Student engagement has become a key feature of UK higher education policy and analysis. At the core of this is a notion of engagement characterised by dialogue and joint venture. The article explores this by considering the role of student representation in university governance. It focuses on the system of course representation that is a feature of most British universities. Using a small-scale, exploratory study of key stakeholders within one UK institution, it examines the context within which such representation operates. Analysis suggests that a complex interaction between cultural, social, individual and structural factors shapes the nature of representation. It concludes that enhancing engagement requires institutions to resist managerialist impulses to regulate and control course representation. Instead, they should respond flexibly and reflexively to create an environment for meaningful engagement between students and staff.