ESIB's statement on Higher Education
towards the next century
and the UNESCO World Conference on Higher Education (Paris Oct.'98)

Introduction

ESIB - The National Unions of Students in Europe wants to take this opportunity to give you
its view on the developments in Higher Education(1). The students of Europe take the
challenge of UNESCO's World Conference on Higher Education to search for new ways of
viewing and organising Higher Education. In this paper, we broadly deal with three issues:

1. Access to Higher Education,
2. Quality of education,
3. Students' participation in decision making at all levels.

ESIB - The National Unions of Students in Europe is an organisation existing since 1982 to
promote the educational, social, economic and cultural interests of students at a European
level towards relevant organisations and institutions. ESIB currently has 35 members from
29 countries. Through its member National Unions of Students, ESIB represents the
majority of students in Europe.

1. Access to Higher Education

Education gives us the ability to understand the environments we live in and adds new
qualities to life. The right to education is stated in the United Nations charter on Human
Rights (Article 26). Education and student's lives are important means to establish and
maintain a democratic society.

The access to Higher Education is not without barriers. People from a disadvantaged social
background, cultural minorities, physically disabled, and refugees are facing various
obstacles, leading to lower representation in Higher Education. Higher Education is very
expensive and forms a serious barrier, even when tuition fees are not to be charged.
Nowadays society demands citizens capaciously skilled; employees need to adapt to new
conditions, like new technologies. Therefore programs based on life long learning should be
stimulated. ESIB is of the opinion that anybody must be able to gain Higher Education at
any stage of their lives; this includes going back for further education. Adult education gives
new chances to explore intellectual skills. ESIB sees it as a common task to realise full and
free access to (Higher) Education.

1.1 Financial Barriers

All over Europe the funding available for education is decreasing, affecting both the
accessibility and the quality of Higher Education. In principal, ESIB thinks that education
should be free of any charges, explicit, or implicit. Financial barriers should never be a
reason to abstain from Higher Education.

The increasing costs of Higher Education in the new democracies of Central and Eastern
Europe give reason for concern as the living standard has severely declined during the same
time. This tendency leads towards an elitist Higher Education only available for a small,
privileged group of society.

When, in Europe's current situation, countries have no possibility to abstain from tuition
fees, we ask for a limitation of fees, surplus study costs, such as books, et cetera. We also
ask for a social security that regards students' needs for housing, food, medical care, and
transportation. This way financial barriers can be restricted. ESIB urges all governments to
act upon the UN ratified resolution stating:

'Higher education shall be made accessible to all, on the basis of capacity, by every
appropriate means, and in particular by progressive introduction of free education.' (2)
It is not only the cost of education as such that forms the first barrier; many students need
to earn their own - or their families' - livings. Therefore attention should be given to the
needs of a students' social surrounding, too. All nations should strive to achieve a general
financial support system for students.

1.2 Socio-Cultural Thresholds

Socio-cultural factors play a vital role in the educational path. A person's social and cultural
background has a very strong influence on the level of education and therefore on the
direction of both the private and public life. Youngsters possessing the necessary skills for a
college education may be withheld from entering by their families or their social
surroundings. Some might choose the 'secure path' of vocational education / training,
others a general education below their intellectual capabilities. In any case, these
youngsters and their families should get more information on the options available in an
educational career.

In a lot of societies women are still discriminated against in education and particularly the
labour market. The percentage of female students in Higher Education in Europe has been
balanced quite successful, but in their working careers are still subordinated compared to
their male counterparts.

In most of Europe the situation of cultural minorities in Higher Education craves for
immediate actions. People belonging to a cultural minority encounter opposition. They also
have different needs, demands, and expectations. The development of multi- or intercultural
learning is important. It gives us insight to different cultural realities necessary for mutual
understanding.

Focusing on these groups should not make us forget the obstacles various other
underprivileged groups in modern society face, like single parents and disabled people. All
nations and relevant institutions should be encouraged to give financial and legal support to
ensure that disabled people or those raising their children alone can have the same
possibilities, i.e. to enter Higher Education.

1.3 Political Thresholds

Students may face difficulties attending Higher Education due to the political situation they
face in their country. Countries in war do not consider education a priority. Besides all
catastrophes war brings along, a whole generation of students faces a delay of their studies.
A fragile new democracy needs its academics. The international community should take
responsibility for the reconstruction of the education systems of post-war countries.
In several countries, cultural minorities are denied the right to education in their native
language. In some Central- and Eastern European countries, but also in other countries,
these rights, formerly guaranteed, are threatened to or have been abolished recently. ESIB
sees a danger in this development and supports actions to re-establish these rights.

1.4 Cultural Development

A student's college days are of great influence on his or her future life. Not withstanding
that Higher Education is pertinent to the development of professional skills, it also holds a
very important function of supporting the development of personal capacities of the
individual and society. This includes cultural activities of various kinds. As most of these
activities are enjoyed outside the Institutions of Higher Education, the discount agreements
offered by most European countries on museums, theatres and also travel opportunities for
students should be extended.

1.5 Mobility

Taking (part of) our studies abroad gives us the possibility to learn from and to adapt to
different cultures; to learn new languages and to handle problems related to new
surroundings and systems. The accessibility to studying abroad has increased dramatically
in accordance with the EU's mobility programmes. Although the number of 'free movers' has
increased over the past years, they are relatively few in numbers. With the expansion of the
European Union's mobility programmes such as Erasmus, the position of 'free movers' tends
to be neglected, even limited. UNESCO is investigating the possibilities to create a worldwide
credit transfer system. ESIB is welcoming such a system and supports advantages
incorporated.

Every student should be given the opportunity to take some of his or her lectures, or a
traineeship, abroad. Providing students with the information about the possibilities to study
abroad is a first step towards this development

Studying abroad is a very expensive matter. As a result mostly students from the upper
classes get these foreign experiences. This situation has been aggravated over the years, as
the amount of money a student gets within different grant systems in Europe has constantly
been decreased.

The standard of living differs far within regions. Central - Eastern - and Southern European
students face this as being a problem when applying for a study abroad. They are limited in
their choice, as they can not afford to study in the Northern and Western countries of
Europe. It is of utmost importance that these systems of financing are improved. A system
that takes into account such differences might partly solve this problem.

1.6 Recognition of Qualification

We are pleased to find the student mobility on the increase. However, the world is getting
smaller and the job market for graduates is increasingly neglecting national borders; the
systems of valuing diplomas should be improved.

The lack of recognition of diplomas and certificates as well as the problems concerning
validations of the study or internship taken abroad discourages students and causes delays
in their studies. Students run the risk to loose credits on their curriculum or have to redo
equal or similar courses already taken abroad.

The benefit of studies abroad is widened with the evolution of the European Credit Transfer
System (ECTS), as students find it easier to have courses fully recognised in their curricula.
Still, the lack of bi- and multilateral agreements on the issue of recognition of qualifications
appears to be of crucial importance for the validation of Eastern European diplomas in
Western Europe. Great effort should be put into solving this urgent problem. UNESCO
recently published a statement on this issue (Convention on the Recognition of
Qualifications Concerning Higher Education in the European Region, Lisbon April 11, 1997.
UNESCO and the Council of Europe) and ESIB is looking forward to further action. ESIB will
organise a seminar on the recognition of qualifications in Vienna, October 1998.

2. Teaching and Learning

In the twenty-first century the student population will get even more heterogeneous. There
will be more emphasis to be put on life-long learning, on further and adult education. The
development, when more students study part-time or enter Higher Education at a later
stage in their lives, craves new challenges and creates new demands on the institutions'
flexibility and the funding systems.

This development is due to changes in the labour market and different expectations created
by a society where flexibility, adaptability, and innovation is demanded. The academic
community has to be willing to change with the students. Indeed, this flux will change the
profile of students.

And, as students differ, the education methods should differ as well. Distinctions in the
educational methods should ascertain that all students - no matter what age, gender, and
region - get the style of teaching and learning they're best suited for.

2. 1 Life Long Learning

We welcome the actions taken in the line of Life Long Learning with enthusiasm. This is an
important step towards meeting the demands of society. When stating that everybody
should have the possibility to attend Higher Education at several stages of life, ESIB sees a
growing need for flexibility and differentiation of courses given in Higher Education.
Everybody should get their chance to learn how to explore new situations and benefit from
the possibilities offered, such as computer courses etc. So far, mainly people active in the
labour market have been benefiting from such lectures.

2.2 Quality Review

In order to assure a high quality of education continued evaluation of this education is
needed. There are a lot of different ways of quality assessment and review, for instance
accreditation, questionnaires, and visitations. Students, as the main participants in Higher
Education, are experts in comparing different sorts of education, the use of teaching
material, and the didactics. As we are the ones benefiting directly from high quality
education, it is in our own interest to expand our activities in the field of quality review.
Students need to play an important role in the quality review and should therefore be taken
into the different official evaluation committees.

3. Student Participation in Decision Making

Education in the twenty-first century will face a lot of old problems, but we need to keep in
mind that new unexpected situations will arise as well. Students shall face these problems
and they will find new, creative solutions fitting the spirit of the age. We students ask for
recognition of our sense of responsibility for our own education. Students as adults should
participate in the organisation of their education at different levels. We are participators
rather than clients in Higher Education. Decisions made on national and regional levels
influencing Higher Education or students' social life cannot be taken without consulting us.

Students have a common interest and therefore demand a share of responsibility in
decision-making bodies. Close co-operation between students and staff is - therefore - of
vital importance and could through this shared responsibility be developed further.
Higher Education is expected to strengthen the ability to act as resource persons in a
democratic society and to be responsible citizens. These institutions should be in the
forefront of promoting and setting an example for interactive problem solving through the
inclusion - and making responsible - of all parties referred to. Student organisations and
other international organisations dealing with education have a vital role to play in
discussions and decisions taken on a regional and international level and their potential
should be actively used.

3.1 Student Statute

ESIB acknowledges the need for creating a widely carried legal student statute, in which our
rights to education, social security, and participation are fixed. A world wide student charter
should be explored.

3.2 Student Unions

To secure a good student input on all levels, student unions' capacity and knowledge can
not be underestimated. Student Unions should play a central role in those institutions'
development. National Unions of Students (NUS'es) and institute based unions can provide
their members with training courses and background information. They make sure the voice
of the student will be heard at all levels and act as an intracommunicative body.

The creation and development of NUS'es needs active support from both local and regional
student unions and national governments. On the regional level student structures like ESIB
or OCLAE also need support, morally and financially, to be able to fill the position of
spreading information, training student unions on international levels; as well as being the
counterparts and interacting partners to institutions and decision makers, to make the
students' opinion heard. The delegates of ESIB are more than willing to explain you more
about our aims, ideas, and member unions.

Adopted by the ESIB Board Meeting at Malta, April 1998 (BM34)

(1) The term Higher Education or institute for Higher Education includes both university
education and college education (polytechnics, Fachhochschule). back
(2) Article 13/2/C/; United Nation High Commissioner for Human Rights, International
Convenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Resolution 2200A (XXI) of 16 December
1966. Entry into force 3 January 1976, in accordance with article 27. back
The members of ESIB are: AUSTRIA - ÷sterreichische Hochsch¸lerschaft (÷H); BELARUS -
Belarusian Students Association (BSA); BELGIUM - Federation des Etudiant(e)s
Francophones (FEF), Vereniging van Vlaamse Studenten (VVS); BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA -
Student Union of Bosnia Hercegovina (SUBiH); BULGARIA - Union of Bulgarian Students
(UBS); CROATIA -Croatian Student Union (CSU); CYPRUS - Pancyprian Federation of
Students and Young Scientists (POFNE); DENMARK - Danske Studerendes Faellesrad (DSF),
Landessammenslutningen af Moderate Studenter (LMS); ESTONIA - Federation of Estonian
Student Unions (FESU); FINLAND - Suomen Yliopptlaskuntien Liitto (SYL), Suomen
Ammattikorkeakouluopiskelijayhdistysten Liitto (SAMOK); FRANCE - Federation des
Associations Generales Etudiantes (La FAGE), Union Nationale des Etudiantes de
Independante et Democratique (UNEF-ID); GERMANY - freier zusammenschluss von
studentinnenschaften (fzs); HUNGARY - Hallgatoi ÷nkorm. Orszagos Konferenciaja (H÷OK);
ICELAND - Studentarad Haskola (SHI); IRELAND - Union of Students in Ireland (USI);
ISRAEL - National Union of Israeli Students (NUIS); LATVIA - Latvian Student Union (LSA);
LITHUANIA - Lithuanian National Union of Students (LSS); LUXEMBOURG - Union Nationale
des Etudiant(e)s du Luxembourg (UNEL); MACEDONIA - National Student Union of
Macedonia (NSUM); MALTA - Kunsill Tal-Istudenti Universitarji (KSU); NETHERLANDS -
Landelijke Studenten Vakbond (LSVb); NORWAY - Norsk Studentunion (NSU), Studentenes
Landsforbund (StL); POLAND - Parlament Studentow (PSP), Zrzeszenie Studentow Polskich
(ZSP); SLOVAKIA - Rada Studentov Vysokych Skol (RSVS); SLOVENIA - Students Union of
Slovenia (SSU); SWEDEN - Sveriges F–renade Studentkaarer (SFS); SWITZERLAND -
Verband d. Schweizerischen Studentinnenschaften (VSS/UNES); UNITED KINGDOM -
National Union of Students (NUS-UK).