The European Student Union organized the Conference of the Student Bodies of the European Alliances at the University of Coimbra, Portugal, in early December 2023. The event aimed to deepen the knowledge on relevant topics, such as the social dimension, democratic student representation, quality assurance and mobility. Pilar, the student representative of the University of Alcalá on the International Student Board, represented EUGLOH at this event. She shares her experience:
My EUGLOH Story:
I am delighted to have attended this conference, where I met students from numerous European University Alliances to learn different perspectives and to collaborate to find joint solutions to shared challenges.
During this conference, we came to agree on the same key point: every higher education institution must place students at the core of its objectives and structures. The Executive Committee of ESU proposes to achieve this objective through active and effective student participation: from decision-making at a governance level to future internal and external quality assurance systems for EUAs.
Apart from that, it seems necessary to encourage a sense of belonging and fellowship in our alliances. For instance, I shared information about EUGLOH ”road trips” as a great example to follow and also learned about other activities that could be implemented, such as sports tournaments or on-site student meetingsthat have been developed by the UNITA alliance. With activities like these, we all aim to create gathering places for a sense of community between students.
Furthermore, we arrived at the conclusion that enhancing the social dimension is essential within higher education institutions. Universities, as well as their alliances, must consider inclusivity, diversity and accessibility, among many other aspects. Some European universities already have peer-to-peer assistance, unisex toilets, adequate infrastructures or safe spaces where students feel comfortable to express their concerns. It is also relevant to improve and create more mobility scholarships to ensure that no student needs to worry about their socio-economic situation while studying. All these measures should be developed in our universities and collected in a work-life plan to consider any circumstance of the university community that may hinder its functions.
In conclusion, this conference has confirmed to us that students are the driving force of change within our universities and alliances when it comes to ensuring a quality, inclusive, diverse and accessible education for all. For this purpose, it will always be helpful to create gathering places to generate a sense of community.