Student Futures Code of Ethics and Impartiality

Find out about how we work with employers and provide an impartial service to ensure our students are empowered to make informed career decisions.

The Student Life division is part of Cardiff University, which operates separately from the Cardiff University Students’ Union.  The Student Futures team is a constituent part of Student Life, supporting students to make the most of their university experience and achieve successful graduate outcomes.  Student Futures provides an impartial service that supports our students and graduates to have the freedom to make informed choices about their future career paths based on each individual’s own principles, values and beliefs.

The principle of impartiality is embedded in the design and delivery of all our services and ensures that students are empowered to make informed career decisions by having access to:

-     a diverse range of employers, alumni and professional networks offering opportunities that comply with UK employment legislation (or minimum quality assurance standards for non-UK employers);

-     support to research employers’ values, ethics and culture;

-     career coaching appointments with qualified Careers Advisers;

-     a programme of employer and enterprise activity which aims to develop our graduates to have the skills and graduate attributes to become social, economic, global citizens;

-     a range of opportunities to network with employers and alumni to find more about employment sectors, specific organisations, their values and graduate recruitment programmes.

To ensure we meet the full range of aspirations of students and graduates, our engagement encompasses roles, sectors and geographies that may not always align with individuals’ personal ethics or beliefs. It is acknowledged that students and staff are entitled to disagree with the ethics or practices of any organisation. As members of the Association of Graduate Advisory Services (AGCAS), we are required to adhere to the core principles and standards of professional practice set out in the AGCAS Code of Ethics, which includes impartiality.  However, Student Futures will not engage with:

• organisations or Opportunities suspected to be illegal, oppressive, exploitative or discriminatory
• organisations where there may be a conflict of interest with Cardiff University research funding

The University's Student Charter encourages students to engage with real-world concerns within Cardiff, Wales and internationally.  Student Futures recognise that everyone has the right to freedom of expression and may choose to express their disagreement, in accordance with Cardiff University’s Code of Practice on Freedom of Speech. If students choose to exercise their right to freedom of expression, students are expected to act in accordance with the University’s standards of conduct and behaviour and should be familiar with the Student Conduct procedure. 

Useful links:

Freedom of speech - Public information - Cardiff University

Read our Student Charter - New students - Cardiff University

Student conduct - Student intranet - Cardiff University

AGCAS Member Code of Ethics

HE careers professionals and impartiality (agcas.org.uk)