Student participation in higher education institutions governance Regional Meeting of Ministers of Education on the Implementation of the European Higher Education Area Yerevan, Armenia, 17. –

The European Students’ Union Umbrella organization of 47 national unions of students from 39 countries, represents more than 15 million students Formed in 1982, previously named WESIB and later ESIB Promote the educational, social, economic and cultural interests of students at a European level Work towards relevant organizations and processes, for example the European Union, the Bologna-Process, Council of Europe, UNESCO and OECD.

What is student participation? Accessibility to information Consultation Dialogue Partnership and decision-making

Why student participation? If higher education is to be a public good and public responsibility and with the expansion of higher education (mass HE) and widening access governance structures in higher education had to change. In order to ensure the functioning of the academic community, students need to be treated as equal members, sharing the responsibility and rights to govern

One of core Bologna messages Bologna declaration (1999) had no mention of student participation... … but students have participated in the Bologna ministerial conference and … Student participation was included as one of the main points in the future ministerial communiqués

Prague Communiqué (2001) Ministers stressed that the involvement of universities and other higher education institutions and of students as competent, active and constructive partners in the establishment and shaping of a European Higher Education Area is needed and welcomed. Ministers affirmed that students should participate in and influence the organisation and content of education at universities and other higher education institutions.

Berlin Communiqué (2003) Ministers welcome the commitment of Higher Education Institutions and students to the Bologna Process and recognise that it is ultimately the active participation of all partners in the Process that will ensure its long-term success. Students are full partners in higher education governance. Ministers note that national legal measures for ensuring student participation are largely in place throughout the European Higher Education Area. They also call on institutions and student organisations to identify ways of increasing actual student involvement in higher education governance.

What are current trends? Increasing competition between HEIs Crisis management mode (cuts to public budgets for education, austerity measure) Which all result in students increasingly seen as consumers – consulted when it comes to their satisfaction rate, but denied a say at top level decisions

Budapest declaration (2011) “There is no genuine student participation in Europe” Reduction in student representative in university boards Reduction of the responsibilities of academic senates (where students have seats) Limiting student participation only to academic issues

Source: Bologna with Student Eyes 2012, ESU

What ESU suggests? Modern collegiality concept – partnership, built on a common understanding among the participants of a shared responsibility Requires of the elected students that they are well-read active participants in the governance, as well as maintaining a dialogue with the rest of the student body via the student unions. In this way the elected student representatives can use their information flow to benefit the HEIs

Considerations for the future Growing threat of students being increasingly viewed as passive customers Quality of data available on students’ participation across EHEA is still considerably poor and must be improved It is important that students are recognised as competent and constructive partners with a say on all aspects of governance, since decisions themselves are interlinked.

Recommendations Student participation in HEI governance must be secured by national or regional legislation Students should be recognised as competent and constructive partners to have a say on all aspects of governance of higher education institutions: academic process related, financial, structural and other.

Recommendations (2) Emerging diversity of student population and the importance of widening access to non- traditional learners need to be reflected also in the student representative bodies Student representation should be seen as an opportunity to put theory into practice and gain different useful skills and knowledge. This should be recognised as a part of a degree and awarded by credits