IMPACT
REPORT
2025 2026
IMPACT REPORT 25-26
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE PRESIDENTS President - Asad Zarif Awan (He/Him) As President this year, I have focused on strengthening student representation, engagement, affordability, and support across UWE. I represented students nationally by hosting a regional event, plus secured over 450 petition signatures through the NUS Fair Future campaign, placing The Students’ Union at UWE in the top three participating institutions. I worked to increase engagement in the October By-Elections, boosting voter turnout by 846% and filling key representative roles. To improve affordability, I personally visited 50 local businesses, securing student discounts. Alongside this, I supported academic development through IT and AI workshops, collaborated on our Careers Fair, and worked with support services on accommodation and financial issues.
VP Education - Khadiza Hossain (She/Her)
As VP Education this year, I’ve focused on tackling the most persistent student challenges and building stronger links between reps, societies, and student leaders. Through continuous lobbying, I’ve made feedback a university priority, leading to a new working group and student survey to shape clearer, more consistent feedback. I raised timetabling concerns, resulting in a Strategic Timetabling Group. I co-organised our Careers Fair to support employability and worked to strengthen student voice through a new PGR representation model. In February, I worked alongside VP Socs and Comms to deliver Diversity Week, including the ‘Taste of Culture’ fair celebrating the cultural diversity of UWE students. Finally, I restructured the Student Rep system, introduced a 15% discount for reps, and delivered 3 Rep Conferences that saw over 400 attendees.
VP Community and Welfare - Lubyna Gardezi (She/Her)
This year, I focused on supporting and empowering students through practical initiatives. I raised awareness of mental health services at UWE through community events and a consistent programme of videos, blogs, and social content, including a Harm Reduction series during the Welcome period. I promoted sustainability by increasing engagement with the Climate Education module, plus addressed some of our students’ most common accommodation concerns through the ‘Break the Mould’ campaign. I helped international students feel closer to home by collaborating with VP Societies and Communication and VP Education in the planning stages of Diversity Week.
IMPACT REPORT 25-26
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE PRESIDENTS VP Sports and Health - Anya Brentnall (She/Her) My main aim this year has been to increase participation and student voice in Sports at UWE. I launched new communication channels, including a weekly mail and WhatsApp community, and supported the rollout of a new Sports Strategy. I introduced the Sports Executive, a system that taps directly into student insights, as well as a Sports Media Assistant to help promote TeamUWE and livestream BUCS matches. In support of mental health education, I led a national Movember campaign, engaging 226 fundraisers, 17 teams and 15 events, raising £12,523. I organised the Girls Night In event for Women’s History Month, bringing 211 attendees to our panel talk and Sports Exec quiz. Finally, to improve engagement in student sport, I delivered Varsity 2026 in collaboration with the University of South Wales, where Team UWE won the competition for the fourth year in a row.
VP Societies and Communication - Umar Abbasi (He/Him) This year, I worked on strengthening and connecting student societies. I delivered leadership and conflict resolution training, including a session at the Societies Conference to support committee members led by an external speaker. I launched a ‘Top of the Socs’ social media series that recognises and promotes the most active societies each month. In February, I co-led Diversity Week alongside VP Education, including a ‘Taste of Culture’ fair celebrating the cultural diversity of UWE students. I also supported delivery and promotion of the Careers Fair that brought together 31 stalls and 320 students, increasing engagement with employers.
Electing our future student leaders Our democratic processes continue to play a critical role in shaping the direction of The Students’ Union and ensuring student voice is at the heart of decision making. This year’s main elections saw 43 candidates stand across Full Time and Part Time Officer roles, including 26 Full Time Officer and 17 Part Time Officer positions. We recorded 4,799 individual voters, representing a 4% increase on the previous year, with a total of 30,686 votes cast and an overall turnout of 13.8%.
Engagement peaked on the first day of voting, with 2,069 students casting their votes, the highest number ever recorded in a single day.
This reflects the positive impact of evolving our approach to elections, including increased use of social media campaigning, collaborative content between candidates and more creative, visible campaigning across campus. The strength of our democratic pipeline is clear. Our newly elected leaders are drawn from a rich pool of established student volunteers, who have previously been involved in other areas of Students’ Union activity, including as Part Time Officers, Student Representatives, Student Consultants, Student Council members or sports and society committee members. This highlights the importance of early engagement and leadership development opportunities in building confident, capable representatives.
Through these elections, we continue to strengthen a representative and engaged student leadership community, ensuring the diverse voices of UWE students are heard and acted upon at every level of the University.
IMPACT REPORT 25-26
REPRESENTING THE
STUDENT VOICE
Championing the academic interests and wider experience of students remains at the heart of our charitable purpose and why we exist for our students. Through our Advice Centre and student representation systems, we continue to ensure that student voices are heard, supported and acted upon across the University.
Independant Advice Centre Our independent Advice Centre maintained the Advice Quality Standard following external audit, with no corrective actions required and recognition that several areas exceeded expected standards. This professional excellence translates into direct impact; our advisers successfully challenged unfair landlord clauses, secured the return of deposits, arranged emergency accommodation, and addressed overcrowding through collaboration with local authorities. Alongside this, we delivered proactive campaigns such as our Renters’ Rights communications, and the annual Accommodation Fair, ensuring students were informed and equipped to navigate changes in the private rental market.
Student representation continues to grow in both scale and effectiveness We successfully trained 959 Student Reps, a 6% increase, with a notable conversion rate of 93% from sign-up to fully trained status. Coverage has expanded significantly, with 77% of all active courses now having at least one trained representative, ensuring more students than ever have access to representation within their academic experience. Our 29 trained Lead School Reps met with 220 student reps to gather direct feedback ahead of School Board of Study to ensure that a diverse voice was heard in those meetings and not just their own experiences. The partnership Student Consultation Panel continues, which provided evidence-based feedback on critical issues like assessment quality and wellbeing services.
Visibility The visibility of The Students’ Union within the classroom has also grown, evidenced by a 71% increase in SU-led course inductions. This robust network is reflected in the National Student Survey (NSS) and internal metrics, where our Student Voice score saw a 6%
increase, while positivity regarding how the student voice is listened to reached 83%.
Development of future leaders We are also investing in the development of future leaders. Student Representatives are engaging with academic governance, leading discussions and feeding into key forums, supported by targeted training and development opportunities. As the Reimagining Representation project concludes, there is clear assurance that student representation has strengthened, with new initiatives focused on leadership pathways and enhancing voice across all student groups.
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IMPACT REPORT 25-26
DRIVING
SUSTAINABLE CHANGE
Working in close partnership with UWE Bristol and our students, we continue to take a sector leading approach, delivering tangible environmental and social impact through both policy and practice.
Award winning This year, we maintained our position as an award-winning Students’ Union, achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating in the Green Impact accreditation for the eleventh consecutive year. In addition, we have been recognised as Responsible Futures winners for 2024 - 2026, marking the fifth time we have achieved this accreditation and reinforcing our commitment to embedding education for sustainable development across the learning, teaching and student experience.
Circular economy
single-use coffee cup plastics.
• The Placement Uniform Swap Shop at Glenside saved healthcare students approximately £8,861 this year, alleviating financial pressure while preventing significant textile waste.
Student-led
We have expanded circular economy initiatives across our campus sites:
• At Bower Ashton, the Community Corner has become an essential hub for students, providing over 700 items of clothing and £1,483 in cost-of-living provisions.
Addressing period poverty Our practical initiatives continue to deliver meaningful change. Addressing period poverty and sustainability remains a priority. We distributed over 40,000 plastic-free period products and increased provision points to 96 locations, saving nearly 100kg of plastic this year. We continue to offer a sustainable products trial that has the potential to save over 650kg of plastic over five years.
Lendable Innovation remains central to our operations. In collaboration with UWE Bristol, we launched ‘Lendable’, a reusable cup pilot designed to mitigate the environmental impact of
Crucially, our work and impact is student-led. Engagement in sustainability programmes has grown significantly, with a 40% increase in student groups participating in Greener Futures and 41 Sustainability Officers now embedded within clubs and societies. This reflects a culture shift where students are not only engaging with sustainability, but actively leading change across their communities. From revitalising the Frenchay Community Garden to hosting student-led Fairtrade events for over 200 attendees, we are empowering our members to lead the conversation and change initiatives to tackle the climate and ecological emergency. SCAN FOR MORE
By integrating these values into the student journey, we fulfil our charitable purpose to advance the educational interests and holistic wellbeing of our members.
IMPACT REPORT 25-26
IMPACT ON
WELLBEING AND WELFARE
The Students’ Union remains dedicated to supporting the holistic welfare of our members, recognising that academic success is inextricably linked to student wellbeing.
Harm reduction Our approach to drug and alcohol harm reduction continues to lead nationally. Audited by students, we achieved the Drug and Alcohol Impact Accreditation for the third consecutive cycle, recognising the strength of our whole institution approach.
Culture shift Beyond accreditation, we have seen a tangible culture shift: 77% of students now feel confident in accessing support services, with the number of students reporting they are “fully informed” nearly tripling since 2024 - a clear indicator that our campaigns are reaching and influencing students.
Targeted campaigns Our interventions are evidence-based and responsive to emerging trends, shaped directly by student insight. A targeted campaign on alcohol-related blackouts generated over 187,000 impressions, while 1,300 harm reduction resources were distributed during Welcome. Responding to emerging trends, we produced drug-specific guidance on ketamine, reaching 2,600 students. Importantly, 25% of students accessing UWE’s Drug and Alcohol Service reported being influenced by this information, demonstrating clear behavioural impact. Furthermore, our new Drug Testing Kits Pilot, delivered in partnership with the Bristol Drugs Project, provides a practical, non-judgemental intervention that reduces risk in an increasingly unpredictable illicit market. By participating in the new City-Wide Harm Reduction Pilot, we are ensuring that student safety is a central priority not just on campus, but across the city of Bristol.
Safeguarding Our work saw a 60% increase in engagement during Anti-Sexual Violence Awareness Week.
By facilitating difficult but necessary conversations around consent and non-fatal strangulation, the latter supported by citywide efforts lead by the Police and Crime Commissioner, we are empowering students around consent and healthy relationships.
Cost of living Finally, our cost-of-living support remains critical. Through a combination of direct financial assistance and delivering £10,000 worth of essential goods, including almost long-life food, hot drinks and over 7,600 free condoms, we have supported students facing immediate need. These interventions both alleviate financial pressures and contribute to wider public health outcomes, helping SCAN FOR MORE students to remain healthy and engaged in their studies.
By integrating these values into the student journey, we fulfil our charitable purpose to advance the educational interests and holistic wellbeing of our members.
IMPACT REPORT 25-26
EMPOWERING OUR DIVERSE
STUDENT COMMUNITY
Creating a sense of belonging and enabling every student to thrive is central to our purpose. Through our Liberation work and student-led groups, we continue to build an environment where students feel seen, supported and able to succeed.
BL ACK HISTORY MONTH
DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO SHOULD FEATURE IN OUR BLACK HISTORY MONTH HALL OF FAME NEXT YEAR?
Student engagement This year, 7,241 students engaged in over 140 societies and sports clubs, providing a powerful platform for connection, leadership and peer support. These communities enrich the student experience beyond the classroom, contributing directly to wellbeing, retention and academic success.
NOMINATE NOW If you want to recognise the brilliance of a Black student or staff member nominate them for their achievements and they could be in our Hall of Fame 2026.
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Team UWE Sport continues to play a vital role in fostering belonging and achievement. Team UWE clubs competed in over 550 fixtures, with multiple teams reaching regional and national finals and securing championship wins. Alongside performance, clubs consistently create inclusive, supportive environments described by students as “a second home” and “like a family”.
Student groups Our student groups delivered a wide range of inclusive and inspiring activity. Women’s History Month brought together students through events such as EmpowerHER, Women in Chess and Women and Non Binary Painting, creating spaces for confidence building and discussion. Across our academic societies, 91 events supported student learning and employability through CV workshops, industry speaker talks and thesis bootcamps. Cultural societies hosted 45 events celebrating global traditions, helping students to share identity and build intercultural understanding.
This is further supported by the introduction of discrete binder pick-up points across all campuses, an initiative that provides essential garments to students who might otherwise face financial or cultural barriers.
Liberation
Furthermore, the establishment of a permanent sensory space at the Bower Ashton campus addresses the specific needs of neurodivergent students, offering a vital environment for students to unmask and manage academic stress.
Our commitment to the strategic goal of Inclusion and Diversity is demonstrated through high-impact liberation work, notably the Gender Expression Fund. By providing financial support for gender-affirming items to 51 students, we have directly improved the wellbeing and safety of our trans and non-binary members.
Collectively, this work demonstrates the tangible difference we make in building an inclusive university community where all students can belong and succeed.
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IMPACT REPORT 25-26
SERVICES FOR
STUDENTS
Delivering high quality, student focused services is central to our role as your Students’ Union. Through our commercial activity we reinvest into the student experience, while also providing practical support that enables students to succeed academically, professionally and personally.
JobShop: empowering students through part-time employment Our JobShop service continues to play a vital role in supporting students to access flexible, student-friendly employment. We advertise a wide range of part-time opportunities across Bristol and surrounding areas, with roles designed to fit around study and protect academic success. We work with approximately 570 employers, providing access to over 7,400 registered students and generating an estimated £2.2 million in employment opportunities this year. These roles span sectors including hospitality, care, administration and education, offering both financial support and valuable experience relevant to students’ future careers. This supports the development of essential employability skills that enhance graduate outcomes. Alongside vacancies, we provide guidance and signposting to resources and services on CV writing, applications and employment rights.
Nursing futures: the impact of Halley Nursery Halley Nursery remains a vital service for student parents and staff, providing high-quality childcare and early education from three months to five years. With 103 children currently enrolled and increasing demand, the nursery supports students to remain engaged in their studies while balancing family life. Any surplus generated is reinvested directly into student services, strengthening our wider impact. Beyond childcare, the nursery actively contributes to student development. This year, we supported international students studying early childhood programmes, helping them build confidence and understanding within the UK education system. We also host trainees and have recruited former UWE students into permanent roles, demonstrating a clear pathway
THE STUDENTS’ UNION AT UWE PRESENTS
FEBRUARY
10
11:00 16:00
PROFESSIONAL TALKS, EMPLOYER AND AGENCY STALLS, FREE FOOD IN BAR CAREER FAIR STALLS LOCATE UNION S IND IN: UNION11 STALL CAREER FAIR FREE FOOD LOCATE BAR D IN: THE NTS’TS’UNION STUDEN STUDE UNION BAR FOOD IN THE FREE FRENCHAYHAY CAMPU S US CAMP
FRENC
DON’T MISS OUT, SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE!
2026
SIX NATIONS
LIVE FIXTURES SHOWN AT UNION 2 WEEK 1 WEEK 2 WEEK 3 WEEK 4 WEEK 5 THURSDAY SATURDAY SATURDAY FRIDAY 05 FEBRUARY 14 FEBRUARY 21 FEBRUARY 06 MARCH
SATURDAY 14 MARCH
from education into employment. This dual role as both aFRANCEservice and learning V IRELAND IRELAND V ITALYa ENGLAND V IRELAND IRELAND V WALES IRELAND V SCOTLAND KO 20:10 KO 14:10 KO 14:10 KO 14:10 KO 21:10 environment reflects our commitment to supporting student success at every stage. SCOTLAND V ENGLAND WALES V SCOTLAND WALES V ITALY SATURDAY 07 FEBRUARY ITALY V SCOTLAND KO 14:10 ENGLAND V WALES KO 16:40
KO 16:40
KO 14:10
SATURDAY 07 MARCH
KO 16:40 FRANCE V ENGLAND KO 20:10 SCOTLAND V FRANCE KO 14:10 ITALY V ENGLAND KO 16:40
Powering student life and growth: our commercial outlets
Our retail and café outlets at Frenchay and Bower Ashton provide safe, accessible spaces for students to connect, socialise and take part in campus life. By reinvesting all profits back into the student experience, we ensure that every purchase made on campus contributes directly to the advocacy, representation, and support services that define our purpose as a charity. Our venues provide a platform for student-led activity, hosting diverse events in collaboration with the Centre for Music, various societies and external partners. Our commitment to excellence, safety and quality is reflected in our ongoing Best Bar None accreditation. Our operations are powered by approximately 80 student staff, who gain valuable skills and work experience during their time at university. Many progress into leadership roles or future employment, reinforcing the role of our services in developing confident, capable graduates.
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IMPACT REPORT 25-26
AFTERWORD
FROM OUR CEO
DEADLINE 19 OCTOBER
As CEO of The Students’ Union at UWE, I am proud to present this year’s Impact Report, which reflects our ongoing commitment to our Strategic Plan 2022-2026 and our core values: putting students first, driving change, prioritising sustainability, and embracing inclusivity and diversity. Over the past four years, these values alongside our strategic plan have driven our organisation to proactively shape the student experience, influencing organisational decisions and daily goings-on. We have elevated student representation through our Student Rep programme and ‘Reimagining Representation’ project. This two-year collaborative project with UWE delivered significant changes including new clear support channels for student leaders to deliver robust feedback and representation. Our approach to drive sustainable change was carried across the organisation, in campus-wide circular economy initiatives such as the Placement Uniform Swap Shop and ‘Lendable’ reusable cup pilot. We have achieved an Excellent Green Impact rating for over a decade, demonstrating our commitment to sustainable development. The emphasis on proactive student wellbeing is clear from our sector-leading drug and alcohol harm-reduction initiatives to inclusive spaces such as the Bower Sensory Room. We have also built an inclusive environment at The Students’ Union, fostering platforms such as the International Students’ Forum, celebrating cultural excellence through the Black History Month Hall of Fame, providing tangible support through the Gender Expression Fund, and more. This empowers students from all backgrounds to feel seen, represented and supported. The last four years have reshaped our organisational culture; we are now
DEMOCRACY SURVEY NOW LIVE! fostering a community where behaviours of support, accountability and empowerment are the default starting point for every conversation, decision, and interaction. This has been a great year for The Students’ Union, one in which we have been committed to achieving true organisational evidence. Our Democracy and Governance review has provided a framework to ensure our charitable objectives are not only met but also drive superior student experience. Two key principles have been set out to create a more transparent, effective and student-led organisation: ‘Transforming How We Lead and Represent’ by moving toward a modernised sabbatical officer structure, where our officers can be the true voice of our diverse student population and provide purpose-driven, accountable leadership to our members; and ‘Empowering Student Voice Through Policy’ in a more transparent and accessible model where every action that we take forward is rooted in student experience and real data-based insight.
As we look ahead to 2026/27, these changes will reinforce our culture of participation and transparency, ensuring our governance can continue as a powerful driver for change. I am continually inspired by the commitment of our students, rightly celebrated in our Awards Season. We remain committed to continuous improvement, ensuring we are always evolving to meet the needs of our diverse student body. - Tim Benford
THIS YEARS
£7051 7688+
HIGHLIGHTS
SAVED ON SEXUAL HEALTH ESSENTIALS FOR STUDENTS
MEMBERS ACROSS SPORTS CLUBS AND SOCIETIES
7,241
69 131 180 300+ 957 EXTERNAL SPEAKERS HOSTED
STUDENT TRIPS ORGANISED
593 14,800
STUDENTS TRAINED IN FIRST AID
AWARD NOMINATIONS ACROSS SPORTS AND SOCIETIES
VOTES CAST WITHIN COMMITTEE ELECTIONS
SOCIETY EVENTS DELIVERED
STUDENT LEADERS TRAINED
4 6 11 550
NATIONAL FINALISTS
CONFERENCE CUP FINALISTS
LEAGUE WINNERS
BUCS GAMES PLAYED
VARSITY WINNERS
4
YEARS IN A ROW!
240
FREE CONDOMS DISTRIBUTED ACROSS ALL CAMPUSES
STUDENTS ENGAGED IN GENDER EQUALITY CONSERVATIONS AT GIRLS NIGHT IN
17 190 336 450 NOMINATED IN BHM HALL OF FAME
GENDER EXPRESSION FUND (GEF) RAISED TO
£4,000 £1,689 IN GENDERAFFIRMING ITEMS DISTRIBUTED FREE TO STUDENTS
CULTURAL SHOWCASE ATTENDEES
TASTE OF CULTURE ATTENDEES
ENGAGED AT DIVERSITY WEEK
51 90 159
STUDENTS SUPPORTED THROUGH THE GENDER EXPRESSION FUND
FREE GENDER AFFIRMING HAIRCUTS PROVIDED TO STUDENTS
STUDENTS ENGAGED IN CONSENT AND HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP ADVICE
60% INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR
40,860 653.96kg 96 98 PLASTIC FREE PERIOD PRODUCTS DISTRIBUTED
42.8%
OF SOCIETY MERCH FROM FAIRTRADE SUPPLIER
41 159 200+
kg
POTENTIAL PLASTIC SAVING OVER 5 YEARS
130.78kg
PERIOD PRODUCT DISTRIBUTION LOCATIONS
PLASTIC SAVED ON REUSABLE TRIAL ANNUALLY
340 712 £7,000 CLOTHING ITEMS REDISTRIBUTED
1,750 31
STUDENTS JOINED IN COMMUNITY GARDEN SESSIONS
35
STUDENT GROUPS ENGAGED IN GREENER FUTURES
gCO2e
SAVED THROUGH CLOTHING REUSE
1,226
STUDENTS SUPPORTED BY PLACEMENT UNIFORM SWAP SHOP
COST OF LIVING SUPPORT VIA COMMUNITY LARDER
SUSTAINABILITY OFFICERS FOR CLUBS AND SOCIETIES
PLASTIC SAVED ON DISPOSABLE SCHEME
CONDOMS GIVEN FROM COMMUNITY CORNER
£8,861 SAVED BY HEALTHCARE STUDENTS
133%
GROWTH IN SOCIETY PARTICIPATION
61
187,300
STUDENTS ATTENDED SUSTAINABILITY TRAINING
1,300
HARM REDUCTION RESOURCES DISTRIBUTED AT WELCOME
25% 2,600 39 77%
DRUG TESTING KITS SUPPLIED TO
STUDENTS
STUDENTS ENGAGED IN FAIRTRADE FORTNIGHT
IMPRESSIONS FROM ALCOHOL AWARENESS CAMPAIGN
DRUG AWARENESS LEAFLETS DISTRIBUTED
OF SERVICE USERS INFLUENCED TO ACCESS HELP OF STUDENTS CONFIDENT AT ACCESSING SUPPORT
7,400 570 £2.4
STUDENTS SEEKING WORK THROUGH JOBSHOP
EMPLOYERS ENGAGED
M
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES GENERATED
438 7
ADVICE CASES CASES ESCALATED FOR SPECIALIST LEGAL ADVICE
959
23 23
STUDENTS RECEIVED EMERGENCY COST OF LIVING SUPPORT STUDENTS SUPPORTED IN UNIVERSITY CASEWORK MEETINGS
TRAINED STUDENT REPS
77%
COURSE COVERAGE WITH ACTIVE REPS
31 GOLD 54 SILVER 100 BRONZE
29
920
ENQUIRIES SUPPORTED
45 73
COURSES REACHED THROUGH STUDENTS’ UNION INDUCTION
CONSULTATION OPPORTUNITIES DELIVERED DISABILITY STUDENT ADVISORY MEMBERS
ATTENDEES AT STUDENT REP CONFERENCE
STUDENTS ATTENDED PGR WELCOME FAIR
ATTENDEES AT AWARDS CEREMONY
REPS ATTENDED MASTERCLASSES
NOMS FOR STUDENT EXPERIENCE AWARDS
53 100 MAIN ELECTIONS
CANDIDATES ACROSS ALL ELECTIONS
STUDENTS ATTEND BOWER TEA AND TOAST
LEAD SCHOOL REPS ACROSS COLLEGES
103 159 427 442 STUDENTS ATTEND LIVE CONSULTATION EVENTS
60 150 221 256
STUDENT CONSULTATION PANEL MEMBERS
30,686 4,799 2,069 RECORD 13.8% 4% HIGH VOTES CAST
VOTERS
TURNOUT
INCREASE
BY-ELECTIONS
627 9.5% VOTERS
INCREASE
VOTES DAY 1
FIRST EVER
976 4%
PGR ELECTION
81 11%
VOTES
VOTERS
INCREASE
TURNOUT
IMPACT REPORT 25-26
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