theatre group, pétanque team, games club, music group and art society as well as the newsletter and the events committee which organises parties and group visits. And, the best thing about being such a small union at a small institution is that there is constant evolution of clubs and societies entirely dependent on the interests of the students. There is no chance of disappearing into the background like at a big campus university and all students are actively encouraged to get involved, be heard and consequently improve their Paris experience.

Good on us!
In our first year, the Students' Union had a fair few achievements!

• We raised over 1300€ for Comic Relief as result of our charity rag week
• We held a production of Eve Elsner's “The Vagina Monologues” at the well-known Café de la Gare theatre, raising over 1000€ which was donated to the GAMS and V-Day charities. The author herself attended a follow-up event at the Institute which included a speech by a representative from GAMS and several scenes from the play.
• We had some fantastic parties including the Beaujolais evening trying out the new wine - the jazz band providing the tunes – and the end of year party cruising down the Seine with free drink!
• Our football team drew for the first time in its history. Come on lads, let's win this year!
• We learnt all kinds of things thanks to the newsletter including a particularly exciting article on the “passerelle” (bridges linking buildings together)…thankfully the newsletter's under new management this year.
• We encouraged the Institute to install a condom machine. A nice shiny new Durex® machine is now there for all to see and use. Thanks to us, there is also now a machine for more specialised female needs…this is in the girls' loos.
• We rode around Paris with the cycling club
• We held an art exhibition of the Institute's students' and staff's drawings, paintings, photographs…well, their art and visited exhibitions with the art society.
• And so much more!

Find out more? Contact us:
For further information, feel free to contact us by writing to:

The Students' Union
University of London Institute in Paris
9-11 rue de Constantine
75007 Paris

Or visit the new Students' Union website: www.ulipsu.eu Or email: students.union@ulip.lon.ac.uk