ESU calls for open higher education

Nieuws | de redactie

21 september 2011 | The European Students’ Union (ESU) issued a public statement commenting on the recent EU report “Modernisation of Higher Education in Europe”. ESU supports the conclusion that universities need to open up to students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

“The European Students’ Union (ESU) joinssides with the Eurydice report on the Modernisation of Higher Educationin Europe which says that the social dimension of higher educationneeds ‘urgent attention’. Allan Päll, ESU Chairperson,said: “Countries need to make more investments into wideningaccess and increasing student success in higher education in orderto make progress towards the 40% education attainment benchmark for2020.”

ESU has always been strongly advocating more focus on the socialdimension in higher education policy. Päll:”ESU would like to seethat words and promises from governments are translated intoconcrete measures, such as sufficient budgetaryallocations.” The report, which was released on 16 September,now confirms that improved European wide monitoring and guidance isneeded in order to have a clear policies for widening access finetuned.

Great differences

The report highlights the great differences in Europeancountries in delivering effective student support schemes. Päll:”Many countries are providing insufficient grants and loans,limiting support to a minority of students or basing their supportpackage only on academic achievements.” Therefore ESUadvocates that funding reforms in the future should especiallyemphasise the social dimension and improve student support schemesfor all students. 

Päll concluded: “We fear that the current cost-sharing trendwhere students are asked to contribute more with each year andwhere student debt is reaching new records every day is deterringaccess to education for students with socially or economicallydisadvantaged backgrounds.” ESU strongly believes that inorder for to realise the vision of Europe 2020 of a smart,sustainable and inclusive growth, joint efforts on all levels areneeded.”