By: Arno Schrooyen, European Students’ Union
My name is Arno Schrooyen, and I am currently Vice President of the European Students’ Union (ESU). The organization brings together 43 national student unions from 40 countries across the European Higher Education Area, representing around 20 million students. Our work goes beyond the European Union, and we engage with the EU, the Council of Europe, and higher education institutions to ensure that students’ voices are heard in policy and governance.
My involvement in student representation began almost by chance. When I started my studies, I met the president of my local student union, who encouraged me to get involved. I later joined the French-speaking student union of Belgium, where I worked for three years, including on international affairs. Through this role, I represented my union within ESU for several years. At a certain point, I felt I had completed my work at the national level but was not finished with student representation. I therefore ran for election within ESU and continued my engagement at the European level.
For us, meaningful student engagement means the involvement of students in all parts of decision-making processes within higher education institutions, as well as in higher education policy at local, regional, and national levels. It means developing policies for students with students. Too often, students are consulted only once a policy is already drafted, when little can still be changed. Being involved from the beginning creates a different sense of responsibility and ownership and helps prevent participation from becoming symbolic.
We also see the effects of paternalism. Student representatives often serve for short periods and are constantly learning. In some cases, their ideas are dismissed immediately. There are also instances of backlash against students who speak up, including difficulties in completing internships or being excluded from academic communications. These experiences discourage participation.
Several barriers remain. Fear of retaliation is still present, and building a culture of participation requires institutions and staff to accept criticism. Time and financial constraints are another major challenge. In many countries, student representation is voluntary and must be balanced with studies and paid work. Students who would like to engage often cannot afford the time. Pressure to complete studies on time further limits participation. Greater flexibility such as allowing students to miss classes or extending study periods for student representatives would make engagement more accessible.
Despite these challenges, student participation has led to concrete outcomes. At the European level, ESU co-authored the European Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in 2005 alongside university associations and quality assurance agencies. Later, as the Bologna Process addressed social inclusion, ESU contributed to the development of the Principles and Guidelines for the Social Dimension in Higher Education. After years of advocacy, these were adopted in 2020 at the Ministerial Conference in Rome and now set minimum standards for social inclusion across Europe.
Looking ahead, policymakers need to better understand how student engagement functions. Involving students throughout the process and building on their ideas is essential. Models such as the Council of Europe’s co-management approach, where young people and member states participate on equal footing, offer useful lessons.
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The European Students’ Union (ESU) is the umbrella organisation of 43 national unions of students’ from 40 European countries. ESU promotes and represents the educational, social, economic and cultural interests of almost 20 million students to all key European decision-making bodies: the European Union, Council of Europe, UNESCO and the Bologna Follow Up Group.
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