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Students rely on a rapid agreement on the EU budget
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BRUSSELS
- "The negotiations on the budget of the European Union cannot be
stalled any longer as tens of thousands of students enrolled in mobility
programmes face financial uncertainty in the upcoming academic year,"
says Karina Ufert, Chairperson of the European Students' Union (ESU).
ESU
would like to remind European policymakers how important it is to
process an amended budget for 2013 as swiftly as possible. The European
Commission has estimated that 126 million euros are needed for the
Erasmus and Lifelong Learning programmes in 2013 to cover the necessary
payments. Go to full article
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Do you want to write an article for ESU and the Council of Europe? Send your proposal before 1 June!
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STRASBOURG
- We are looking for proposals for articles in several
categories on key themes concerning student engagement in contemporary
Europe. We request that the interested applicants send their
propositions of maximum 400 words for articles to us before 1 June 2013.
The applicants are also requested to submit their CV or a biography.
Applicants will be notified of the status of the process by 15 July 2013. The final articles are due on 15 December 2013. Go to full article
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Foreign students are easy targets in UK immigration policy
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LONDON
- International students have had to suffer the consequences of the
British government's immigration policy as the possibility to attain a
two year post-study work visa has been removed and credibility
interviews are used to cut down student numbers.
The
United Kingdom issues between 200 and 300 thousand visas each years and
international students are therefore easy targets in the government´s
attempt to reduce net migration to the country from "hundreds of
thousands" to "tens of thousands".
Go to full article
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Students flock to universities fearing controversial reforms
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AMSTERDAM
- Registrations for studies in higher education are expected to rise
twenty per cent in the Netherlands in the upcoming academic year when
compared to the present one and a survey among high school students
indicates that more students plan to rush their university studies due
to controversial educational reforms planned by the Dutch government.
The
reforms include major cuts to the grant system for students in the
Netherlands and abolishment of student benefits, such as free access to
public transportation. LSVb and ISO, the national unions of students in
the Netherlands, and the European Students´ Union (ESU) have protested
this policy of the Dutch government fiercely. Go to full article
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Europe needs to protect students from persecution
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BRUSSELS
- All students and governments in Europe should express their
solidarity with persecuted students and establish a scheme that enables
them to complete their higher education in their host countries and
universities, says a new resolution adopted by 47 national unions of
students in Europe.
The resolution was adopted at the 64th Board
Meeting of the European Students Union (ESU) held in Budapest from 25 to
28 April. The national unions of students, that are members to ESU,
called for the freedom of expression to be respected. Go to full article
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A Norwegian student housing project sets an example for Europe
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OSLO -
The European Students' Union (ESU) is very pleased to hear that the
Norwegian government plans to invest 100 million NOK in 400 new housing
spaces for students. Last year, 15.000 people were registered on waiting
lists for student housing in Norway and the numbers have only been
expected to rise as private housing gets more expensive.
The
revised national budget for 2013 was introduced on 7 May in Norway. The
construction project will be partially financed by the government but
mainly by rent paid by students. Non-profit student welfare
organisations in Norway will manage the project. Go to full article
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Europe should engage in a dialogue with Belarus
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MINSK
- Belarus cannot be isolated from the higher education system in
Europe. Instead European stakeholders and policymakers should engage in a
dialogue with the country's higher education authorities, academics and
students. This was the conclusion of a seminar organised by the
European Commission on 16 May in the capital Minsk.
The seminar
was organised to present the latest developments in the country's
Bologna process and discussions within the Bologna Follow Up Group
(BFUG). Belarus has applied to join the Bologna process but the
application has been on ice since January 2012, partly due to a lack of
independent student representations and limited academic freedom. Go to full article
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Students call for a sustainable employment policy
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COPENHAGEN
- Unemployment among graduates is close to ten per cent in Denmark,
which is surprisingly high in a Nordic context. Stakeholders fear that
there is a mismatch between the graduates' skills and the perceived
demand of the labour market.
The European Students' Union (ESU)
organised a national debate and a study visit to Denmark from 17 to 18
May in relation to its project on Student Advancement on Graduates
Employability (SAGE) where those concerns were raised. Go to full article
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Students included in ENQA's review panels
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BRUSSELS
- Students are an integral part in any quality assurance processes as
the main beneficiaries of higher education. This is underlined in the
pool of experts for reviews that are coordinated by ENQA (the European
Association for Quality Assurance). At least one student will take part
in every review panel. Ten
student members from the Quality Assurance pool of the European
Students' Union (ESU) participated this month in a two day training
session organised by ENQA. The aim of the training was to increase the
participants' understanding and knowledge of the European Standards and
Guidelines (ESG).Go to full article
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A second call for SiS Catalyst internships prepared
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BRUSSELS
- The European Students' Union (ESU) has invited potential host
organisations to join the SiS-Catalyst Internship Programme and made
suggestions for activities that would be relevant to the project's aims.
Therefore, a second call for internships will be launched in the near
future as part of the project. Go to full article
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Discrimination based on homosexuality must be brought to an end
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BRUSSELS
- The European Students Union (ESU) calls on the United Nations and the
Council of Europe to introduce and support a resolution calling for an
end to discrimination based on homosexuality and for all citizens of
Europe to pursue their life choices freely and without fear or personal
danger. Go to full article
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Other relevant links
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The European Students' Union, headquartered in Brussels, is the umbrella organisation
of 47 National Unions of Students from 39 European countries. ESU
represents and advocates the educational, social, economical and
cultural interests of students at the European level: European Union,
Council of Europe, UNESCO and the Bologna Follow Up Group.
Find out more about ESU on www.esu-online.org or check out our social media:
For more information, contact:
Robert Hlynur Baldursson
Communications Manager
+ 32 2 502 23 62
+ 32 473 669 894
robert@esu-online.org
ESU - European Students' Union
Rue de la Sablonnière 20 1000 Bruxelles, BELGIUM
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