What is PARSA?

The Postgraduate and Research Students' Association (PARSA) is the democratically elected representative body for postgraduate students at ANU. Our membership is comprised of approximately 11,000 postgraduate students. PARSA exists to ensure the interests of postgraduates at ANU, namely through representing postgraduate students rights and welfare.

 

What does PARSA do?

 

Welfare

PARSA provides a range of services for its members, including information, representation and referral services in academic matters, and free legal advice for on and off-campus matters. It provides emergency grant allocations for students in need of immediate assistance with living and accommodation issues.

 

Advocacy

As the representative body of postgraduate students, one of the core functions of the organisation is to promote the postgraduate student voice at all levels of University decision-making. PARSA sits on over 40 committees at ANU. PARSA regularly meet with ANU senior staff to discuss pressing issues and review ongoing projects to ensure the postgraduate voice is heard throughout decision-making processes.

 

Community-building

As part of PARSA’s aim of supporting and connecting postgraduate students, PARSA organises opportunities for its members to meaningfully collaborate and engage with one another. This can include organising family-friendly events during Orientation Week, trips within Australia, organising the ANU Multicultural Festival, and running regular Shut Up and Write (SUAW) sessions. PARSA is actively engaged in building and nurturing relationships among its diverse student community.

PARSA also administers the funding for the Student Extracurricular Enrichment Fund (SEEF), which provides grants to individuals and groups of students for projects that will show benefit to the wider ANU community.