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Students rely on a rapid agreement on the EU budget
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BRUSSELS - "The negotiations on the budget of the European Union cannot be stalled any longer as tens of thousands of students enrolled in mobility programmes face financial uncertainty in the upcoming academic year," says Karina Ufert, Chairperson of the European Students' Union (ESU).
ESU would like to remind European policymakers how important it is to process an amended budget for 2013 as swiftly as possible. The European Commission has estimated that 126 million euros are needed for the Erasmus and Lifelong Learning programmes in 2013 to cover the necessary payments. Go to full article  
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Do you want to write an article for ESU and the Council of Europe? Send your proposal before 1 June!
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STRASBOURG - We are looking for proposals for articles in several categories on key themes concerning student engagement in contemporary Europe. We request that the interested applicants send their propositions of maximum 400 words for articles to us before 1 June 2013. The applicants are also requested to submit their CV or a biography.
Applicants will be notified of the status of the process by 15 July 2013. The final articles are due on 15 December 2013. Go to full article
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Foreign students are easy targets in UK immigration policy
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LONDON - International students have had to suffer the consequences of the British government's immigration policy as the possibility to attain a two year post-study work visa has been removed and credibility interviews are used to cut down student numbers.
The United Kingdom issues between 200 and 300 thousand visas each years and international students are therefore easy targets in the government´s attempt to reduce net migration to the country from "hundreds of thousands" to "tens of thousands".
Go to full article
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Students flock to universities fearing controversial reforms
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AMSTERDAM - Registrations for studies in higher education are expected to rise twenty per cent in the Netherlands in the upcoming academic year when compared to the present one and a survey among high school students indicates that more students plan to rush their university studies due to controversial educational reforms planned by the Dutch government.
The reforms include major cuts to the grant system for students in the Netherlands and abolishment of student benefits, such as free access to public transportation. LSVb and ISO, the national unions of students in the Netherlands, and the European Students´ Union (ESU) have protested this policy of the Dutch government fiercely. Go to full article
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Europe needs to protect students from persecution
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BRUSSELS - All students and governments in Europe should express their solidarity with persecuted students and establish a scheme that enables them to complete their higher education in their host countries and universities, says a new resolution adopted by 47 national unions of students in Europe.
The resolution was adopted at the 64th Board Meeting of the European Students Union (ESU) held in Budapest from 25 to 28 April. The national unions of students, that are members to ESU, called for the freedom of expression to be respected. Go to full article
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A Norwegian student housing project sets an example for Europe
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OSLO - The European Students' Union (ESU) is very pleased to hear that the Norwegian government plans to invest 100 million NOK in 400 new housing spaces for students. Last year, 15.000 people were registered on waiting lists for student housing in Norway and the numbers have only been expected to rise as private housing gets more expensive.
The revised national budget for 2013 was introduced on 7 May in Norway. The construction project will be partially financed by the government but mainly by rent paid by students. Non-profit student welfare organisations in Norway will manage the project. Go to full article
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Europe should engage in a dialogue with Belarus
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MINSK - Belarus cannot be isolated from the higher education system in Europe. Instead European stakeholders and policymakers should engage in a dialogue with the country's higher education authorities, academics and students. This was the conclusion of a seminar organised by the European Commission on 16 May in the capital Minsk.
The seminar was organised to present the latest developments in the country's Bologna process and discussions within the Bologna Follow Up Group (BFUG). Belarus has applied to join the Bologna process but the application has been on ice since January 2012, partly due to a lack of independent student representations and limited academic freedom. Go to full article
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Students call for a sustainable employment policy
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COPENHAGEN - Unemployment among graduates is close to ten per cent in Denmark, which is surprisingly high in a Nordic context. Stakeholders fear that there is a mismatch between the graduates' skills and the perceived demand of the labour market.
The European Students' Union (ESU) organised a national debate and a study visit to Denmark from 17 to 18 May in relation to its project on Student Advancement on Graduates Employability (SAGE) where those concerns were raised. Go to full article
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Students included in ENQA's review panels
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BRUSSELS - Students are an integral part in any quality assurance processes as the main beneficiaries of higher education. This is underlined in the pool of experts for reviews that are coordinated by ENQA (the European Association for Quality Assurance). At least one student will take part in every review panel. Ten student members from the Quality Assurance pool of the European Students' Union (ESU) participated this month in a two day training session organised by ENQA. The aim of the training was to increase the participants' understanding and knowledge of the European Standards and Guidelines (ESG).Go to full article
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A second call for SiS Catalyst internships prepared
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BRUSSELS - The European Students' Union (ESU) has invited potential host organisations to join the SiS-Catalyst Internship Programme and made suggestions for activities that would be relevant to the project's aims. Therefore, a second call for internships will be launched in the near future as part of the project. Go to full article
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Discrimination based on homosexuality must be brought to an end
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BRUSSELS - The European Students Union (ESU) calls on the United Nations and the Council of Europe to introduce and support a resolution calling for an end to discrimination based on homosexuality and for all citizens of Europe to pursue their life choices freely and without fear or personal danger. Go to full article
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