SU34 – The Future of the Student
Movement
Student Movements of the World
Edition five focuses on Europe. We talk to the President of
Estonia’s national FE students’ union, host a chatroom to
see how student democracy works across the EU and
consider 7 things about Germany’s national unions.
As part of SU34 – The Future of the Student
Movement NUS is releasing monthly insights
into student movements from around the world.
To truly reimagine our future we need to
understand the history, heritage, pulls and
pushes of what makes the UK student
movement what it is today, to broaden our
thinking as we look towards 2034 these
monthly articles aim to ground us in stories,
information and factors that contributed to the
success and demise of student movements
from around the world.
countries’ unions in general have developed a
lot better than for example in the Balkans.
Also some organisations have problems
because of their corrupted governments, which
makes our work comparing to theirs a lot
easier. The only problem we have (and kind of
a big problem) is the amount of money we get
annually. We have the ability to do so much
more but are often restricted by lack of money.
Estonia
NUS interviews Lele
Luup, President of
the Estonian Further
Education Union
(ESCU)
NUS: Hi Lele. I'm
interested in how
Student Unions and Councils work in Estonia,
how it compares with other places and what
you think are the things that make the student
unions in Estonia work?
Lele: Hi, okay, so when we compare ourselves
to the other European student unions, we often
feel like we're miles ahead since we are able to
work democratically and the government really
takes our opinion into consideration. Northern
Find more SU34 resources on NUS Connect
/strong-students-unions/su34
Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia,
Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia
all joined the EU in 2003.
NUS: Ok, so in terms of the countries that
joined the EU in 2003 you are doing pretty
well?
Lele: Yes, I would say so. Especially
considering that it was only 1991 that our
independence as a country was reaccomplished.
NUS: Getting to an independent, democratic
students’ union in 20 years is pretty impressive.
Why do you think that has happened in Estonia
and not elsewhere?
Lele: I don't exactly know what has been
standing in the way for the other countries, but
I believe Estonians have always valued these
organisations and have supported them, giving
us the opportunity to develop over 17 years.
NUS: So why do Estonians value these
organisations? What do they do or teach
students that is important?
Lele: Maybe that while we were a part of the
USSR, people were not allowed to do much or
say much and were fighting for their freedom of
speech. This kind of made them appreciate
their rights later on and that is why every
organisation that proved to be standing for
someone’s rights or freedom of speech got
approval from the society in general.
Later the government started to take these
organisations seriously and during the past
years our country has not only developed as an
e-country but also as citizens’ society.
In terms of education, the country focuses on
making sure everybody knows their human
rights so that they would value the legal
opportunities. Most of the schools have student
councils and they start in there in the age of 12
or 13. Now, the people who actually started the
first student councils etc have made it into
national politics which is why we are
appreciated more and more.
I think it all depends on the way they were
made to think or how much there was rebellion
and such during the 'darkest days'. I don't
know a lot about other places, but I know that
Estonians are really patriotic and when talking
about this with other countries, how we
celebrate our independence days and how
everything Estonian is special, and even the
simplest thing like knowing our anthem by
heart from kindergarten, I can say we are
patriotic and very protective of our nation. This
may be the reason we have always wanted
more and to make our country a little better all
the time.
NUS: That is really interesting. What do you
think the students’ biggest win has been?
Lele: I think the biggest win is, in general, the
fact that before passing a law that considers
students, children or schools the government
asks for our opinion and really listen to it.
But we have been able to convince the
government that final exams in the upper
education are in fact for feedback for the
government and should not affect their further
studies. After this government lowered the
percentage to pass the exams to 1%.
Also a year’s long work has made the school
lunches free for all students. They weren't in
the beginning, but year after year they have
raised the age of getting the support. First
grades 1-4, then grades 5-9, then they gave
out fruit and milk supports for all schools and
from January they added the same for grades
10-12 and vocational school students.
Also we have accomplished a rise in childrens’
grants and free healthcare. Also career
education has been put to our curricula thanks
to our initiative and we have together with the
ministry of education reduced the capacity of
the syllabus'
NUS: Thank you Lele. Speak soon!
Similarities and Differences
across the EU
Recently, in an outdoor education centre in
Kosice, Slovakia, a group of students’ unions
from around Europe, including NUS, OBESSU
(for FE SUs across Europe) and SAKKI (for
vocational students in Finland) met to see how
student democracy works across the EU. The
exchange, funded by Erasmus+
(https://erasmusplus.org.uk/youth-funding),
brought together student officers from across
Europe.
For this piece, we got the gang back together
online and to talk about European student
unions and councils in FE.
Participants were present from
Finland (Tiian)
Slovakia (Juraj),
UK/Portugal (Jorge)
and Estonia (Lilian)
As well as the Czech Republic, Italy.
NUS: Are students engaged within
democracy and decision making in
education?
Juraj: The students in Slovak middle schools
are engaged in decision-making process in
education. According the national school law
they can create Student School Councils, they
can vote for the members of council and each
student can stand for election to be a
representative.
The aim of Student School Council is to
represent students before the headmaster and
to speak about the important things about the
education process in the schools. This should be
the main target but, in reality, school councils
mostly organise free time activities for
students.
Lillian: I think that they are seemingly
engaged, for example in my college there are
2-3 students in the council but what I've seen
and heard their ideas are not considered
Jorge: Ha, only sometimes and only when it
suits. The council was for organising a holiday
at the end of the year.
Tiian: Looking across Europe, in most cases
the answer is a simple ‘no’. Compared to more
academic education, the opportunities often do
not exist in vocational education, are limited or
out of reach. Especially in countries, where
student representation has not been secured at
a national policy level, the education
institutions have very little incentive to provide
the structures and opportunities needed.
Despite the many problems, there are countries
and individual institutions, where students in
vocational training are actively involved in
decision making, have local and national
student councils and unions, and their work is
visible.
NUS: So are young people involved in
politics because of structures (like student
councils) or because of events around
them?
Lillian: That one is difficult. I think both of
them (structure and events) but also I like to
think that they really want to change things and
care about society
Juraj: The students are more active when
there is happening something negative about
them. Then they use these democratic
structures such as student councils to speak
about the problem. I think that these
combination of these both things (structures
and situation around them) are the reasons
why they want to be involved in politics.
Jorge: In Madeira it was about a party but not
anything else. Except when the government
had a really, really bad idea then everyone was
involved.
Tiian: I agree with Juraj and Lillian, I would go
with a combination of both. Events around
young people are usually needed to spark the
interest and willingness to get involved, but
structures like student councils are essential to
keep young people involved. When the
opportunity to take part and be engaged, such
as student council, is accessible and present,
young people can easily get active at a very
local level, close to their own daily
environment, when they are inspired by an
event, outraged by discrimination or anything
else.
NUS: Do the structures that exist, like
councils and student unions, encourage
young people to get involved?
Juraj: Definitely I think that the student
councils help students to get involved.
Lilian: Absolutely. I know there are many
people who think that unions like that are
pointless or don't get excited about the
possibilities that they offer but on the other
hand, there are a lot of people who really enjoy
being in those unions.
Jorge: People learn a lot as part of the councils
but I think that its issues that really get people
interested.
Tiian: Any structure is better than no
structures at all, and many could be improved,
but over all I would say yes.
NUS: Are students active in speaking to
decision makers?
Juraj: Even though members of student
councils have right to speak to decision makers,
it is still not usual. The better situation is in
schools - the directors mostly want to speak
with students and they actively cooperate with
each other. But it is worse on regional and
national level in communication with
municipalities, public offices and Ministry of
Education. There is still very weak cooperation.
Lillian: I think they are. At least few of them. I
am active in my school’s student council and we
communicate with school frequently, also
students with problems with school or its
system come to us for help.
I think there are two types of student involved.
Some who want to do things and maybe even
change them and some who like the union and
the feeling of belonging to somewhere.
Tiian: Students are always willing and open to
speak to decision makers. Most so at national
levels, but at local/institution level as well:
having the opportunity to interact with decision
makers brings added value to the students and
has a positive effect in motivating students in
democratic work.
NUS: Have there been times in the past
that students have been more active in
changing their community (either at a
local or national level)?
Juraj: The strongest student activities were in
the year 1989 when students started the Velvet
Revolution in former Czechoslovakia, which
lead to fall of communism. They were probably
the most important part of whole revolution.
Tiian: Students have always been extremely
active in times of political change or other
major events, but there have definitely been
times when students have been more involved
in their education. It’s that mix of structure and
issues again.
Germany
7 things of interest about students’ unions in
Germany:
1. SUs in Germany work within the 16 Lander,
or states, which make up the Federation. This
makes their national representation a bit
different to NUS UK.
Germany consists of 16 federated states,
or Lander.
2. For a start, they have two national unions:
 Freier Zusammenschluss von
StudentInnenschaften (FZS)
(http://www.fzs.de/)
 Deutsche Studentenwerk (DSW)
(http://www.studentenwerke.de/)
3. There is a bit of a rivalry between them, but
it tends to be less than you might expect. You
would be surprised, for example, if you were
coming from Canada where Canadian
Federation of Students (CFS) and Canadian
Alliance of Students’ Associations (CASA)
compete for resources, influence and status as
the national body for students.*
4. Both FZS and DSW work more to coordinate
SUs and to justify SUs as legal entities than
campaigning or influencing directly with the
German Federal government. They also run a
lot more activities between members in Landers
(an analogy in terms of scale might be like
having 16 NUS Scotland/Wales/USIs).
Act nor are they charities. The Ministry doesn’t
tend to play any role in their administration
except in compliance with the rules which
govern their ability to be a students’
organisation.
Sources:
http://www.fzs.de/en/ueber_uns/index.html
http://www.studentenwerke.de/en/content/articlesassociation-and-tasks
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Studentenwerk
5. FZS often works on issues which impact
students’ rights to organise. They also have a
lot more things we would class as in the
“Society and Citizenship” zone and the
liberation areas than we would, as those issues
tend to transcend states and the organisation
have found themselves to be effective at
working on them nationally.
6. DSW might be described as more of a union
development organisation in themselves with a
bit of lobbying when it comes to interactions
between the Lander and the Federal
government. They organise events and
activities for member unions.
The members of DSW are Studentenwerke,
(meaning: student service organisations) and
there’s one in each university town or city in
Germany, providing services to the students of
all higher education institutions in the
metropolitan region. They perform public
responsibilities related to the economic, social,
health-care and cultural support to all students.
The main objective of the Studentenwerk
organisations is to contribute substantially to
the realisation of equal opportunities. In
collaboration with universities and city
administrations, the Studentenwerk
organizations strive to improve the social
framework for higher education.
7. German SUs are, with a few exceptions,
public institutions or 'Anstalten des öffentlichen
Rechts' and tend to get their power from/have
to be responsible to a Ministry within their
Lander. So they don’t really have any formal
link to the University like the 1994 Education
*A whole thesis on that rivalry:
http://studentunion.ca/docs3/Fractured%20Interests
%20-%20Assessing%20the%20CFSCASA%20Rivalry%20%20Jeffrey%20D.%20Waugh%20%20April%202009.pdf