Video interview with ESU chairperson

In an interview with the Global University Network for Innovation, ESU Chairperson Ligia Deca speaks about student participation in development of higher education, soft skills learning, and ESU impact on education debates. See the video here.

“Students have an important role, but they only have this role if they are not regarded as clients, but as active and equal members of the academic community. So if they are allowed to be involved in decision-making, if they are regarded as active participants in the creation of strategies, programmes and curricula, then their role becomes crucial”, says Deca.

“It’s a conglomerate of issues: it’s about new modes of teaching and about what curricula we are assembling. It’s also about open resources. Universities shouldn’t make research papers a secret to be more competitive, but they should rather cooperate to have an overall higher level of higher education and benefit from the increasing diversity of the student body.”

The Global University Network for Innovation (GUNI)  is composed of the UNESCO Chairs in Higher Education, higher education institutions, research centers and networks related to innovation and the social committment of higher education. 179 institutions from 68 countries are GUNI members.