Student participation in Higher Education Governance 8 9 December - - PDF document

Student participation in Higher Education Governance

8 – 9 December 2011, Aghveran, Armenia

Bologna seminar

• Co-organized by the Ministry of Education and

Science of Armenia, the European Students’ Union and the Council of Europe

• Approximately 75 participants from Armenia

and 24 international participants

Development of student participation – setting the scene

• Prague communiqué 2001 “students are full

members of the academic community”

• Bologna seminar in Oslo 2003
• Overview of the development through policy

frameworks of the Bologna Process, the Council of Europe and the European Students’ Union – the Background Document

• Continuous process – there is no option “task

done” for student participation

Development of student participation – setting the scene

• “Defined as students’ formal and actual ability

to influence decisions made in the context of a higher education institution or public authority.” by Manja Klemencic

• Fundamental elements: degrees of intensity;

domains; multilevel nature

• Formal participation versus genuine

participation

Students as learners

• Student participation in quality assurance of

higher education – internal, external, QA agencies, accreditation councils – profession/field accreditation

• Student centered learning, a more rewarding

process for all – paradigm shift: student participation starts in the classroom

Students as members of the academic community

• National policies on student participation in

institutional governance

• Legislative frameworks and their

implementation – guarantee of participation

• The dangers of the perception of students as

consumers

• Agenda setting, voting and implementation of

all issues concerning academic community

Students as citizens

• Student participation enhances active

citizenship

• Student participation is an indicator of

democracy and the culture of dialogue

• Students can act as agents of development,

solidarity and cooperation

• Critical thinking and promotion of diversity –

time, place and need to think

What can students do?

• Student rights charter 2008
• ESU Budapest declaration: access to

information, consultation, dialogue and decision making

• QUEST project – training and expertise

What can students do?

• Representativeness and continuity of student

representatives

• Informing students about participation, its

models and values

• Encourage diversity within organizations and

dialogue among their members

What can other stakeholders do?

• Formal involvement does not guarantee

actual participation

• Long term institutional support and resources

(providing means) – the encouraging environment

• Political will – follow the changes in

institutional governance

What can other stakeholders do?

• Transparent governance (and) procedures
• Encourage common ownership and shared

responsibilities towards a real partnership culture

• Make visible the results of student

participation and assure the freedom of expression

THANK YOU!