We are delighted to appoint Pedram Bani Asadi and Anastasiia Guseva as the new Chair and Vice-Chair respectively of our Student Advisory Group (SAG) for 2025.
As Chair Pedram Bani Asadi will lead this sub-committee on the Board of Trustees to ensure that UKCISA is advocating effectively for international students. As Vice-Chair, Anastasiia Guseva will support Pedram in his leadership duties. They have taken up their roles as of 1 January 2025 and will serve for one year.
SAG is made up of current international students and recent graduates on the #WeAreInternational Student Ambassador programme who bring their lived experiences to help shape our work here at at UKCISA.
About Pedram:
Pedram has a master’s in law and is currently studying a leadership course at the University of Law. He is currently representing his fellow students as their students’ union co-president and has served as a #WeAreInternational Student Ambassador since January 2024.
About Anastasiia:
Anastasiia is currently pursuing a degree in International Business at the University of Greenwich. Prior to this, she studied at Uxbridge College, a Further Education provider. She has served as a #WeAreInternational Student Ambassador since January 2024.
"It is an honour to serve as the Chair of the Student Advisory Group for the UK Council for International Student Affairs. I am deeply grateful for the incredible work done by Aditya and Vartika as Chair and Vice Chair, and I aim to build upon their accomplishments.
As Chair of the SAG, my goal is to establish lasting communication channels between international students and the government. This will ensure that the voices of international students are not only heard but are actively considered in the development of higher education policies. Together, we can work towards a fairer system that recognises and respects the contributions of international students.”
- Pedram Bani Asadi, #WeAreInternational Student Ambassador, SAG Chair
“As the organisation evolves, I am honoured to assume the role of Vice-Chair of UKCISA’s Student Advisory Group. I look forward to building on the excellent work of Aditya and Vartika and supporting Pedram in leading our efforts over the coming year.
Having studied at three institutions, I am particularly passionate about ensuring targeted support for students with limited exposure to resources. This includes improving access to guidance, scholarships, and career development opportunities. I am confident that together we will help international students thrive in the UK, both academically and personally.”
- Anastasiia Guseva, #WeAreInternational Student Ambassador, SAG Vice-Chair
“Students are at the heart of everything UKCISA does, and the Student Advisory Group shares an important role in influencing and shaping our work. The insights provided by SAG enable us to better understand the challenges faced by international students in the UK and allow to thus support them better. We are excited to work with Pedram and Anastasiia as the new Chair and Vice-Chair of the group for 2025.”
- Anne Marie Graham, UKCISA Chief Executive
We would also like to thank our outgoing Chair Adityavarman Mehta and Vice Chair Vartika Khandelwal, for their hard work and dedication in leading the Student Advisory Group for the past year. Their service ended on 31 December 2024, and we wish them the best of luck in the future.
The outgoing student ambassadors from 2023-2024 will be sharing their reflections in some blogs in the coming months.
