In response to numerous reports from students across Europe expressing concerns about acute housing conditions, the European Students' Union (ESU) and the Erasmus Student Network (ESN) launched a snap survey in early November 2022. The findings of the survey seek to provide Higher Education Institutions and policymakers with an evidence-based…

This publication has been developed under the Erasmus+ co-funded "Quality Assurance Fit for the Future"(QA-FIT) project, coordinated by the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA), in partnership with the European University Association (EUA), the European Students' Union (ESU), and the European Association…

The COVID-19 pandemic which has swept across Europe has made changes to many facets of life from working conditions to freedom of movement. Education has been one of the sectors disrupted by the crisis with educational provision both in Europe and globally having gone on-line. In higher education, on the one hand, this new moment has highlighted…

Only 3% of the young people with refugee backgrounds are enrolled in Higher Education. Barriers remain extremely high when it comes to access, participation and success: recognition of qualification, language barriers, financial, legal and administrative burden, lack of social interaction, access to decent living conditions and (mental) health…

This Policy Paper aims at analysing the most important aspects of Public Responsibility, Financing and Governance of Higher Educations while seeking to formulate a students perspective on the state of play within the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). In doing so it touches upon the very foundation of how and in which socio-political…

These recommendations have been put together for the guidance and reference of European Students' Union (ESU's) membership of national student unions and student representatives mandated by point 2.3.b. of ESU's Plan of Work 2019-2020: "ESU should develop recommendations on what students can do to promote democratic citizenship education and…

The role of higher education towards social, economic and cultural development of our societies is certainly unquestionable from various aspects. In that sense, synergy and mutual dependence of higher education and society & vice-versa is a constant of modern times. However, one must acknowledge that all these aspects very often are highly…

This paper defines the European Students' Union (ESU) opinions on the topics related to internationalisation and learning mobility. This document is both an advancement and a cohesive overview of ESU's existing positions on internationalisation and mobility in higher education. This paper offers both definitions and elaborations on relevant policy…

The European Students' Union with the support of the Open Society Foundation published a new study on recognition of qualifications held by refugees and their access to higher education in Europe. The paper analyses how a selected pool of countries use education as an instrument for inclusion of refugees, asylum seekers and persons in refugee-like…

The development of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) through the Bologna Process has contributed to an increase in cross-border exchanges and cooperation in higher education and facilitates the enhancement of trust and confidence among higher education systems. In the framework of the Bologna Process, cross-border QA is supported, and in…

The present joint action programme is proposed by the Organising Bureau of European School Student Unions (OBESSU), the European Students' Union (ESU), and Education International (EI) to their members and partners, in order to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 related goals, which the United Nations adopted in…

This handbook has been written by the European Student's Union's Ethnic Minorities Working Group (EMWG) based on the work it conducted from its establishment at ESU's Board Meeting 57 in 2009 until its expiration at the Board Meeting 64 in 2013. The work was undertaken by representatives from ESU's members SAMOK (Finland), NUSUK (UK), LSVb (the…

The "Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area" (ESG) were adopted by the Ministers responsible for higher education in 2005 following a proposal prepared by the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA) in cooperation with the European Students' Union (ESU), the…

Throughout the years the European Students Union (ESU), together with many educational stakeholders, has been focusing on student-centred learning (SCL). Constant changes in societal and educational needs necessitate that further emphasis be given to teaching excellence. Inspired by the growing interest and progress in implementing SCL, ESU…

Higher education plays a vital role in society and the quality, accessibility, and form of higher education is highly dependent on financing. Financing of higher education is conceived to be of central importance for the future creation and dissemination of knowledge and research. Therefore, the financing of higher education is a topic that has…