More money for education
"More money for education". This is the slogan of the ESU Plan of Work 2011. One of the main objectives for ESU in 2011 and 2012 will be the focus on defending education as a public good and a public responsibility. ESU will gather data on the different funding systems and will try to change the European agenda to its demands. This research will take place under the new ESU project called "Financing the Students' Future" (FINST).
To access the FINST part of the ESU Backoffice, click here: http://backoffice.esu-online.org/projects/FinSt/default.aspx (login required, only accessible for ESU members)
The FINST project is co-financed with help from the European Commission's Lifelong Learning Programme.
Solution to economic crisis
Both the EU2020 draft strategy and the Leuven/Louvain la Neuve Bologna Process Ministerial conference confirmed the public responsibility and the need for investment in the higher education (HE) sector as a solution to the economic crisis. Students, as main beneficiaries, should be active participants in the funding reform debates and to be aware to understand and input into different types of funding mechanisms, be it of public or private nature, so as to support the modernization agenda of higher education and to be involved in the search for institutional diversified funding.
Increasing knowledge
The FINST project aims at increasing the knowledge of the effects of financing systems in Europe over students and to work on the capacity building of the national unions of students with regard to their active involvement in higher education funding reforms.
Comparative map
The Research Compendium (RC), the Financing Toolkit, the interactive wiki-style website,the European Training and the Student Representatives’ Exchanges will aim at increasing the capacity of 11 million students represented by 45 ESU members in active participation for HE funding reform. Also, the peer-reviewed RC will provide a comparative map of the current 45 national funding systems in Europe, their typology and effect on institutional capacity to cater to socio-economical challenges and it will address policy makers, HE stakeholders and students alike.
Project results
The results of the project will be also disseminated through the website and a final conference, aimed at validating the projects results with the relevant stakeholders at the European level. The innovative elements are:1. the facilitation of the student representative exchanges, with a job shadowing orientation, from 18 European countries, focused on gathering a first-hand experience on financing and student involvement in financing debates in Austria, Estonia and the United Kingdom and 2 .the innovative RC overview of the European funding systems from the perspective of their effects on students.
Project partners
The FINST project is carried out by ESU together with four partners.
1. HIS - Hochschul-Informations-System GmbH (Germany). HIS employs about 300 people and is a service for higher education. HIS has been involved in several international research projects and has been international coordinator of EUROSTUDENT since its inception in 1996. For more information about HIS, have a look at their website: www.his.de.
2. EUL - Eesti Uliopilaskondade Liit MTU (Estonia). EUL is a federation of Estonian Student Unions and represents students' interest on national and international level. EUL is a member union of ESIB (ESU). More information about EUL can be found on www.eyl.ee.
3. OH - Osterreichische Hochschulerinnenschaft (Austria). The Austrian National Union of Students (OH) is the only recognised representation of all students at Austrian universitis and Padagogische Akademien (Teacher Training Academies). OH is also a member unionof ESIB (ESU). Check out the OH website for more information: www.oeh.ac.at
4. NUS-UK - National Union of Students NUS UK (Unitied Kingdom). NUS UK is a voluntary membership organisation of 600 students' unions, amounting to more than 95 per cetnt of all higher and further education unions in the UK. NUS UK is also a member union of ESIB (ESU). More information about NUS UK can be found on www.nus.org.uk
FINST project in the media
Here you can find links to a few articles about the FINST project in the European press:
- "Students of European Students' Union int'l conference gather in Estonia" http://news.err.ee/education/d0f92993-918f-453b-8d13-c04e7be0a571
- "European governments urged to increase higher education funding" http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/culture/2011-05/03/c_13856112.htm
- "Students of European Students' Union int'l conference gather in Estonia" http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/culture/2011-05/03/c_13856112.htm
.. and in the Chinese Press:
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90777/90853/7367183.html
http://world.globaltimes.cn/europe/2011-05/650881.html
http://english.cntv.cn/20110503/108853.shtml
http://english.sina.com/life/p/2011/0502/371391.html
http://english.zjcnt.com/culturenews/2011/05/04/6776.htm
http://www.thainewsagency.com/english/world/16/07/2011/11155/
http://www.humanrights-china.org/en/Messages/World/t20110503_739159.htm
http://www.dawanews.com/chinabiz_view.asp?id=13150
And here are ESU's press releases and articles on this project:
- "ESU mulls over financial future of students" http://www.esu-online.org/news/article/6001/288/
- "Financial future of European students in limelight" http://www.esu-online.org/news/article/6001/467/
- "European students urge for better financing systems" asset/Organisation/6174/0505PRBM60andSeminarTallinn.doc
- "FINST project makes steady progress" http://www.esu-online.org/news/article/6001/521/
- Exchange opportunity: 10 days in London on financing of Higher Education http://www.esu-online.org/news/article/6001/501/
- Call for participants for student exchange program in Austria http://www.esu-online.org/news/article/6001/533/
Past events
2 - 4 May 2011 - Launch conference/ seminar on “Financing the students’ Future" - Tallinn, Estonia
24- 27 November 2011 - FINST Consultations Seminar, Liverpool, UK