From 30 October to 3 November 2024, Simona Gibalová, a student of the Faculty of Medicine at UPJŠ, represented UPJŠ within the Aurora Alliance at the meeting of the student councils from European alliances, organised by the European Students Union. European Students Union (ESU) is an international organization representing national student unions from across Europe. Its primary objective is to represent the interests of students at the European level, in particular in the areas of higher education, equality of access to education, academic freedom, and the quality of teaching. ESU currently brings together more than 45 national student organisations from over 40 countries, including the Slovak Student Council for Higher Education.
ESU cooperates with the European Commission, the Council of Europe, UNESCO, as well as with universities and professional organisations. It serves as the voice of students in education policy-making in Europe – for instance, in the implementation of the Bologna Process and the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). In recent years, European University Alliances have been established as a network of collaborating universities across the EU. These alliances aim to strengthen the European identity, enhance the quality and competitiveness of higher education, and foster the creation of joint programmes, mobility exchanges, and research networks.
ESU plays an active role in ensuring that the student voice is included in the decision-making processes within these alliances, that alliances are committed to inclusiveness, equal opportunities, academic participation, and that quality student life and mental health support are provided, including within international cooperation. ESU also makes recommendations on how students should be represented in the governance structures of alliances, and what standards universities should meet regarding student rights and academic culture.
ESU also acts as an umbrella organisation for European students involved in higher education policymaking. During the event, representatives from different alliances had the opportunity to meet, share best practices, and contribute to shaping new ideas in the direction of European institutions.
Students also had the chance to engage directly with Vanessa Debiais-Sainton, who oversees European higher education area within the European Commission. The European Commission emphasised that “the aim of this cooperation is not to create a new European organisation, but to build trust and transparency at national level for better collaboration between countries”, capturing the benefits of this meeting for students and educational institutions.
Through open discussions and workshops, students addressed specific challenges in alliances or individual institutions, working together to find effective strategies. The Aurora Alliance has drawn inspiration from the way student rights are enshrined within the ESU and is currently developing a similar document for participating universities. This initiative is expected to be a benefit for students from the universities, a space to improve their international learning opportunities, raise standards, and maintain a positive trend for the functioning of students within the institutions. Thanks to her positive engagement and subsequent election by the alliance, our student Simona Gibalová was appointed as a representative of the Aurora Alliance in ESU.
