All HISA elections are governed by Schedule Six of the HISA Memorandum and Articles of Association. 

All candidates and their associated candidate materials must abide by the policies and procedures of the University of the Highlands and Islands and those of their Academic Partner. Candidates must obey the law and follow the governments health and safety legislation and COVID-19 guidelines.

Returning Officer

The elections are overseen by the Returning Officer, who is responsible for the good conduct and administration of the elections and shall have the final interpretation of the election rules.  The Returning Officer is assisted by a Depute Returning Officer.

The Depute Returning Officer’s main role is to handle complaints regarding other candidates and how the election has been administered within the parameters of Schedule Six of the HISA Memorandum and Articles of Association. They are contactable throughout the election period through hisa.returningofficer@uhi.ac.uk

Elections Project Co-ordinator

HISA has separated out the roles of Depute Returning Officer and the Project Co-ordinator, as the two roles are distinct. One person holding both roles limits impartiality should complaints about administering the election arise.

The Project Co-ordinator leads and organises the elections. They are assigned the role of working with staff to structure the elections in ways that complies with Schedule 6 and aims to maximise student engagement in the election. They do this by working with staff across the region. They are contactable throughout the election period through hisa.returningofficer@uhi.ac.uk.

HISA Staff

For the Nominations Period, HISA staff engage students through a variety of means, with a view to answering any questions they have about the elections, particularly standing for election. HISA staff are neutral throughout the election process, and aim to recruit as many candidates as possible, to maximise the opportunity for the wider student body to choose who the students think will best represent them in the coming year.