1. Student representation in Antwerp (Belgium)
Artesis Plantijn University College
Elise Beeckmans & Dries Meerts student council Anika Hendrickx policy advisor on student engagement

2. Facts and figures Artesis Plantijn University College
Fusion of Artesis and Plantijn in 2013
students
24 vocational courses
8 art programmes (Royal Academy and Royal Conservatoire)
7 campuses across Antwerp
Only investing in student engagement since 2015
Asked to do this presentation last night at 8 PM
Non-native English speakers
Please be kind

3. Interactivity, yay! We start with a short survey
Go to kahoot.it and sign in with the code on the screen

4. Evolution throughout the years
Student elections
2013: 11 %
2015: 34 %
2017 and 2018: > 40 % (Belgian record for years)
Student reps
2013: 23
2015: 42
2017: 52
2018: 84
2018
84 student reps – 30 student reps in Schools of Arts
50 have had training (IRL)
Almost 60% female
Almost 25% first year students
Great diversity (gender, religion, socio-economical, ethnic background, age, ...)

5. Some basic realisations
Big investment in digitalisation of administration
Evening students can use free parking
Renovated student space on one of the campuses
Longer opening hours for the student restaurants
Exam schedule published 4 months before actual exams

6. Working with sparqs
Little legislation Institutional student council through elections
SPARQS
2016:
Workshop for student reps
Presentation to board of directors
Workshop with board members and student reps
Attended sparqs training in Dundee
2017
Attended sparqs conference
Strategic planning for student engagement and start engagement project
2018
Attended RAISE-conference
Simultaneously, other student reps to sparqs training
Kickstart engagement project

7. Student engagement project
5 student reps work for the student support office on this project (paid)
Together with policy advisor
Basic workshops and materials
having productive meetings
working as a team
role of student rep
how to write a proposal
communication and negotiation
Presentation and informal drink for students interested in applying
The AP student rep handbook
Town hall meetings about specific subjects
Promoting participation in other training/workshops/conferences
Intercultural communication
Student support
Deep Democracy
Teambuilding

8. Student engagement project
Making sure the students know the student reps
Facebook page with ‘student rep of the week’
‘Who is who’ of student reps on the e-learning platform
Anonymous feedback and suggestion form online
Mailbox and telephone for student council
Office and meeting space for student council
Promotion material:
Posters
Short interview montage of student reps
First start up activity to improve social integration:
Boardgame night open for all students