Summer is coming to an end and students will be heading back to the university, for some it will be the first time. I can feel your tingle in my stomach, about those first steps towards the main building. When the doors open to the campus and you take the first steps in. For some it will instead be turning on the computer, then it is of great importance that the education provided has good conditions for being digital, and for you as a student to continue to have a good study time (even if it becomes digital).
It is clear that the parliamentary elections are just around the corner. Soon, you and I will be heading to the polls and casting our votes for the party we trust and want to show our support for. Regardless of who you choose to vote for, your vote matters.
On the news and in newspaper editorial offices, there are many people typing away. They talk about the latest political developments. The new wave of discussion about the background of politicians is interesting. Who should our elected officials be? Should they have academic experience and therefore be seen as more qualified to decide on Sweden's future?
I have also listened to Swedish Radio's Summer in P1. There are several who talk about their experiences from studying and working at university and college. About why they chose a certain path and how their educational journey took place. There are also several who turn to politicians, just as we at SFS do. In the hope that we can contribute to a better future and make college accessible to more people.
The SFS political program states that:
The idea of the knowledge society is based on the fact that the independent and democratic academy has a central role in societal development and common welfare. The importance and special position of the academy is legitimized through high quality, broad popular support and a high degree of student influence and collegial co-determination.
The knowledge society is permeated by a belief and insight that higher education benefits both the public and the individual. Equal access to higher education for all is a foundation in how higher education is governed and operates, and it goes without saying that education is free of charge for everyone.
There is also a comprehensive social security system which, combined with decent social and economic conditions in general, provides good conditions for students to pursue higher studies. The knowledge society is a global concern and extends beyond national borders.
We hear from several political parties that in one way or another want to strengthen the knowledge society. Here, we at SFS believe that it is important that reforms are proposed with thought. That the impact analysis is done and that multiple perspectives are taken into account.
Some of the most prioritized issues for students and newsrooms are students' finances and housing situation. Students' finances can be improved, this can be done by reviewing the student finance system, including increasing grants and loans or changing how the free amount is regulated. Our proposal is that the free amount should remain but that it should only apply to the time that the student is studying (which for many would have meant that they could work during the summer without worry and that it would not have had a negative impact on their studies or CSN).
Several of the proposals presented need to be met with more reforms. This includes matching to improve Sweden's public transport. Several of us have traveled this summer. Which have been met with stationary trains, cancelled departures and in some (for me personally) many cases when trains have not been offered. This autumn we will visit more study locations and I hope that there will be some improvement. Unfortunately, it is a challenge to find good connections and it is striking that the Swedish train network needs an upgrade and, above all, more departures. For that, we need, among other things, more tracks and more train drivers. We travel sustainably with public transport but we need more departures to take part in. The knowledge society and the sustainable society need to meet.
Common to many are questions about crime and punishment. We at SFS want to address this with another priority issue: school. Just over one in five students do not complete their studies or graduate with incomplete grades. We would have liked to see a higher figure and see it as a matter of course that students should receive support and help to leave primary school ready for post-secondary education. Many of the problems that arise earlier are not addressed; it often ends up at the university to prepare students for their studies, even if they have already become students here and there is an expectation that their prior knowledge should be good. Several investigations are underway and I am hopeful that a solution will emerge. That more people will have the opportunity to apply for higher education and have real opportunities to undertake it.
It is good for the individual, and for Sweden.
