Last week, SFS's Committee for International Affairs, Komit, participated in the European Students' Union's (ESU) 90th Board Meeting (BM). This time it was held in Vienna, and was organized by ESU in collaboration with SFS's Austrian counterpart ÖH. From SFS, Andreé Lindahl, Matilda Horn and David Bengtsson were present.
The week began with seminar days at the Vienna University of Applied Arts. The importance of data and data collection was discussed to create a greater understanding of which groups apply to which programs. The participants were able to follow a panel discussion with participants from, among others, Eurostudent and the Austrian Ministry of Research.
Once the official meeting got underway, many different issues were discussed. On the agenda was a new policy for quality assurance work in higher education, as well as a statement paper on “Active citizenship education”, i.e. less formal education with a focus on strengthening civic participation. During the BM, the board also adopted a statement on Blended Intensive Programmes (BIPS). The board also supported resolutions for, among other things, strengthened protection of the rights of LGBTQI+ students, resolutions on the underfunding of higher education across Europe, and students’ rights to have visa issues not prevent them from completing their education. All policy documents, positions and resolutions will be published on the ESU website in the near future. Finally, the meeting also adopted a new four-year economic strategy for 2026-2029, and notes that there are some glimmers of hope despite the economic situation on the continent!
As part of the ongoing work, member organizations undergo regular evaluations to ensure that they meet the requirements of democracy and genuine representation. This BM was also special in several ways. A recurring item on ESU's agenda is the reassessment of its members. SFS did this itself a year ago. At this BM, our Ukrainian colleagues from UAS, among others, were allowed to stand in front of the board and talk about their organization. Since Russia's war, higher education in Ukraine has been forced to undergo enormous changes. Universities have been subject to drone attacks, some have been completely destroyed. Ukrainian students have seen bomb shelters become classrooms, if they have not been among the students who have sought shelter around Europe. However, the commitment of our Ukrainian colleagues to ensuring the right to education while exemplifying what resilience looks like, but also sacrifice, was clear. It was with great naturalness that SFS with all our student colleagues held a minute of silence for all those who did not make it. Because even as our Ukrainian colleagues continue to fight and maintain democratic structures, there are those students who do not return to the classroom the next day.
We leave this BM with several new insights. The right to study and the right to safety and security can disappear overnight. Our Ukrainian colleagues are holding on, persevering and inspiring. For our sake, we hope that they will also triumph in the near future. Until then, we hope for continued strong solidarity from Sweden and the European community because we students are united, we stand behind UAS, Ukraine's students and Ukraine's right to peace, freedom and democracy. It was a clear reminder of how important the work of the student movement is regarding not only the quality of education, but for basic democracy and social representation.
Despite the long meeting days, there was also some time to explore the city. The host organization ÖH ensured that the meeting participants had the opportunity to go on guided tours around Vienna, focusing on the city's long and rich history from both a general historical and LGBTQ+ perspective. The tours showed, among other things, the Habsburg family tombs, St. Stephen's Cathedral and showed places such as old LGBTQ clubs and houses in which prominent queer people lived. The local student union at the Technische Universität Wien also held tours of their premises, and showed how an Austrian student union can be run. It was very interesting and educational!
We thank ESU and the co-organizers Österreichische Hochschülerinnenschaft for a well-organized BM, as well as our sister organizations around Europe for fruitful conversations and discussions! We now look forward to spring activities, and look forward to meeting again!