Impact of the Crisis on Higher Impact of the Crisis on Higher Education: Student DemandEducation: Student Demand
The European Students’ Union on the crisis in Higher Education
Bert VandenkendelaereMember of the Executive Committee of the European Students’ UnionCopenhagen Business School, OECD Conference29th - 30th of June 2009
Over 11 millions students in Europe!•47 members•38 countries
Surveys in summer and fall of our member organizations on the impact of the crisis on Higher Education in their countries
Examples of problems for students
•Latvia : budget cut of 60 %•Budget cuts in Italy, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland
•Iceland : grants don’t meet living expenses
•Belgium : less job opportunities for students
ESU not in crisis
•Same goals, same tasks•Only intensified•Educational, social, cultural and economic
interests of students
Priorities
•Higher education as a public good and a public responsibility
•Equal access to qualitative education•Social lever•Education as a human right
Mobility
•A mirror of the diversity of the student body
•Mobility of students, teachers, researchers and administrative staff
•Bologna With Student Eyes 2009
Mobility – BWSE 2009
Mobility : grants and scholarshipsGrants and scholarships should be
•Flexible•Transferrable •Given before the mobility period
20 % by 2020?!
Lifelong learning
•Sufficient funding needed•Leuven Communiqué 2009•Diversification of allocation of public
funding
Plan of work of ESU
•Survey for member organizations•Social dimension during times of crisis
•Win a nobel prize..?
