Behind the numbers
The Studentenraad Universiteit Antwerpen made into the top-5 of the 2024 edition of the Index thanks to its excellent representation work. Although it does not provide many services, the Union excels in representing its students and effectively uses its structural power to improve various aspects of student life. The Union organizes its communication well and strives for transparency in its activities through social media and annual reports, a distinguishing feature among student unions that do not always prioritize communication in their work.
Due to budget constraints, the Union provides limited services. Nevertheless, the range available services includes the financial aid, irregular psychological help, counseling assistance, and the organization of events, as well as distribution of student packs with complementary goodies.
However, the union does punch above its weight in terms of representation. First, the Studentenraad Universiteit Antwerpen is a member of the Vlaamse Vereniging Studenten (Flemish Student Union). It has a subsection on the website of the Universiteit Antwerpen with its own menu and pages that go beyond a simple website describing the basic functions of the union. The statutes, policies and position papers are publicly accessible, and there is a library of materials to help new student representatives. The Union also publishes an annual report detailing its activities during the previous academic year. The report provides an insight into the Union’s advocacy work, which sheds light on its use of structural power within the University, as evidenced by achievements such as keeping canteen prices low, improving access to the library during exam periods, organizing Rector debates, and more.
A major recent achievement of the Union was the 2024-25 Student Survey on Hidden Costs and Student Concerns, which gathered insights from nearly 4,000 responses. This initiative represents a visible effort by the Union to be proactive in listening to students and learning about their issues, rather than reacting to problems as they arise.
The Tweaks
The latest report from the Union highlights budgetary constraints, which likely contribute to the limited range of services compared to other student unions in Belgium. To address this, the Union can prioritize cost-effective services that offer the greatest impact. Such services could include a psychological support facilitated by psychology students, occasional food assistance, or peer-led tutoring programs. While it is clear that the Union is making the most of its available resources, shifting focus toward services that directly benefit the most vulnerable students have the potential to further enhance the Union’s support system and overall effectiveness.
