Student Journal: Reflections from the ESU Conference of Alliances
“Students should be included as real partners in decision making processes, not only as representatives who are consulted from time to time,” emphasises Gajur Memeti from South East European University in North Macedonia, sharing his reflections after taking part in the European Students’ Union Conference of Alliances in Malta, where he represented ChallengeEU. This year’s conference will focus on the theme “Leading Together: Strengthening Student Communities and Leadership Across Europe”. From 2 to 4 May, I had the opportunity to represent ChallengeEU at the ESU Conference of Alliances III in Malta. The conference brought together student representatives from across Europe to share experiences, exchange ideas, and discuss the role of students within European University Alliances. One of the main topics throughout the conference was student participation and the importance of giving students a more meaningful role within alliances. During the workshops and discussions on governance and democratic participation, we talked a lot about how students should be included as real partners in decision-making processes, not only as representatives who are consulted from time to time. There was a strong focus on creating alliances where students can genuinely contribute and help shape important decisions together with university leadership. As I bring these reflections back to ChallengeEU, there are two ideas from the conference that I believe could have a strong impact on our alliance. The first is supporting student-led initiatives through dedicated funding. One practice that stood out across several alliances was the existence of funding opportunities created specifically for student initiatives. Having dedicated calls for student projects would encourage students to develop their own ideas, collaborate across universities, and become more actively involved in the development of the alliance itself. The second is recognising student engagement more formally. Another important discussion focused on balancing academic responsibilities with alliance-related work. Many participants highlighted the need for student involvement to be recognised in a more structured way, whether through academic credits, financial support, or more flexibility from universities. Proper recognition is important in making student participation more sustainable and accessible for everyone. I am very grateful for the opportunity to attend this conference and represent ChallengeEU in these discussions. I hope we can continue building on these ideas and bring some of these good practices into our alliance in the future. Gajur Memeti
