This blog post is written by the SFS international committee, Committee: Moa Johansson, Linn Svärd, Henrietta Berner and Ismail Bazine.
During this week, SFS's international committee, Komit, has participated in European Students' Union (ESU) Board Meeting 81, BM81. ESU brings together the European student unions and at the meeting we were welcomed Meginfelag Føroyskra Student (MFS), which is the SFS equivalent for the Faroese students. A happy day and a warm welcome to MFS after several years of work.
Meginfelag Føroyskra Studenta
MFS was founded in 1962 with the primary aim of gathering the students' voice within an organization. The goals since 1964 indicate a strong will to combat all types of inequality. In addition, MFS aimed to work for a Faroese university and that access to education should be equal for all. Also to establish strong international connections, of which entry into ESU is a part. Some of these goals have been fulfilled, for example the establishment of the University of the Faroe Islands which was founded in 1965, but the work on a university for all is ongoing.
Quality of Higher Education
The work of the ESU is based on position papers adopted by its members. At this meeting, the position paper on Quality in Higher Education was revised. Quality assurance and quality work can take place at several levels, but what is common to the European, national and local levels is that the structure and systematic aspect characterize quality work.
ESU believes that the quality of higher education should be one of the highest priorities in the debates within the European higher education society, as well as it should be accessible and enhanced at the institutional and program level to ensure the best possible conditions for the entrance and completion of higher education.
For SFS, quality in higher education is a priority issue and has been since the organization's founding. The same applies to ESU. At this meeting, the role and opinions of students were strengthened. In addition, opinion documents were supplemented with additional aspects, this because quality in higher education is affected by, or can affect, other aspects of studies.
Discrimination against Neurodivergent Students
New for this BM was an opinion program for ESU's stance on discrimination against disabled students. The program aims to raise awareness about the difficulties students with disabilities face in higher education and to create a starting point for counteracting these difficulties. The development of the program is in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which has been ratified by most member states within the EHEA, including Sweden, in 2009.
SFS is positive about the adoption of a position against discrimination against students with disabilities and participated in the revision for a fruitful and precise opinion program. In accordance with the current operational plan (2021/22), it can be mentioned that SFS at the national level works for the further development of pedagogical support measures with the aim of increasing real access to higher education in Sweden.
Strategic Priorities 2022 – 2024
SFS and 44 other counterparts in 40 European countries come together within SFS. The mission is to represent and convey the students' opinions on issues that affect students. These can affect the conditions for pursuing studies for students, so-called social, economic and cultural, but also the conditions for pursuing higher education in terms of how higher education is financed and made accessible to more people. Through ESU, SFS puts forward its opinions at the European level and ESU works towards, among other things, the European Union, the Council of Europe, the Bologna Follow Up Group and UNESCO.
For a powerful advocacy work with the possibility of change, ESU members specify priority issues to pursue externally as well as to develop the organization. Priority issues for SFS nationally and internationally include high-quality education, prioritizing students' mental health and work environment, and academic freedom, which are also found in ESU's priorities. Agreeing on this document was difficult and the discussions show the differences in national concerns. For SFS, it is important to also act as a resource and role model for other countries in higher education policy issues.
The meeting decided, among other things, that ESU should
- Focus their work on the continued implementation of the Bologna Process, the European Higher Education Area, the European Education Area and the European Universities, the Erasmus+, the European Research Area, Next Generation EU and the green and digital transition.
- Support member organizations in their work with broadened participation and broadened recruitment, part of which is about ensuring that technical and administrative staff have the right skills and tools to meet students for better inclusion.
- Contribute to the development of quality-assured alternative educational pathways for students from diverse backgrounds, such as marginalized groups and minorities. These should have equal access to, opportunities to participate in, and success in their education.
- Mapping the main causes of the phenomenon brain drain (so-called brain drain) and increase awareness about the conditions for dealing with this.
- Work for diversity and equal status of higher education institutions within the Alliance of European Universities.
Comet,
Henrietta, Moa, Ismail and Linn