Successful Mirror scheme exchange for Vice-Chancellor

The exchange began on Wednesday when Anna shadowed Sir Steve, accompanying him to a number of internal meetings and as he hosted an audience with BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner OBE. On Friday, the Vice-Chancellor joined Anna to gain direct insight into the student experience as he shadowed her going about her regular tasks.

Activities on the agenda included a Sport & Exercise Science Student Staff Liaison Committee meeting, a meeting of Societies Executive, the student body that oversees society activity on behalf of the Students’ Guild, and a shift on the front desk in the busy Activities & Volunteering hub, where students attend with a wide range of society and fundraising queries.

The Mirror scheme is designed to bring students and staff together to gain insight into each others’ daily working lives. The aim of the programme is to promote deeper understanding and partnership between students and staff within the university to promote change for the better. Many successful Mirror exchanges have taken place already this year, including student partnerships with Director of Campus Services, Geoff Pringle, and Students’ Guild Director of Communications, Natasha Laws. The Mirror scheme is open to all University of Exeter students and staff.

Speaking of her exchange with the Vice-Chancellor, Anna said:“I thought the Mirror scheme looked like a good opportunity to find out more about how the wider university is run, and for staff to experience what students do on a day-to-day basis. I also hoped that it would enhance the experiences I have gained through my volunteering with the Students’ Guild. I was absolutely shocked to be paired with the Vice-Chancellor but I it has turned out to be an incredible experience. It was exciting to experience things that students don’t usually have access to and to show Sir Steve some of the activities that I, and students like me, are involved in alongside our studies.”

Reflecting on his Mirror experience, Sir Steve commented:“The Mirror scheme is a wonderful opportunity for staff to learn more about the lives of the students they work with, no matter what their position within the university. Anna undertakes an impressive range of activities outside her studies and I found it fascinating to get involved in tasks that are not usually witnessed by staff. Equally, I was pleased to share with Anna a glimpse of my role as Vice-Chancellor of a large and dynamic institution. I feel it has been a very valuable experience on both sides.”