Deze score (van 5) is een gewogen gemiddelde van scores op Psychologische Hulp, Actieve Aanwezigheid Op Sociale Media, Financiële Hulp, Bijles, Juridische Hulp, Bemiddeling, Voedselhulp, Organisatie van Buitenschoolse Activiteiten, en Hulp bij Counseling.

Deze score (van 5) is een gewogen gemiddelde van de scores op Lidmaatschap van een nationale studentenvakbond, Gebruik van structurele macht, Geschreven beleid of gemeenschappelijke praktijken, Uitvoering en resultaten van belangenbehartigingscampagnes, en Deelname aan het bestuur van de gemeenschap buiten een school.

Cette note (sur 5) est une moyenne pondérée des notes obtenues dans les domaines suivants : aide psychologique, présence active sur les médias sociaux, aide financière, services de tutorat, aide juridique, médiation, aide alimentaire, organisation d'activités extrascolaires, et aide à la consultation.

Cette note (sur 5) est une moyenne pondérée des scores obtenus pour l'adhésion à un syndicat national d'étudiants, l'utilisation du pouvoir structurel, les politiques écrites ou les pratiques communes, l'exécution et les résultats des campagnes de sensibilisation, et participation à la gouvernance communautaire en dehors de l'école.

Deze score (van 5) is een gewogen gemiddelde van de scores voor Actieve aanwezigheid op sociale media, Rechtshulp en bemiddeling, Organisatie van buitenschoolse activiteiten, et Hulp bij advies.

Cette note (sur 5) est une moyenne pondérée des notes obtenues pour la présence active sur les médias sociaux, l'aide juridique et la médiation, l'organisation d'activités extrascolaires, et l'aide à la consultation.

This score (out of 5) is a weighted average of scores in Active Presence On Social Media, Legal Aid and Mediation, Organization of Extracurricular Activities, and Counseling Assistance.

This score (out of 5) is a weighted average of scores in Membership in a National Students' Union, Utilization of Structural Power, Written Policies or Common Practices, Advocacy Campaigns' Execution and Results, and Participation in Community Governance Outside a School

This score (out of 5) is a weighted average of scores in Psychological Help, Active Presence On Social Media, Financial Aid, Tutoring Services, Legal Aid, Mediation, Food Aid, Organization of Extracurricular Activities, and Counseling Assistance.

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2024 Belgian Student Unions Index

The Belgian Student Unions Index is a graduate research project that ranks student unions in Belgium based on their overall performance in supporting students and representing their interests within university governance.

The Belgian Student Unions Index evaluates student unions in Belgium across various performance metrics, focusing on how well they deliver essential services and advocate for student representation. It is designed to provide a data-driven assessment that can be used as a benchmark for student unions worldwide.

The Index helps identify best practices, spotlighting unions that excel in both supporting their student body and ensuring students’ voices are heard within university decision-making structures.

For a detailed explanation of the metrics and evaluation process, click the button below.

Check the Methodology

Going Beyond Rankings

Beyond offering a performance ranking, the Index runs analyses to find correlations between student union effectiveness and factors like legislative frameworks, the structural power of students within the university, and financial resources available to unions.

Student unions are a critical link between the student body and the university administration, advocating for policies that reflect students’ needs and protecting their rights. A well-functioning student union can have a significant impact on student welfare, academic success, and the overall university experience.

By identifying these success factors, the Student Union Index provides not only a snapshot of performance but also the insights into what makes student unions thrive.

See the Insights

Methodology

The Student Union Index measures student unions on both their ability to provide services and effectively represent students. A union must excel in both areas—offering essential support for students’ success while also advocating for their interests in the institution’s decision-making bodies. A successful student union delivers a wide range of social, financial, and academic services, while actively defending student rights within the university’s governance.

University-based Student Unions

The Criteria

Services (0-5 points)

Student unions are assessed on their ability to deliver core services that directly impact the student experience. The following areas are evaluated:

  • Psychological Support: Availability and consistency of mental health support services for students.
  • Active Social Media Presence: Frequency and regularity of social media updates and student engagement.
  • Financial Aid: Availability of financial support for students.
  • Tutoring Services: Access to academic support through tutoring programs.
  • Legal Aid and Mediation: Availability of legal services or mediation support for students.
  • Food Aid: Consistency and availability of food support programs.
  • Extracurricular Activities: Range and regularity of student activities beyond academics.
  • Advisory Services: Access to university policy counseling and guidance for students.

The total service score is scaled from 0 to 5 points.

Representation (0–5 points)

Representation reflects a student union’s ability to advocate for student interests within the university and beyond. The evaluation includes:

  • Membership in a National Student Union: Whether the union is part of national student associations.
  • Utilization of Structural Power: How effectively the union uses its influence to create measurable changes or improvements in student-related policies.
  • Written Policies and Documentation: The presence and clarity of governance documents within the student union.
  • Advocacy Campaigns and Achieving Results: Success in executing campaigns that lead to tangible outcomes.
  • Participation in Community Governance: Involvement in governance bodies outside the university.

The total representation score is scaled from 0 to 5 points.

Excellence Bonus (0–1 point)

Student unions that offer innovative services beyond traditional expectations can earn up to 1 additional point. Examples include services like housing platforms, menstrual aid, tech support for students, or improvements in representation like earning students a right to vote for a rector.

College-based Student Unions

The Criteria

Services (0-5 points)

Student unions are assessed on their ability to deliver core services that directly impact the student experience. The following areas are evaluated:

  • Active Social Media Presence: Frequency and regularity of social media updates and student engagement.
  • Legal Aid and Mediation: Availability of legal services or mediation support for students.
  • Extracurricular Activities: Range and regularity of student activities beyond academics.
  • Advisory Services: Access to university policy counseling and guidance for students.

The total service score is scaled from 0 to 5 points.

Representation (0–5 points)

Representation reflects a student union’s ability to advocate for student interests within the university and beyond. The evaluation includes:

  • Membership in a National Student Union: Whether the union is part of national student associations.
  • Utilization of Structural Power: How effectively the union uses its influence to create measurable changes or improvements in student-related policies.
  • Written Policies and Documentation: The presence and clarity of governance documents within the student union.
  • Advocacy Campaigns and Achieving Results: Success in executing campaigns that lead to tangible outcomes.
  • Participation in Community Governance: Involvement in governance bodies outside the university.

The total representation score is scaled from 0 to 5 points.

Excellence Bonus (0–1 point)

Student unions that offer innovative services beyond traditional expectations can earn up to 1 additional point. Examples include services like housing platforms, menstrual aid, tech support for students, or improvements in representation like earning students a right to vote for a rector.

Final Score Calculation

The total score is derived from the sum of the service and representation scores, with both categories weighted equally. A maximum of 10 points can be earned, with an additional excellence bonus available for unions that demonstrate exceptional innovation.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to understand the scores?

While the Index encourages healthy competition, a higher rank does not mean the top unions are dramatically better than those ranked lower. In general, any union scoring above 50% is doing a good job, while those scoring 75% or higher represent outstanding student organizations. The unions scoring below 50% typically either do not post sufficient information about themselves online, or provide a bare minimum as student representatives and service providers.

What are the limitations of the Index?

The Index is not perfect. The collection of data was restricted to the online resources that included websites and social media accounts of student unions. Given the lack of access to internal data such as budgets, intranet content, and satisfaction surveys, the Index cannot capture a full picture of any given Union’s performance.

If a Student Union thinks that their score is not justified, they can request a re-evaluation by providing evidence of representation efforts or services provided that have not been taken into account by the Index.

Can student unions challenge their scores or request a re-evaluation?

Student unions can request a review of their scores if they believe there has been an oversight or error in the evaluation process. The request must be supported by substantive evidence that challenges the initial assessment. Please use the Contact Form to submit a re-evaluation request.

A Student Union X is not on the Index, why?

If there is no public data about a student union, it cannot be included in the Index. Student unions interested in participating in the Index for the first time can register by submitting a request through the Contact Form.

Why do only the top 10 unions have detailed descriptions?

The detailed descriptions focus on the top 10 unions to highlight what these unions excel at. There were 11 university-based and 45 college-based student unions in Belgium for which data was publicly available. Writing detailed profiles was easier for university-based unions because they have significantly more data available on them. But college-based unions tended to have lower median scores, with a significant drop outside the top 10, making it more difficult to write detailed profiles. As such, the descriptions of the top 10 unions are intended to serve as a study guide for unions that scored lower.

How often is the Student Union Index updated?

The 2024 version of the Index is the first one in history. The plan is to update the Index annually to reflect the most recent data and developments within student unions.

Will there be Indexes for student unions in other countries?

Possibly.

Contact Form

Do you have particular questions about the Index not addressed in the FAQ? Do you question the methodology? Do you think a certain student union deserved better? Write about it here.

Credits

The author of this research project is Oleksii Zahreba, the master’s student at Université de Montréal.

The project has been made possible with the funding from the Fonds de recherche du Québec.

Special thanks goes to the research advisor Fréderic Mérand for the continuous support and advice throughout the project.

The animated graphics on the main page are courtesy of the artist Nanoagency.

This website is part of a graduate research project funded by Fonds de recherche du Québec.