Overview of the student participation in higher education governance
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Transcript of Overview of the student participation in higher education governance
Regional Meeting of Ministers of Education on the Implementation of the European Higher Education Area
17 – 18 October 2013Yerevan
Overview of the student participation in higher education governance
How it all started...
How do we understand it today?Students’ formal and informal ability to
influence decisions made in the context of a higher education institution or a public authority
Four different levels of intensity:- Access to information- Consultation- (Structured) dialogue- Partnership
As the EHEA was developing...Prague communiqué in 2001
Berlin communiqué in 2003
Bergen communiqué in 2005
London communiqué in 2007
Leuven/Louvain-la-Neuve communiqué in 2009
ESIB ESUStudents’ Rights Charter 2008:- All students have the right to organise
themselves freely in legally recognised entities. Students must not suffer academic, financial or legal consequences from such involvement.
- All students have the right to co-governance in all decision making bodies and fora relevant to their education directly or through democration representation.
ESIB ESUStudents’ Rights Charter 2008:- Students have the right to be informed about all
higher education affairs in a transparent manner.
- All students have the right to have their opinion considered as that of a stakeholder on equal footing in higher education.
- All students have the right to freely express themselves and this should not be limited to academic matters.
Where are we now?Council of Europe study from 2003 (A. Persson)
Bologna with Student Eyes 2012 (ESU)
_____________________ (fill in the blank)
Bologna Process EHEANew managerialismDe-politicisation and professionalisation
of the student movementMassification and diversification of
student bodyDiversification of involved stakeholdersWeakening formal, strengthening
informal participationEconomic crisis = budget cutsCustomers or partners?
Back to the roots?
Can it be any different?If student organisations would:- Further encourage student participation- Assure representativeness, democratic
procedures and continuity- Provide efficient transfer of knowledge- Provide sufficient information to fellow
students- Encourage diversity among their own
structures
Can it be any different?If higher education institutions would:- Dedicate to assurance of full student
representation through long term institutional support and resources
- Provide financial, logistical and other means for a welcoming environment
- Transparent procedures- Accept common ownership of the academic
community and shared responsibilities- Make results of student participation visible- Never threathen freedom of expression and
student actions
Can it be any different?If we would all work hard towards the following
principles:- Students are full members of the academic
community- Student participation is a continuous process- Student participation needs to be implemented
in all decision making mechanisms at all levels in all issues and this implementation requires monitoring
- National policies and legislative frameworks are necessary but not sufficient
- Students are partners and not consumers