Letter from the Chairperson [ESC30]
Dear participants of the ESC30,
The general aim of the convention was to provide a better understanding of the agenda after the Yerevan ministerial conference, mainly on the priority on Student-Centred Learning and the European Union as a political actor. We hope you had the chance to improve your knowledge on the latest developments and to network with professionals in the field of higher education.
As you know, a priority for ESU during this year has been the Student-Centred Learning (SCL) approach, as a paradigm shift in higher education, both at the political level but also at the implementation aspect. Now we can say that SCL is also a priority in the Bologna Process, as reflected not only in the Yerevan Communiqué but also on the revised European Standards and Guidelines for quality assurance or the new ECST users’ guide. ESU’s PASCL Project, presented during the ESC, aims to assist in implementing sound Student-Centred Learning strategies and approaches at institutional level and to foster a culture of SCL in higher education institutions across Europe.
During the ESC we also explored the Paris Declaration of the Education ministers of the EU – which reflects on the role of education for fostering inclusiveness in our societies, learning to live together and promoting tolerance and understanding. On these lines the Education and Training strategy of the EU, ET2020, is being revised at this very moment, trying to balance out the different purposes of higher education. We could not leave Brussels without tackling the answer that us as students and members of our higher education institutions can give to the refugees who try to find in Europe a future that was taken away from them in their home countries.
Finally, I would like to thank the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Commission, the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Council of Europe for the their support. Last but not least, I would like to thank the ESU crew, including both staff and hacks, none of this would have been possible without them.
Sincerely,
Fernando Galan
Chairperson European Students’ Union
