impact of the crisis on higher education: student demand

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..?

Thank you!

More information www.esu-online.org or bert@esu-online.org