The newly appointed chief executive of the Office for Students Nicola Dandridge, visited Penryn campus to speak with students, FXU sabbatical officers and staff.

The Office for Students is the government-approved regulatory and competition authority for the higher education sector in England. Students and FXU presidents led the topics of conversation which included accessibility, widening student participation, challenges that students face studying in Cornwall, accommodation and mental health.

Ms Dandridge outlined that the Office for Students has a role in exploring 'value for money' and the information that students are given to make choices about where they study.

Chris Slesser, FXU president Falmouth, said: “This was a great opportunity for us as representatives to ensure the views and opinions of students are taken into consideration and shape national debate.”

Jamal Clarke, FXU president student experience, discussed the difficult situation students find themselves in when they have little choice in choosing accommodation and posed the question: "Should we allow universities to run accommodation at a profit?" to which Ms Dandridge replied: "This is a question we are being asked a lot."

Ms Dandridge said the two hours of conversation had been really useful and that she was "hearing again and again that students' unions are playing an important part in helping students gain the skills and experience that will benefit them in the future."

Joff Cooke, FXU CEO, said: “It was great to welcome Nicola to Cornwall and the many challenges to developing a world class university campus in this part of the country. It’s clearly very different to the challenges that university campuses face in inner city locations elsewhere in the UK."