European Students' Union
ESU
The European Students' Union represents 20 million students across 40 European countries on higher education policy and student interests.
Focus Areas
2023-2025
2018-2022
2014-2017
ID: 947001511571-77
Lobbying Activity
Meeting with Bogdan Andrzej Zdrojewski (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur) and Deutsche Industrie- und Handelskammer and
28 Jan 2026 · Stakeholder dialogue on establishing the Erasmus+ programme for the period 2028-2034
21 Nov 2025
The European Students Union (ESU), representing 20 million students across Europe, welcomes the Commissions recognition of cross-border learning and civic engagement as essential European public goods. However, ESU remains deeply concerned that the proposed structure and budget of the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) fall short of meeting the Unions ambitions for education, youth and solidarity. ESU reiterates its strong reservations regarding the merger of Erasmus+ with the European Solidarity Corps. While the Commission presents the combined budget as a 50% increase, this narrative is misleading. When inflation, programme expansion and the inclusion of ESC are considered, the real increase is far more modest. The merger risks diminishing the visibility and political priority of both programmes and downplaying the essential role of volunteering, which deserves a dedicated and clearly defined strand. ESU reaffirms its long-standing position of a five-fold increase of the Erasmus+ budget to meet all objectives of the program and allow for new initiatives. ESU is concerned by the removal of earmarked funding for the different sectors of youth, education and sports, as well as between education systems (primary and secondary education, VET, higher education, adult education and lifelong learning). The proposal, being presented as a way to ensure more flexibility, also presents a risk of unpredictability for organisations that depend on Erasmus+ funding for their activities. ESU highlights the essential role of student-led and civil society organisations. The unclear future of operating grants and reduced stakeholder involvement risk weakening their contribution. Clear support and guaranteed participation in programme governance must be ensured. The proposals introduction of scholarships for strategic fields remains highly vague, offering no clarity on how these fields will be defined, selected or governed. Additionally, ESU is concerned that allocating resources to these scholarships could come at the expense of core Erasmus+ mobility funding, ultimately reducing both the number and inclusiveness of mobility opportunities. In parallel, ESU regrets that the new proposal does not address the long-standing issues with the current mobility grant system. Scholarships remain insufficient and poorly aligned with the real costs of living, continuing to act as a barrier to participation and limiting access to mobility. ESU welcomes the inclusion of a separate objective on active citizenship. With the rise of hate speech and democratic backsliding across Europe, higher education institutions must provide safe spaces where students can both learn about citizenship and actively practice it. These environments should support students in developing their civic engagement and responsibility in a safe and confident manner. At the same time, ESU is concerned about the growing focus on labour market priorities compared to the current programme period. While higher education supports students in entering the workforce, this should not be its primary purpose, nor should it be narrowly centred on STEM fields. Erasmus+ must maintain a holistic approach that supports students overall development rather than prioritising labour market interests above educational and civic objectives.
Read full response18 Nov 2025
The European Students Union (ESU), representing 20 million students across Europe, welcomes the Commissions recognition of cross-border learning and civic engagement as essential European public goods. However, ESU remains deeply concerned that the proposed structure and budget of the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) fall short of meeting the Unions ambitions for education, youth and solidarity. ESU reiterates its strong reservations regarding the merger of Erasmus+ with the European Solidarity Corps. While the Commission presents the combined budget as a 50% increase, this narrative is misleading. When inflation, programme expansion and the inclusion of ESC are considered, the real increase is far more modest. The merger risks diminishing the visibility and political priority of both programmes and downplaying the essential role of volunteering, which deserves a dedicated and clearly defined strand. ESU reaffirms its long-standing position of a five-fold increase of the Erasmus+ budget to meet all objectives of the program and allow for new initiatives. ESU is concerned by the removal of earmarked funding for the different sectors of youth, education and sports, as well as between education systems (primary and secondary education, VET, higher education, adult education and lifelong learning). The proposal, being presented as a way to ensure more flexibility, also presents a risk of unpredictability for organisations that depend on Erasmus+ funding for their activities. ESU highlights the essential role of student-led and civil society organisations. The unclear future of operating grants and reduced stakeholder involvement risk weakening their contribution. Clear support and guaranteed participation in programme governance must be ensured. The proposals introduction of scholarships for strategic fields remains highly vague, offering no clarity on how these fields will be defined, selected or governed. Additionally, ESU is concerned that allocating resources to these scholarships could come at the expense of core Erasmus+ mobility funding, ultimately reducing both the number and inclusiveness of mobility opportunities. In parallel, ESU regrets that the new proposal does not address the long-standing issues with the current mobility grant system. Scholarships remain insufficient and poorly aligned with the real costs of living, continuing to act as a barrier to participation and limiting access to mobility. ESU welcomes the inclusion of a separate objective on active citizenship. With the rise of hate speech and democratic backsliding across Europe, higher education institutions must provide safe spaces where students can both learn about citizenship and actively practice it. These environments should support students in developing their civic engagement and responsibility in a safe and confident manner. At the same time, ESU is concerned about the growing focus on labour market priorities compared to the current programme period. While higher education supports students in entering the workforce, this should not be its primary purpose, nor should it be narrowly centred on STEM fields. Erasmus+ must maintain a holistic approach that supports students overall development rather than prioritising labour market interests above educational and civic objectives.
Read full responseMeeting with Gabriela Firea (Member of the European Parliament) and Merck
13 Nov 2025 · Shaping Europe Together:Youth Priorities for 2025-2029
Meeting with Gabriela Firea (Member of the European Parliament) and Merck
27 Oct 2025 · Preparation of Shaping Europe Together:Youth Priorities for 2025-2029
European Students’ Union demands inclusion in EU Anti-Poverty Strategy
24 Oct 2025
Message — The ESU calls for integrating student poverty indicators and expanding social protection to all students. They demand that financial aid matches real living costs and increased investment in affordable housing.123
Why — These measures would allow students from low-income backgrounds to complete their higher education degrees.45
Impact — Students from lower-income backgrounds remain at risk of dropping out and social exclusion.6
Meeting with Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)
30 Sept 2025 · Student Accomodation/Housing
European Students Union Urges Explicit Rights and Support
10 Sept 2025
Message — They want students recognized as a distinct group of rights-holders. The plan should secure funding for affordable housing and mental healthcare. Student representatives must be involved in policy design and monitoring.12
Impact — Governments lose the ability to implement budget cuts for small fiscal gains.5
Response to Mid-term review of the Charter strategy
7 Jul 2025
Academic freedom has been in decline across Europe for several years, underscoring the urgent need for stronger legal protections. While it is encouraging that the CFR explicitly recognizes academic freedom as a right, the CJEU has historically addressed cases involving academia primarily through the lens of other CFR rights, with Article 13 often relegated to a subsidiary role. Notably, it was only in a more recent case concerning Hungary that Article 13 served as the central basis for legal argumentation, suggesting that the current framework for safeguarding academic freedom may be insufficient. The phrase shall be respected lacks imperative force; replacing shall with must would more effectively convey a binding governmental obligation to uphold and protect academic freedom. More importantly, academic freedom must be clearly defined, with all three core characteristics of academic freedom mentioned: (1) Freedom of Teaching, (2) Freedom of Research/Scientific Inquiry, (3) Freedom of Learning - aligning with the academic discourse on academic freedom. The article should further explicitly state who right holders are, encompassing students, researchers, academic staff, administrative staff where relevant, and unaffiliated scholars. Only a few countries within the European Higher Education Area explicitly protect academic freedom through law. Georgia, Greece, and Spain are the only systems for which it was reported that the constitution explicitly mentions academic freedom, using that set terminology., De jure, Georgia currently has the most comprehensive approach, regulating in article 2 of their law on education academic freedom - the right of academic personnel, scientific personnel, and students to independently carry out teaching activities, scientific work and study. In contrast most countries only partially protect what is deemed to be elements of academic freedom, most commonly only the freedom of science, the arts and/or teaching being constitutionally protected. This gives certain members of the academic community (i.e. professors/academic staff) stronger legal protection of their academic freedom than others, as they are explicitly mentioned in the law. The absence of robust national-level regulations, coupled with a legal hierarchy that prioritises the protection of research, science, arts and/or teaching freedoms while leaving the freedom to learn comparatively unprotected, results in judicial interpretations - both at national levels and by the CJEU as it has to interpret the CFR in the context on member states laws - that disproportionately disadvantage students and depending on the legal markup also other holders of academic freedom rights. In terms of Article 14, the right to education is a fundamental principle reflected in most if not all democratic constitutions. However, the current focus on free compulsory education should expand and explicitly include access to higher education due to the rise in tuition fees across Europe making it harder for students to access and advance their tertiary education. Further it is to be emphasised that Art. 15 (freedom to choose an occupation and right to engage in work) is closely linked to the access to higher education, as most high(er) skills occupations require higher education diplomas and therefore Art. 14 should explicitly regulate the right to free higher education as otherwise individuals are hindered in exercising their rights according to Art. 15 if they cannot access higher education to obtain relevant qualifications (which is in particular relevant for regulated professions). Finally, the values embedded in these articles must be protected and updated in a way that reflects the realities of modern academic and educational systems.
Read full responseResponse to European Affordable Housing Plan
4 Jun 2025
In order to address the lack of appropriate and reasonably priced housing that negatively impacts students and exacerbates socioeconomic inequality, a concerted response at the EU level is required. Frequently, the biggest expense on the student budget is housing. This is made worse by the overall housing crisis, where a lack of supply drives up prices and prevents many students from affording decent housing. Affordable options are becoming more limited as a result of the growth of luxury student housing, which has created economic barriers. Vulnerable students encounter additional difficulties, and because they lack market knowledge, international students are especially vulnerable to fraud and exploitation. Results from an ESU and ESN survey validate pervasive problems, such as fraudulent schemes and unauthorised deposits, finding that a quarter of respondents experienced scams. Moreover, Student poverty has increased due to broader economic pressures, such as inflation and energy price spikes, which force them to choose between their education and basic necessities. The European Affordable Housing Plan provides a crucial opportunity to address the specific challenges faced by students. The initiative should aim to make it easier for those most in need, including young people and students, to access affordable, decent, and quality housing, supporting social fairness and inclusion. ESU calls for specific actions within the framework of the European Affordable Housing Plan. These primarily include addressing student housing specifically within the Action Plan, and expanding quality and affordable public student housing across Europe, particularly where it is less common, with financial support from EU Structural Funds. Member states should be encouraged to implement rent regulations and rent framing policies, especially in university cities, to prevent price increases and pursue affordability. Housing benefits and assistance programmes targeted at students should be introduced or increased, and proper grant support systems that allow students to sustain and safely house themselves should be uplifted. Ensuring universal design and physical accessibility when building new accommodation is crucial. Housing must fulfil the needs of all students, including those with disabilities, potentially through quotas of accessible accommodations. Students should not be left without solutions between academic years or during unforeseen circumstances like the COVID-19 pandemic, therefore, housing continuity should be pursued. A legal framework to balance power relations between students and owners, ensuring tenant safety and strengthening protections against illegal retention of deposits, should be established. This should include special protections for prospective students facing discrimination based on factors like racism, xenophobia, ableism, and queerphobia. Joint agreements between tenants' and landlords' organisations can help mitigate damages. Dedicated rental support helpdesks within Higher Education Institutions or local authorities to provide professional guidance on rental agreements should be offered. Special attention should be given to short-term and recurrent temporary housing needs for mobile students and those travelling between campuses. Erasmus+ grants should be adjusted to balance the rising costs of living for mobile students, and components to increase attention to student housing at the national level included within the Monitoring Framework of the Erasmus Charter for Higher Education. Ensuring meaningful student involvement and inclusion in decision-making for the design of student housing, related infrastructure, and policy-making in this field is crucial at all levels. Effective monitoring is critical to assess the impact and success of the European Affordable Housing Plan, including measures related to student housing. This mechanism should include students in the monitoring process.
Read full responseEuropean Students’ Union Demands Student-Centered Governance for Educational AI
4 Jun 2025
Message — ESU demands higher education be recognized as a sensitive domain requiring student-centered governance. They advocate for public AI tools to prevent outsourcing educational processes to private platforms. Furthermore, they demand human oversight and democratic control across all academic decision-making.123
Why — Publicly funded tools and strict oversight would protect students' rights and reduce financial barriers.45
Meeting with Karlo Ressler (Member of the European Parliament)
4 Apr 2025 · Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF)
Response to Attractive and sustainable careers in higher education
6 Feb 2024
Please find the full ESU position, including our recommendations in attachment. In recent decades, career pathways within higher education across many EU countries have witnessed a concerning decline marked by increasing precarity and diminishing staff rights. This trend aligns with the underfunding of the sector and the application of new public management principles. Concurrently, the lack of structural support and opportunities for personal development exacerbates the unattractiveness of pursuing academic careers. A council recommendation should thus address all of these issues in an holistic approach to increase the attractiveness of the academic career. One of the most significant challenges undermining the appeal of academic careers is the prevalence of precarious working conditions. Widespread adoption of excessive fixed-term and consecutive short-term employment contracts has rendered academic career pathways unpredictable. All the facets of the problem of the attractability and sustainability of the academic staff in relation to working conditions impacts the capacity of academic staff to dedicate themselves to teaching duties, and thus stifles the enhancement of the quality of education. Despite employment procedures being usually covered by general regulations, nepotism and favouritism are common in the higher education sphere across all higher education systems, as it is for example not uncommon that job postings are designed in ways to fit specific candidates. This is not only discriminatory in itself, but also impacts the diversity of the staff. Across many countries, the representation of women, non-binary individuals, and other marginalised groups decreases at higher academic positions, posing challenges for equity and diversity. Persons that have care-giving responsibilities for others as well as persons with disabilities or chronic illnesses, including those that have disadvantages resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, struggle to combine their academic career with their private life In many academic systems, the evaluation of academic staff primarily revolves around their research achievements, where the quantity of publications and, especially in Western-Europe also the ability to secure third-party funds hold significant sway in recruitment and ongoing performance assessments. Unfortunately, this focus tends to overshadow the crucial role of pedagogical skills necessary for effective teaching. ESU believes that the value of teaching, pedagogical skills and the evaluation of the quality of teaching in the selection, appraisal and academic progression of staff in higher education should regain its status and be put on equal footing with research. Students should be a key stakeholder in assessing the teaching quality and their view should adequately count in these assessments, alongside other measurements. While there is a need to ensure that academic staff understand and are able to apply scientific methods, most higher education systems fail to harness the potential of recruiting academic staff that has gained these skills through other pathways then undergoing the standard pathway of obtaining a doctoral degree. Additionally, the stiffness of the current system fails to adapt to an ever-evolving world in which individuals tend to switch between professions multiple times during their lifetime. ESU believes that initial and continuous professional development of staff in teaching is both a right and an obligation of academic staff. Compared to other professions, in many countries there is no obligation of staff to continue professional development, which runs counter to the changing landscape of teaching practices and impedes the chain of innovation in learning and teaching approaches. Professional development should be supported by national authorities and higher education institutions through accessible opportunities for staff, as well as giving adequate time to pursue professional development.
Read full responseResponse to European Quality Assurance and Recognition System
6 Feb 2024
Please find ESU's full position attached. ESU believes that the underlying principles which stood behind the 2006 Council Recommendation are equally applicable in present times and should remain the basis of the upcoming Council Recommendation, which must reiterate and call upon the member states the imperative to design national quality assurance legislation which is fully compliant with and enables the adequate implementation of the ESGs. We also suggest that the Recommendation should highlight the importance of maintaining quality assurance processes up-to-date and fit-for-purpose in conjecture with evolving challenges, trends and initiatives, such as defending academic integrity and fostering inclusion, maintaining the quality of education for new and innovative types of provision and furthering the integration of green and digital skills, as well as soft and transversal skills. The added value of EU intervention in this broad context would be in supporting the EHEA framework, including the ecosystem around ESGs, through analysis, peer support, opportunities for cooperation or funding, without any parallel systems. ESU is against the notion that all member states should invariably move towards exclusively institutional accreditation, treating a specific problem with a general, one-size-fits-all solution. The novel area to be covered by the upcoming Council Recommendation is on the quality assurance of European University Alliances. ESU believes that Alliances should be both internally and externally quality assured. Alliances should be supported to create meaningful criteria, QA units at alliance level that go beyond a gathering of QA units or project officers at university level and ensure meaningful student participation in the creation and implementation of QA policies at joint programme and alliance level. ESU highlights that the Alliance-level QA system could neither replace, nor be an extension of the institutional QA managements and systems at higher education institution level. For setting up the process of the external QA for Alliances, a starting point could be the framework piloted within the EuniQ project. ESU proposes that the Council Recommendation includes building blocks or the contours of the content of the external QA system, including elements related to strategic planning, governance, procedures related to joint activities, including joint programmes, stakeholder participation. One consequence of undergoing an external QA procedure of an Alliance should be giving the right to waive the evaluation of joint programmes. This would further incentive external QA for Alliances where at least one member state of a member HEI has a requirement for programme-level evaluation. Clear guidelines need to be in place to determine what falls under the scope of EQA of Alliance and the scope of national QA, and the definition of the joint education activities falling under the scope of the EQA should be narrow and concise. ESU supports the idea that this could be solved by shifting the procedure of automatic recognition from institutional to national level, without ignoring the root causes of this potential mistrust, such as insufficient communication or proper use of learning outcomes and qualifications frameworks or the guarantees that the ESGs are uniformly applied as a minimum set of criteria across EHEA. One way to increase the communication is through strengthening the visibility of DEQAR. The Council Recommendation should reinforce these solutions and call for the need of increased support for training and cooperation between stakeholders, including between different silos, such as quality assurance and recognition. It should also emphasise the role of data collection and monitoring, in order to create evidence-based policies.
Read full responseResponse to Joint European degree
6 Feb 2024
Please find the full position paper, together with proposals for the criteria attached. ESU welcomes the public consultation on the establishment of a European degree (label). The European degree (label) could serve as a meaningful tool to support the creation of joint degrees and incentivise the removal of unjustified barriers for international cooperation, thus enhancing the quality of education. ESU considers that the most important work to be undertaken is the full, swift and comprehensive implementation of Bologna tools. This should be done by closing the implementation gap and completing the arch of reforms within the Bologna Process. ESU believes that the creation of the European University Alliances has offered a long-awaited boost in the internationalisation of higher education in Europe. What matters for students is that their joint degree incorporates and combines good practices from various higher education institutions, offers unique international opportunities and includes up-to-date curriculum which fulfils their personal aspirations, their needs for professional development and can offer added value on the European labour market. Students expect that such programmes are automatically recognised, offer flexible learning opportunities and pathways, are inclusive and student-centred and create true inter-university campuses. ESU believes that the main rationale of a European degree label should stand as a proof of successful compliance with Bologna tools and commitments and international cooperation, thus also enhancing the quality of education provision and further promoting mobility and its benefits. The European Degree (label) should in no way create a two-speed Europe, where national programmes or joint programmes without the denomination of European degree label are considered of lesser quality. All study programmes in Europe are European by the compliance with Bologna tools and should abide by the same quality assurance standards, stemming from the ESGs, and the creation of a European degree label cannot be seen as a ranking exercise which leads to a perceived mark of excellence of the European degree label. Considering the proposed criteria, the European degree (label) does not imply, through its only deployment, that the joint degrees receiving such designation will be by default innovative, offer novel approaches or would adequately implement cohesive, well-rounded study programmes, including well-defined mobility opportunities. Additional effort, as well as support for Alliances would be needed to actually make it a reality. The European degree (label) must be founded on the fundamental values of the European Higher Education Area and promote an upward convergence of student rights and conditions across the higher education systems. Its delivery should be available for all the Higher Education Institutions across the EHEA. ESU believes a decision towards establishing now fully-fledged European degrees would be premature. The label might eventually prove to be insufficient, turning into an additional paper without the desired impact, but the extent to which the label would not be sufficient to achieve the objectives of easing international cooperation could be determined after its proper piloting in practice and assessment. Without adequate guardrails, a European degree could risk creating de facto parallel higher education systems, in which even unintendedly national regulations meant to protect student rights could be waived for the purpose of supporting transnational cooperation. In this context, crucial attention should be paid to admission systems, student participation and financing the joint degree. We also propose concrete changes for the criteria proposed for the criteria proposed for the European degree (label). Alliances and other HEIs should be supported in implementing the tools, including through adequate guidance and funding.
Read full responseResponse to European Disability Card
13 Nov 2023
The European Students Union welcomes the proposal of a European Disability Card and thanks the European Commission for the opportunity to give feedback. We believe in equal access to higher education and that all students should be able to move freely and study their chosen subject anywhere in Europe. The card has the possibility to make life easier for students with disabilities and allow them to have a quality student experience anywhere in Europe.We hope that the European Disability card will be recognised by higher education institutions and places of study. This will make it easier for students to access support services and the accommodations they require for success in their studies. We support the European Disability Forums proposals and thank them for their work and analysis. We would like to draw attention to the points where the card can be strengthened. Students, in particular students with disabilities, have limited finances. The card should be free of charge to all that require it. The Disability Card clearly excludes any connection to social security, social assistance and other residence-based social benefits in cash or in kind, as this is regulated under Regulation 883/2004 on the coordination of social security systems. ESU, as with EDF, regrets that this opportunity was missed because the problem of moving to another Member State for work or study has not been solved. We would like to see this solved. Students with disabilities will still face a gap in the provision of vital services, such as personal assistance, adapted housing, provision of reasonable accommodation, assistive devices, etc., when moving permanently to another Member States for studies. While they immediately lose their right to social security related benefits in their home country, it takes months or sometimes years to have their disability recognised in the new country of residence.In the interim period, such as on Erasmus mobility, the persons concerned are left with no such assistance and must pay for these vital services out of their own pocket. We believe that the EU does have scope for action here, especially because Article 21(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU as a residual legal base, provides for the EU to adopt legislation to facilitate the right of EU citizens to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States. The Disability Card does not include provisions on the EU Mobility Programmes such as ERASMUS+. That means that students or interns moving abroad to study or do an internship will still lose their social security benefits from their country of residence and will not automatically get disability status in their host country. The card must ensure that the support they receive is portable. Erasmus is often proving a short mobility in another country and the disability card should be sufficient to receive support required for their studies. While the inclusion framework of Erasmus+, together with the top-up grants for supporting students from underrepresented categories is welcomed, they cannot fully cover the costs for students with disabilities. ESU hopes that this can be solved through the portability of services for students with disabilities through the Disability card, even more as the EHEA has set a target for student mobility of 20% and ensuring student mobility is accessible to all is a way of reaching these targets. It will also ensure that more students can enjoy the Erasmus experience.
Read full responseMeeting with Carlos Coelho (Member of the European Parliament)
9 Nov 2023 · European Elections 2024
Meeting with Elsi Katainen (Member of the European Parliament)
9 Nov 2023 · Current legislation outlook on culture and studying themes
Response to Communication on maximising the potential of talent mobility as part of the European Year of Skills
12 Oct 2023
The European Students' Union recognizes the need for improved harmonisation of measures and their implementation on European, national and local levels concerning the recognition of qualifications of third-country nationals. This issue mainly concerns a lack in implementation of long agreed upon mechanisms. For example, currently only 55% of respondents of the Lisbon Recognition Convention Monitoring Report reported to have implemented the recognition of refugees qualifications. Timely, free, accessible and user-centred recognition of formal (partial) qualifications, as well as prior nonformal and informal learning, for third-country nationals is pivotal while maintaining a steadfast commitment to preserving the high quality of skills required in various sectors. Particularly in the medical field, numerous countries present formidable barriers for third-country nationals seeking entry. Therefore, it is crucial to introduce specific measures aimed at promoting the recognition of qualifications and providing support through learning programs to bridge gaps in missing qualifications. While the Lisbon Recognition Convention doesnt formally apply to qualifications issued outside state parties, it is welcoming to acknowledge that in many cases ENIC-NARICs apply the LRC principles nevertheless and smoothen processes through databases or lists of comparability. However, essential barriers persist in terms of accessibility, especially related to guidance and information sharing in several languages (beyond the national language of the receiving country), as well as assistance for undergoing recognition procedures and appeals. As such, ESU stresses out and calls for: 1. Enhanced support and financing from European Union level of ENIC-NARIC centres in order to be able to fully implement the principles of the Lisbon Recognition Convention for third-country nationals, as well as to smoothen recognition procedures through digitalisation, which could support automatisation processes, entail creation of databases, as well as speed and increase the accuracy of authenticity (antifraud) checks, including through AI. 2. A bold political commitment from EU to support the ratification and implementation of the Global Recognition Convention by EU member states and beyond, including the ratification of GRC as part of EU global initiatives 3. Further support, including through funding, the rollout of the European Qualifications Passport for Refugees 4. Create fora and ecosystems for peer-learning and information sharing that increases trust and cooperation between stakeholders within and beyond Europe, including ENIC-NARICs, student unions, HEI networks, quality assurance agencies. 5. Agree on a principle of one-stop for recognition of qualifications for general access to the labour market (notwithstanding national conditions for work permit rights) where a qualification recognised in one country is recognised in all EU member states. 6. Increase cooperation between the European Qualifications Framework Advisory Group and third countries in order to foster trust, knowledge-sharing and design flexible recognition processes However, it is important to consider that the swift integration into the labour market is not dependent exclusively on recognition, as the recognition of qualifications must be accompanied with access to support services such as insurance, housing, academic guidance, and financial assistance. These measures are essential to enable a smooth transition into European societies and to fully harness the talents of third-country individuals. It is imperative that such measures are extended to benefit all refugees and international students. We must address the challenges faced by refugee students, learning from successful practices regarding Ukraine where bureaucratic hurdles were reduced, including easened visa acquisition.
Read full responseResponse to Legislative package on the Economic Governance Review
25 Jul 2023
The European Students Union (ESU) welcomes the developments put forward by the Commission in the Economic Governance Review, while calling for more concrete actions to meet the challenges of the moment. ESU supports the analysis and policy positions formulated by the Lifelong Learning Platform, of which ESU is a member. ESU calls for more flexibility in the rules addressing the deficit, including a golden rule regarding education spending. As a general remark, we consider the outline of the framework still very much based on the austerity part, despite relevant progress in ensuring that the framework is more adaptable to the social context. Clear evidence stemming from previous economic crises shows that education spending is one of the first categories which is affected by budget cuts. At the same time it cannot be emphasised enough that education plays a crucial role in the promotion of fundamental values and democratic citizenship as well as in innovative knowledge creation, being the basis of any knowledge based society. In this sense, the EU should create a social taxonomy which includes education spending, with a special fiscal treatment of such spending, through not counting in the education spending in the calculation of deficit for macroeconomic imbalance procedures. Furthermore, ESU strongly calls for the development of a long-term macroeconomic EU investment tool, similar to the Recovery and Resilience Facility, taking into account the lessons learned of the pitfalls of the Facility, especially in terms of stakeholder involvement. The reforms element of the facility should have strong stakeholder support, in order not to repeat examples from RRF where member states used the facility as a means to promote unpopular reforms, with the potential threat of losing EU funds for the whole National Plan. This is not only detrimental to public policies, but also to the trust in the EU. We are disappointed by the weak developments in terms of enforcing the role of the European Semester. ESU believes that (higher) education should be a distinctive category in the European Semester, as such boosting the creation of a European Education Area. This would also turn the policy closer to practice, as several recommendations are linked to education, but through the lens of employment policy. Full-fledged policy coordination and support, including the links to investment tools, would benefit a lot from a stronger role of education in the European Semester. The Commissions communication mentions that Relevant stakeholders, in particular the social partners, shall be involved within the framework of the European Semester, on the main policy issues where appropriate, in accordance with the provisions of the TFEU and national legal and political arrangements. ESU believes that stakeholders should be involved at all levels and in all policy issues. There are no policy issues where the participation of stakeholders is not appropriate. As such, the European stakeholders should be involved in the EU-level analysis of policies, in formulating EU positions and in the criteria to be tackled through country-specific recommendations (CSRs), while the role of the national stakeholders should be more overarching, including information gathering for the formulation and monitoring of the country-specific recommendations (CSRs). The Commission should create stronger mechanisms for the national stakeholder to feed into this, and the policy toolbox at European level should also request more participation of stakeholders in the national implementation of the CSRs. In this regard, the Commission could replicate already existing practices, such as the Commission Delegated Act on the European code of conduct on partnership in the framework of the European Structural and Investment Funds. In this regard, the Commission could elaborate a binding framework for stakeholder participation, both in European Semester and in RRF, through a delegated act.
Read full responseMeeting with Domènec Ruiz Devesa (Member of the European Parliament)
10 Jun 2023 · Be a MEP for one day (European Youth Event)
Meeting with Salima Yenbou (Member of the European Parliament) and The Institute for a Greater Europe
9 Jun 2023 · EYE 2023 Workshop
Response to Boosting European learning mobility for all
3 May 2023
The purpose of learning mobility should be the improvement of education quality by increasing international outlook and circulating knowledge, as well as building intercultural understanding, independence, and transversal skills in students. However, student access to learning mobility is still hindered by insufficient funding, language barrier, bureaucratic obstacles, lack of transparency and issues with recognition of the credits received abroad. In the rapidly advancing world, it is important to ensure that learning mobility is able to adjust to the needs of the students and society by becoming more sustainable, providing more flexible pathways and ensuring access to learning mobility programs to every student regardless of their background, making learning mobility a reality for all.
Read full responseMeeting with Mariya Gabriel (Commissioner)
28 Mar 2023 · Education and training
Meeting with Petra Kammerevert (Member of the European Parliament)
21 Mar 2023 · Situation von Studierenden in Europa - Initiativen auf EU Ebene
Response to Key performance indicators for the Digital Decade policy programme 2030
13 Mar 2023
In regards to the Commission Implementing Decision on setting out key performance indicators to measure the progress towards the digital targets established by Article 4(1) of Decision (EU) 2022/2481 of the European Parliament and of the Council, the European Students' Union would like to mention that: 1. Despite target 1, (1), (b) from Article 4 includes the objective of increasing the number of ICT graduates, there is no key performance indicator (KPI) defined for this target. There could be several ways to develop KPIs for achieving this target, apart from the straightforward quantitative number of ICT graduates, such as a) funding of ICT study programmes, b) dropout for students in ICT or c) gender convergence for women participation in ICT study programmes (falling within STEM). 2. We believe the target of 80% of those aged 16-74 having at least basic skills should look more into underlying issues and dive deeper into the role of (higher) education systems. The Decision itself mentions that there should be a focus on education to ensure that the education community, in particular teachers, is adequately trained, skilled and equipped to use technology effectively in its teaching methods and is able to teach digital technologies to ensure that students are better equipped to enter the labour market in the short and longer term. As an initial remark, it is important to mention that currently digital skills are needed for broad society needs, not only the labour market. Secondly, there can be specific KPIs for this linked to HE systems, such as a) percentage of teachers having received initial/continuous training on digital skills, b) percentage of students who are able to access the digital environment (in the sense of possessing the tools/devices) etc. In this way a more accurate and panoramic view could be ensured towards the trends that support achieving the target, via more tailored KPIs that follow systems supporting the achievement of digital skills.
Read full responseEuropean Students’ Union urges education focus in EU foresight
13 Mar 2023
Topic — The consultation seeks input on strengthening EU sustainability and strategic autonomy by 2050.
Message — ESU urges the inclusion of higher education in the green and digital transition strategies. They advocate for increased funding and a European framework for lifelong learning. The union also demands a student-centered approach to digitalization and AI.123
Why — Students would receive better protection of rights and skills resistant to displacement by automation.45
European Students’ Union calls for dedicated student mental health strategy
15 Feb 2023
Message — ESU requests a distinctive strategy with dedicated funding and implementation structures. They advocate for accessible, free-of-charge mental health services and a Council recommendation for higher education.123
Impact — Member states would face higher public spending to fund free student services.6
Meeting with Thijs Reuten (Member of the European Parliament)
1 Feb 2023 · Third-country students fleeing Ukraine (assistant participated)
Meeting with Maria Luisa Cabral (Cabinet of President Ursula von der Leyen)
30 Jan 2023 · European Year of Skills
Response to European Disability Card
9 Jan 2023
The European Students Union represents around 20 million students through our member unions in 40 countries across the European Higher Education Area. We welcome the initiative of a European Disability Card. It will support equal access to a wide range of services for persons with disabilities across the European Union. The card has the potential to support the mutual recognition of disability status across Europe. The card should be based on binding EU legislation. It can facilitate travel for persons with disabilities within the EU and much more and not be limited to certain sectors. It can be used as a proof of disability, making it easier for students with disabilities to access support they need, without lengthy and repetitive documentation processes throughout their educational path. It should be voluntary, easy and free of charge for people to obtain. There should be campaigns to ensure that information about the card is widely publicised. The European Disability Card should be compatible with the European Student Card and this can simplify mobility for students. Integration of the two should be made possible to ensure that if students wish to, they can share their disability status with their higher education institutions to ensure a smoother transition and timely provision of services. When in another country students should have the same rights to support as a national student, as well as higher ERASMUS+ grants to cover their specific needs, if they are on ERASMUS mobility. This should include, but not limited to transportation, accessible housing and educational accommodations. Students should be able to access personal assistance wherever they are studying.
Read full responseResponse to European Year of Skills 2023
14 Dec 2022
The European Students Union (ESU) welcomes the proposal of the European Commission to designate 2023 as the European Year of Skills (EYS), looking forward to ensuring that the designation would not only increase momentum for the importance of skills and skills sets in a fast-changing society, but would also bring forward key developments in the sector, with a focus on the essential role of education and training. Based on the Proposal of the European Commission, ESU puts forward the suggestions mentioned in the attached document. I. On the consultation process Even though the public consultation of the Commission is planned to last until the 14th of December, the proposal was already sent to the European Parliament, where the deadline for amendments of the MEPs has passed. The fact that the decision-making process regarding the Decision to designate 2023 as the European Year of Skills, its objectives and overarching framework is already in an advanced stage before the closing of the consultation process raises concerns on the effectiveness and relevance of the public consultation of stakeholders. Ensuring that the consultation is not organised in a tokenistic manner is a precondition of building up the trust and full engagement of stakeholders and ESU believes that irrespective of the current stage of the process, the opinions of the stakeholders must be seriously taken into account. II. On the framework of implementing the European Year of Skills A lot of hope and expectations were put in the designation of 2022 as the European Year of Youth but, in ESUs opinion, the outcomes were far from matching the hype. ESU suggests, as lessons learned from the constructive feedback on the implementation of the European Year of Youth, that the European institutions do not follow the same mistakes. In our point of view, EYY lacked actions, consultations and a dedicated budget to enhance actions to put youth in the forefront. Moreover, the framing of the follow-up is still unclear and we are afraid that the EYY will have, in the end, little to no impact in terms of youth policy. Our hope is that the EYS will be more productive in terms of policy creation, consultations and financing of opportunities held by stakeholders involved in the topics of Skills. In a more general way, we ask for a dedicated budget for each European Year coming from EU and member states. In this context, ESU calls for: Organising broad consultations and putting the stakeholders, especially the learners and their representatives, in a co-designing role of the framework and activities of the European Year of Skills, both at European and national level. Using the European Year of Skills as a vehicle for increasing the outreach of the programmes focusing on skills development and regulation, both at European and national level. This should entail promoting the activities organised under the umbrella of the EYS, as well as the already existing programmes of the EU supporting skills. However, the EYS should also mean speeding up already existing processes or adopting new policies on skills that impact broad target groups. Earmarking additional funding to the policies and programmes focusing on skills. So far, no additional funding is foreseen for the EYS, which heavily limits the impact of the Year and shifts the range of possibilities to only already existing policies. Ensuring transparency and accountability by realising public National Action Plans on EYS, co-created with stakeholders, and periodically reporting on the results from European and national level. Looking into the outreach and legacy of the Year only after it is finished means there can be no adjustments that would lead the Year on a better path. For the reaction of ESU on the proposed objectives of the European Year of Skills, as well as the priorities proposed by ESU, please refer to the attached document.
Read full responseResponse to Mid-term evaluation of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (2020 – 2024)
6 Dec 2022
The European Students Union (ESU) was one of the first European non-governmental organisations that, at the outbreak of the pandemic and when the discussions about the economic and social recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic started, called for a shared investment tool at European level to support the Member States in creating and implementing policies that would boost the investment in and reforms of higher education. Please find attached ESU's contribution to the public consultation on the mid-term evaluation. The key remarks and recommendations from ESU are: - ESU believes RRF is here to stay and should be transformed from a one-time only, crisis-linked instrument to a structural instrument of the European Union. - ESU demands that stakeholder involvement obligations are treated as such, expressly mentioned and enforced with concrete outcomes. This approach could start by applying this standard when countries would initiate processes to modify the NRRPs. - ESU believes the engagement of stakeholders is crucial for the success of the initiatives and the European Union should foster a systematic, whole-approach engagement. - The RRF Regulation should demand the involvement of civil society organisations along the whole cycle implementation, monitoring, evaluation, review. The Commission should put in place and publicise processes that foster alternative evaluation and reporting from the civil society that should feed in the assessment done at EU level on the progress of implementing NRRPs and its achievements. - Special attention needs to be put in assessing whether the reforms and initiatives funded by the NRRPs and implemented, as well as their results fulfil a country specific recommendation. - ESU highlights the need to clarify at European level that the assessment of the Council stands on the objectives of the reforms as indicated in the Council Implementing Decision. - The national reforms funded by the RRF Facility should both support and not be able to go against policy objectives agreed by the EU, such in the European Education Area or within the Bologna Process. ESU believes a clear and transparent assessment check of the reforms against these sectoral policies should be in place. - ESU believes there is much room for improvement both in terms of promotion of the RRF, its objectives and funded actions, as well as engaging stakeholders at European level. In this regard, we suggest creating a European Stakeholders Forum on RRF, with periodic general and thematic debates and mainstreaming ongoing communication between institutions involved in RRF and civil society organisations. - Strengthening the role of European Semester Officers and their engagement with civil society - ESU believes that while ensuring needed flexibility, the introduction of RePowerEU should not be a context for reshuffling the plan and especially the reforms governments already committed to after consultation with stakeholders. - ESU believes a set of very clear criteria should be in place and expressly mentioned in the RRF Regulation, such as considering the new CSRs after the approval of the NRRP, the consultation with stakeholders, transparency regarding the rationales and expected impact of the change etc. - ESU believes the areas of the RRF, including education, should be strengthened in the European Semester as well, in this way the two processes reinforce each other.
Read full responseResponse to Interim evaluation of EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027
21 Oct 2022
European Students’ Union is the organisation representing 20 million students across Europe, consisting of 45 National Union of Students from 40 European countries. Students are a specific constituency of European youth, whereas almost a quarter of the European Union youth are students (approximately 18 million EU students in a total population of 73 million young people).
Whilst supporting European Youth Forum’s contribution to the review of the EU Youth strategy, ESU wants to highlight specific issues, mainly based on the impact and implementation of the EU Youth strategy to sectoral needs, interests and policies related to students.
Based on the holistic approach of the EU Youth Strategy, ESU considers that its provisions apply, in an adapted manner, to the processes and policies affecting students as young people. Furthermore, the evaluation of the strategy clearly aims to assess “the Strategy’s internal and external coherence, including with other EU-level policies and strategies with similar or complementary objectives”.
Therefore, ESU highlights that:
1. The Strategy should have more in-built mechanisms to ensure its flexibility based on emerging or unexpected developments
2. Despite youth participation in all policy areas is a ubiquitous mention in the Strategy, the implementation within even EU policy is limited
3. EU Youth strategy instruments should be enforced
4. More holistic approach and follow-up actions are needed to the agreed objectives through European action
Please find the full ESU contribution, detailing the above mentioned suggestions, in attach.
Read full responseResponse to Enabling factors for digital education
16 Sept 2022
The European Students’ Union (ESU) is supporting the initiatives of the European Commission to create synergies at European level and to set ambitious targets in order to unlock the full potential of digitalisation in higher education, with the key principles of accessibility and quality of digital education and use of digital tools in education in mind. However, it is important to take into consideration that many caveats and shortcomings can occur if some underlying issues are not addressed, including at European level.
Since providing digital skills for education and training and highlighting the factors for successful digital education are interconnected, ESU has prepared this common contribution to the European Commission’s calls for evidence on the Proposal for a Council Recommendation on improving the provision of digital skills in education and training, as well as for the proposal on Digital education – enabling factors for success. In this contribution, we will point out the main challenges that need to be addressed from students’ perspective, as well as proposal for new initiatives to be taken up by the European Commission on digitalisation. Please refer to the document attached.
Read full responseResponse to Improving the provision of digital skills in education and training
16 Sept 2022
The European Students’ Union (ESU) is supporting the initiatives of the European Commission to create synergies at European level and to set ambitious targets in order to unlock the full potential of digitalisation in higher education, with the key principles of accessibility and quality of digital education and use of digital tools in education in mind. However, it is important to take into consideration that many caveats and shortcomings can occur if some underlying issues are not addressed, including at European level.
Since providing digital skills for education and training and highlighting the factors for successful digital education are interconnected, ESU has prepared this common contribution to the European Commission’s calls for evidence on the Proposal for a Council Recommendation on improving the provision of digital skills in education and training, as well as for the proposal on Digital education – enabling factors for success. In this contribution, we will point out the main challenges that need to be addressed from students’ perspective, as well as proposal for new initiatives to be taken up by the European Commission on digitalisation. Please refer to the document attached.
Read full responseResponse to Brain drain communication
21 Jun 2022
We would like to refer you to the report written by European Students' Union's representatives, Martin Hammerbauer, Matteo Vespa and Pegi Pavletić, for a more comprehensive overview of youth migration. We like the questions seeking to be answered, but as mentioned in our report, there are temporary migrations and permanent migrations (temporary could be during mobility/studies). Additionally, there is migration from rural areas to the cities, which heavily impacts workforce and the economy of the smaller places, which is insufficiently addressed here. In Europe, an additional trend is moving from the East to West, causing Brain Drain in some countries, and Brain Gain in the other countries. Both of these effects are seen as negative as both contribute to the discrepancy between the skills of intellectuals needed in the labour market.
Read full responseMeeting with Themis Christophidou (Director-General Education, Youth, Sport and Culture)
16 Oct 2020 · Online meeting requested by ESU to discuss ways to support students through the new European Education Area communication
Response to Climate Law
6 Feb 2020
European Students’ Union embraces the idea of a binding climate law though the deadline should be 2040 not 2050. We take positive note of the intentions of climate proofing of investments and taking into account climate costs, strengthening incentives for developing climate-friendly and sustainable practices, products and technologies, as well as integration into the European Semester process. For strengthening the incentives for developing climate-friendly and sustainable practice, we urge the implementation of the following measures which are essential for achieving a swift transition:
Stopping fossil fuel subsidies. Currently, states are giving the fossil industry an unfair advantage over greener alternatives by giving subsidies, tax benefits or targeted support for increased exploitation of fossil resources. This slows down the green transition by making fossil fuels artificially cheap. Common definitions of what it means to give a subsidy or a competitive advantage to the fossil industry need to be in place and member states must commit to abolishing the subsidies. This could be followed up in the European Semester or another tracking mechanism. This is also necessary for SDG indicator 12.c.1.
Put a higher price on greenhouse gas emissions: Currently, the price on emissions is too low compared to the Social Cost of Carbon. The price needs to be increased drastically and all sectors included. To avoid causing leak of emissions to other regions, a carbon border tax is essential.
Including an international perspective in the climate law. The EU should track how our consumption influences emissions in other regions. Including the production of goods we import and the LULUCF factors related to our import of food and feed products. A goal for reducing these impacts should be set. These aspects should be included in trade agreements.
Modernise transport networks: Invest in and promote the local, national and transnational railway network so that they become a cheaper and equally efficient method of transport as the airplane. Furthermore, it is necessary to promote sustainable and free public transport for students.
Just transition
Countries and communities who do not have the capacity to transition need to be supported in achieving this goal. It is a just transition for all, not just those communities moving away from heavy industry, sustainability should not be a financial choice. Ensure that no one is left behind in this green transition, it needs to be equitable to all with a particular focus on the most vulnerable in society. The EU needs to work with its member states to understand where support is needed to ensure that funds are allocated appropriately and transparently. Invest in access to further education for people in employment, including financial support enabling them to invest time in studying. This is essential for a socially just transition since many workers will need upskilling to move from unsustainable industries to more sustainable jobs.
Invest in research and innovation and prioritize climate in Horizon. But do not rely on research to fix everything on time. Often the belief in the abilities of not yet invented future technology is used as an argument against the necessity of urgent measures to combat the climate crisis. While investments in research aiming to invent new technologies contributing to climate mitigation is important, it is purely speculative to predict when such new technologies will be available and to which extent they can contribute to climate mitigation. It would be, therefore, an irresponsible and risky gamble with our future to take such contributions for granted when developing a strategy to combat the climate crisis. A successful strategy to fight the climate crisis, furthermore, must not only not rely speculation on future technology, but requires also a gapless financial blueprint indicating how all the costs for the necessary investments are going to be covered
Read full responseMeeting with Themis Christophidou (Director-General Education, Youth, Sport and Culture)
20 Nov 2019 · Exchange of views on making future Erasmus more inclusive and sustainable.
Response to Validation of non-formal and informal learning - Evaluation
13 Nov 2018
The European Students’ Union (ESU) is the umbrella organisation of 45 National Unions of Students from 39 countries. Our members are student-run, autonomous, representative and operate according to democratic principles. ESU was formerly known as ESIB – The National Unions of Students in Europe. The aim of ESU is to represent and promote the educational, social, economic and cultural interests of students at the European level towards all relevant bodies and in particular the European Union. Through our members, ESU represents almost 20 million students in Europe.
ESU believes that the recognition of learning, including informal and non-formal leaning, should be improved to increase the opportunities for students and graduates, including opportunities for employment, further participation in education, and international mobility. We therefore support initiatives to improve validation and increase understanding between different education forms and places. We welcome the European Commission's agenda to follow up with a roadmap, an evaluation and a public consultation on the Recommendation, and support its continuing actions after 2018.
A follow-up is necessary to ensure that Member States jointly pursue establishing efficient and integrated validation systems within a wider lifelong learning strategy. We call the EU to continue monitoring Member States’ achievement and pending challenges to instate their national arrangements for VNFIL, in the light of its increased or limited integration in the EQF and NQFs.
An evaluation should show how inclusive and effective national VFNIL systems can be developed by collecting all stakeholders’ feedback (including learner, practitioners, education institutions). Weaknesses of the Recommendation should also be considered, for example regarding integration of transversal skills.
All learners must have a chance at validation. Assessment methods should be holistic and formative, and varied support services should be available (guidance, mentoring, counselling). ESU calls for a focus on the accessibility of validation systems to ensure inclusivity for disadvantaged groups, including refugees. Good examples can be found in the “Innoval Advocacy Report” published by the LLLP (http://inno-val.eu/reports/).
ESU calls for involvement of civil society organisations in evaluation and improvement of validation systems at all levels, as civil society often holds valuable knowledge on validation but are at present not always included.
We call on the Commission to identify good practices and support Member States in improving validation.
Read full responseResponse to Amendment of the Visa Code Regulation
4 Jun 2018
The European Students’ Union’s (ESU) vision is to achieve equal educational and social opportunities in an open and democratic Europe where students shape a sustainable future. With increasing number of learners from third countries studying in Schengen countries, and elsewhere in the European Union (EU), free movement, including for students on exchange studies and students, who undertake stays for the purpose of study or educational training, for teachers, staff and researchers, must be ensured.
ESU has raised its concerns about the EU visa policy in 2015, highlighting three priorities that must be ensured to third-country nationals. Furthermore, ESU has joined the public consultation on the Future of visa policy earlier this year. The main ESU priorities for visas are:
Firstly, all groups of students should be informed of the decision on their application as soon as possible, within maximum 30 days.
Secondly, equal conditions and accessibility for requesting a visa must be ensured worldwide.
Thirdly, the raising of the age limit in regard to visa fee waivers
Furthermore, with a special regard to long-term visas:
Firstly, visa and resident permits must be granted for the entire duration of the study programme.
Secondly, students from third countries must be granted the right to work and study in the hosting country on the same level as domestic students.
Thirdly, a solution must be found for those students, whose visa wasn’t approved before the beginning of the study programme.
The abovementioned points are still crucial for all the applicants.
ESU feels the need for improvements in visa policies across the EU. Students engaging in international mobility, which has been a priority in higher education for a long time, face serious setbacks, disadvantages and discrimination in regard to their freedom of movement and country of origin. We are disappointed with the current lack of ambition in the European Commission’s draft on Visa Code Regulation. This draft is short on innovations for visa policy procedures and the flagship change is to introduce higher visa fees, that is considered as a significant financial burden for students. All costs for students related to visa
procedures, such as travelling to embassies, documents preparation, translations costs, financial statements obligations, proofs of savings for the entire period of stay and finally the visa fee, are all negatively affecting study accessibility and short study exchanges in EU.
ESU welcomes the open consultation on the Amendment on Visa Code Regulation, and hereby calls on the European Commission to consider the following suggestions:
Study visa shall stay applicable to the scope of defined receivers, such as students, researchers, volunteers, school students, trainees and volunteers. The visas provided for students must cover the entire period of study and include a period after graduation allowing for entering the job market. Forcing students already enrolled in formal education to re-apply for the same visa multiple times is an unnecessary burden to students and creates unnecessary stress for the applicant while waiting to be re-granted for the same study program. While the principle of having student visa granted for the entire period of study has been widely discussed before and agreed upon by several parties, this has not been implemented.
The equal conditions and accessibility in visa procedures must be ensured. Accessible and reachable visa application points in foreign countries have the same importance as accessibility of studies. Not every EU member state has its embassy in every country in the world. Especially in developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America, an applicant needs to reach long distances, or cross multiple borders. Currently, the conditions for applying are not the same across the world.
ESU's feedback continues in an attached document due to character limit.
Read full responseResponse to Improving language learning in Europe
16 Apr 2018
The following is European Students’ Union’s response to the Proposal for a Council Recommendation on a comprehensive approach to language learning in school
Language skills are a core necessity for the internationalisation of education - this inevitably includes higher education.
Sadly, a prevailing trend in Europe seems to be the decline of free and accessible language courses to both students in and out of mobility in Europe. This is according to data collected from National Unions of Students across Europe for the “Bologna With Student Eyes 2018” publication (upcoming in May 2018). Since 2015, a number of countries have experienced a move form free language courses to students in HE to paid courses, or no courses offered by HEI at all. This is a worrying trend, and one we believe should be addressed by the upcoming recommendation regarding language learning in Europe. Leaving higher education out of the recommendation is not a decision we as the representatives of students in Europe can agree with. Increasing literacy in different languages is undoubtedly necessary. However, attention needs to be payed to the lifelong learning aspect of these recommendations - for a comprehensive effect, people who have already graduated from secondary education, and for example are obtaining higher education, should also have access to language learning.
Various aspects of the initiatives the commission seems to be undertaking under the EEA2025 heading are aimed at increased mobility. Lack of language skills continues to be a significant obstacle to mobility in several European countries, e.g. France, where a large part of learners continue to be monolingual. As most international mobility programmes demand working knowledge in English, turning attention to offering language courses to those who want to learn language skills beyond upper-secondary education is absolutely necessary.
Students are not the only group of people in higher education who need further development of language competences. Attention also needs to also be paid to both academic and non-academic staff in HEIs. As education inevitably becomes more and more internationalised, lecturers, instructors counselors etc, who are responsible for different aspects of education must also be equipped for an increased amount of international students. A crucial area of concern in this is the availability of student counsellors and support services aimed for students. Students have a right to counselling in their language of learning in any European country.
ESU believes that mobility, which includes language learning as a level of internationalisation, is a right for all learners. Resources for continuous and tuition-free language courses must be guaranteed by Higher Education Institutions, and governments, if necessary.
Read full responseResponse to The future of the visa policy
13 Feb 2018
The opinion is enclosed in the attachment as PDF.
Read full responseMeeting with Christine Mai (Cabinet of Commissioner Tibor Navracsics), Patricia Reilly (Cabinet of Commissioner Tibor Navracsics)
16 Sept 2015 · Commissioner Navracsics’ participation in the 30th European Students’ Convention
Meeting with Tibor Navracsics (Commissioner) and European Youth Forum and
23 Apr 2015 · Tackling the radicalisation of young people
Meeting with Patricia Reilly (Cabinet of Commissioner Tibor Navracsics)
9 Dec 2014 · Higher Education Policy