# USSU Macro-Economic Environment Analysis University of Salford Students’ Union receives the majority of its income from the University of Salford, and by virtue of the Education Act all students at the University automatically become members of USSU when they enroll onto their course. Given this, while we are constituted independently, in some regards we operate as a department of the University of Salford, or can certainly be seen as a wider part of the University 'insitution'. Any macro-economic environment analysis must therefore include an analysis of the Higher Education sector, as well as the third sector in which USSU is also a member (albeit from a different heritage as it is a membership based charity and not a philanthropic charity) We exist as a charity by law to meet our objects. These are: > THE ADVANCEMENT OF EDUCATION OF STUDENTS AT UNIVERSITY OF SALFORD FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT BY: > - PROMOTING THE INTERESTS AND WELFARE OF STUDENTS AT UNIVERSITY OF SALFORD DURING THEIR COURSE OF STUDY AND REPRESENTING, SUPPORTING AND ADVISING STUDENTS; > - BEING THE RECOGNISED REPRESENTATIVE CHANNEL BETWEEN STUDENTS AND UNIVERSITY OF SALFORD AND ANY OTHER EXTERNAL BODIES > - PROVIDING SOCIAL, CULTURAL, SPORTING AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND FORUMS FOR DISCUSSIONS AND DEBATE FOR THE PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT OF ITS STUDENTS. These objects are met through funding from the University of Salford but also our commercial income, including media sales but most importantly our coffee shop and bar. Our commercial income is actually a social enterprise, and so while the core function of these activities is to provide a return on investment they also help us to meet our charitable objectives. For example our bar contributed approximately £40k to the charity in FY 2019/20, however it also helps students to meet each other, gaining friendship and a sense of belonging to the University community, which is vital to the retention of students (Thomas, 2012), a key concern of our key partner the University of Salford. Our strategy and objects give us clarity on the true purpose of the Students' Union, which is the advancement of education. In this way University of Salford Students’ Union works at the interface [[A Porter's Five Forces analysis of the students' union sector demonstrates the strength of our market position]]