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

Thank you for your attention!

Milica Popovicmilica.popovic@gmail.c

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