University of Stirling Students' Union

What University of Stirling Students' Union does

The University of Stirling Students' Union is a registered Scottish charity (SC023788) and the legally recognized representative body for students at the University of Stirling, founded in 1967 and operating from The Robbins Centre on campus. The union serves the full enrolled student population through a multi-service platform spanning student voice representation (Sabbatical Officers, Volunteer Officers, Academic Reps, RATE Awards, elections, and campaigns), a Student Advice Service covering academic, housing, and financial matters, and a STEER Peer Mentoring programme. Its commercial and engagement operations include a Union Shop (on-campus and online retail of branded merchandise and tartan goods), ticketed events (Welcome Week, SU Awards, Sports Union Awards Ball), and subscription-based access to 50+ sports clubs and 70+ student societies managed through the MSL membership system. The Green & Blue Space functions as Scotland's first Green Office and operates the Community Food Initiative, Foodhive zero waste shop, Fairshare circular economy programme, and Community Garden & Orchard, making sustainability a distinct service line alongside welfare offerings such as free period products (Scottish Government funded), harm reduction services, and international/postgraduate support.

The union is supported by 48 staff plus 4 elected sabbatical officers (Union President, Sports Union President, VP Education, VP Communities) and runs on a technology stack that includes the MSL membership platform, Native FM for events ticketing, Mazemap for accessibility navigation, and Google Analytics for web measurement. Revenue is generated through retail sales (clothing, tartan merchandise, gifts), annual membership subscriptions for sports and societies, event ticketing, and advertising/sponsorship (e.g., Domino's offers on the website), with additional grant funding from sources including the Scottish Government and cycling infrastructure programmes. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via a single physical building and a digital channel footprint covering the website, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter/X. The union is affiliated with the National Union of Students (NUS) and has been recognized in 2025 as a Green Gown Awards finalist and triple winner at the Green Impact Awards, reflecting a strategic emphasis on sustainability differentiation among UK and Ireland student unions.

Name

University of Stirling Students' Union

Legal name

University of Stirling Students' Union

Website

https://stirlingstudentsunion.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The University of Stirling Students' Union is a registered Scottish charity that serves as the elected representative body for University of Stirling students, delivering student voice, 50+ sports clubs, 70+ societies, retail, advice, and a Scotland-leading sustainability programme through its Green & Blue Space hub.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Student Union Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (6117), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Athletics Fundraising, Sponsorships & NIL Support (EDALAIAN)

Keywords

• Student representation
• Student advocacy
• Campus societies
• Student welfare
• University retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Stirling

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Retail Shop Sales: Sale of University-branded merchandise, clothing, sportswear, gifts, and accessories through the Union Shop both online and on campus.
2. Membership Fees: Sports Union memberships and individual sports club memberships sold annually (August 1 to July 31). Also Societies memberships (June 1 to May 31).
3. Event Ticketing: Sale of tickets for Welcome Week events, Awards Balls, and other student activities.
4. Advertising and Sponsorship: Advertisements displayed on the website, including Domino's pizza offers and other partner advertisements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The University of Stirling Students' Union is the recognised student representative body and registered charity for University of Stirling students, providing democratic representation, welfare advice, sports and societies memberships, sustainability programmes, and a retail shop. It delivers a portfolio of free services, paid memberships, and events alongside commercial retail merchandise sales to its student membership.

Product overview

University of Stirling Students' Union operates as a multi-service student organisation offering a unified platform of services. The core offerings include: the Union Shop (branded merchandise retail), Sports Union and Societies membership programmes, Student Voice representation services with elected officers, and the Green & Blue Space sustainability hub (incorporating Community Food Initiative and Community Garden). Supporting services include a Student Advice Service, Welcome Week events, annual awards ceremonies (SU Awards and Sports Union Awards Ball), STEER Peer Mentoring, volunteering opportunities, Free Period Products distribution, and Harm Reduction services. The Union is led by four Sabbatical Officers and serves as the representative body for students at the University of Stirling.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Green & Blue Space: Sustainability hub and Green Office on campus, including Fairshare circular economy programme, Foodhive zero waste shop, Community Garden & Orchard, and various sustainability initiatives
• Sports Union
• SU Societies
• Community Food Initiative (CFI)
• RATE Awards
• SU Awards
• Union Shop

Products and services

• Sports Union Membership Annual membership granting University of Stirling students access to the Sports Union's club network and related sports activities.
• Societies Membership Membership that allows University of Stirling students to join and participate in student-led societies and interest groups.
• Student Voice Representation Democratic representation of the University of Stirling student body through elected student officers and representation channels.
• Student Advice Service Free, independent advice and support service for University of Stirling students on academic, housing, financial, and welfare issues.
• STEER Peer Mentoring Peer mentoring programme that pairs University of Stirling students with trained mentors for personal and academic support.
• Volunteering Opportunities Opportunities for University of Stirling students to take part in volunteering roles within the Union and the broader community.
• Green & Blue Space On-campus allotment and sustainability hub offering University of Stirling students a nature-based community space.
• Community Food Initiative Food redistribution programme that provides University of Stirling students with access to surplus food and addresses food insecurity.
• Community Garden & Orchard Community garden and orchard that supports biodiversity and provides University of Stirling students with opportunities to engage in gardening activities.
• Free Period Products Free period products available to University of Stirling students across campus to address period poverty.
• Harm Reduction Service Harm reduction service providing University of Stirling students with information, supplies, and support to reduce drug and alcohol-related harms.
• Welcome Week Annual orientation programme of events and activities at the start of the academic year to welcome new and returning University of Stirling students.
• SU Awards Annual awards ceremony recognising achievements of University of Stirling students, societies, and volunteers.
• Sports Union Awards Ball Annual awards ball celebrating the achievements of University of Stirling Sports Union clubs and individual athletes.
• Union Shop On-campus retail shop selling University of Stirling branded merchandise, stationery, snacks, and supplies to students and visitors.

Quantifiable outcome

• 21+ tonnes of food redistributed, 49,426 meals provided, £247,128 worth of food to students, 77+ tonnes CO2e saved
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ever Green Helping HandscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partnership for the Community Food Initiative where Ever Green Helping Hands facilitates surplus food collection from local supermarkets for redistribution to University of Stirling students.
• On The VergeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStirling-based voluntary community project working to establish native wildflower areas. Partnered with Green & Blue Space on the Community Wildflower Meadow project to boost campus biodiversity.
• Forth Environment LinkminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProvides free bike library service for students to hire bikes at no cost, supporting active travel and sustainability.
• SOS-UK (Students Organising for Sustainability UK)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRuns the Green Impact Students Union program through which Stirling SU achieved Excellent classification and multiple special awards. SOS-UK provides sustainability auditing and certification.
• Green Gown AwardscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrestigious awards recognizing sustainability excellence in higher education. Stirling SU was shortlisted as finalists in the Student Engagement category for Green & Blue Space work.
• National Union of Students (NUS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational membership organization for student unions. Stirling SU maintains affiliation for national representation and resources.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• BUCS (British Universities & Colleges Sport): National governing body for higher education sport in the UK. Comparable ecosystem player for the Sports Union side of Stirling SU's operations — clubs compete in BUCS competitions.

Direct peers

• University of Glasgow Students' Representative Council: Largest SRC in Scotland by student population, providing academic representation, clubs/societies, and advice services to University of Glasgow students. Closely comparable governance and service model.
• Edinburgh University Students' Association: Largest students' association in Scotland, affiliated with the University of Edinburgh. Directly comparable in structure: elected sabbatical officers, sports clubs, societies, advice service, and retail operations serving a single university student body.
• University of St Andrews Students' Association: Scottish university student association with comparable sabbatical officer model, sports/societies infrastructure, and student representation services. Operates under the same Scottish charity regulatory framework as Stirling SU.

Regional players

• University of Aberdeen Students' Association: Aberdeen-based students' association with comparable Scottish charity status, sabbatical officer governance, and full-service student representation model.
• Abertay University Students' Association: Dundee-based students' association serving a smaller, similar-sized Scottish university. Directly comparable in scale and service mix (representation, sports, societies, advice).
• Heriot-Watt University Students' Union: Edinburgh-based students' union serving a similar size university with comparable services (representation, sports, societies, retail). Useful peer for benchmarking operational scale and revenue mix.
• University of Strathclyde Students' Union: Glasgow-based students' union with similar student services, sabbatical officer structure, and Sports Union/Societies model. Comparable in terms of size and Scottish regulatory environment.

Emerging players

• SOS-UK (Students Organising for Sustainability UK): Charity that runs the Green Impact Students Union programme through which Stirling SU won its 2025 sustainability awards. Comparable as a sector-shaping sustainability organisation working with students' unions nationally.

Broad incumbents

• National Union of Students (NUS): UK-wide umbrella body for students' unions. Stirling SU is a member. NUS provides national representation, commercial services, and training that smaller unions like Stirling leverage, making it a key ecosystem incumbent.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/stirlingstudentsunion
• Instagraminstagram.com/stirlingunion
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/university-of-stirling-students'-union

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about University of Stirling Students' Union