Lund University International Podcast

Timothy Parker (TP): Hello everyone, and welcome to the Lund University International Podcast. For today we have a special episode on student influence on life at Lund University. My name is Tim Parker, I'm an International Communications Officer here at Lund University, and I am very pleased to be joined today by two representatives and I will let them introduce themselves before we get into a bit of a discussion about student influence here at Lund. So, Emmy?

Emmy Svensson (ES): Thank you. Hi, my name is Emmy, and I'm the current president of Lund University's Students' Union Association. So this means that I'm working with my vice president and being the student voice towards the university and also on a municipality level and a regional level.

TP: Fantastic. Thanks so much, Emmy. And we are joined by another student here today as well?

Laurine Palomba (LP): Thank you, Tim, hi everyone. So my name is Laurine and I am currently studying in my Master's in Social Anthropology. But apart from that, I'm also a board member at the Social Sciences Student Union, which means that I'm working closely with the president and vice presidents of the Union in order to take care of everything that is more administrative and also to keep the union going correctly.

TP: Perfect. Sounds fantastic. So I think it's really amazing that we have an international student and a Swedish student here talking about student influence today. That gives us a really good cross-section of the diversity of student life at Lund University and to all our listeners as well. In case you weren't aware, but you're probably all aware, Lund University is really, really famous for its fantastic student life, and a really important part of that is student influence.

TP: So I'm so excited to be talking to both of you today. So perhaps we could let our listeners know a little bit more about your roles and what exactly you're doing with your unions or in your organizations and how that impacts the student influence at Lund. So basically, feel free to introduce your role and tell us a little bit more about what you do.

ES: Yeah. So LUS, which is the short name for my organisation, we're like the umbrella organisation for all the student unions in Lund. So the all the faculties have their own student union, for example, the Social Sciences Student Union. And then LUS works together to collect all the unions voices towards the University at a central level. So while the student unions provide student representatives at faculty boards and institutional boards, we're working towards the University board and the University Education Board and so on.

ES: So that's basically what the meaning of our organisation is. So we have kind of divided the student influence at Lund. So yeah, so the unions are working in faculty level and LUS is working on the university level, which gives everyone a more strategic way to raise issues at the right section.

TP: Fantastic. That sounds amazing. Sounds like you really do have a lot of influence and a large voice...

ES: Yeah.

TP: ...in what's happening at the University.

ES: Yeah, I would say that because in... with this organisation, this means that the students can be present at both the highest level and down to the smallest working group at the institutional level or a specific programme. So it's even from that to the big university board, which is the highest decision making body. So that's really cool, I think.

TP: Amazing. And correct me if I'm wrong, but there is actually a student representative that either works with the University board or gets to speak to the University board?

ES: They're actually... they're in the board. So we have three students being members of the board, and then I'm there as well. But I don't get to vote, but I still get to raise my voice. So we're four students present when the university board have their meetings, and that's really cool. And we we actually visited Finland for a few weeks ago together with the University management and the Vice-Chancellor and the Deans.

ES: And then we talked to Helsinki University and Aalto University, and they told us that they don't have students in their board and they were... and we got to tell them that in Lund we actually have. So that's nice.

TP: That is fantastic. I'm really, really impressed by you. And I'm so amazed to hear that.

ES: Yeah. So it's cool.

TP: All right. And then from an an umbrella organisation to a specific union, Laurine, do you want us to tell us a little bit more about your union as well?

LP: Yes, of course. Since I am a Social Sciences student currently I'm involved more in the Social Sciences Student Union that we have here at Lund University. So I arrived last year in Lund and I started being involved with something that is called the Representative Assembly. So basically twice a year, the union... this specific union has a meeting when we go through what the union has been doing, what our full time is, which is that people that are working full time there and engaging with the University and with motions to make the student voice heard.

LP: So we go through their work, see how it can be improved, and we vote on some matters, for example. After that I continue working in the more administrative part of it, with something that is called the Election Committee, which means that we were in charge of organising more formally the Representative Assembly. And I've also... I also took part in the event committee that we have here.

LP: I think it's a really good... it's eally good to say that unions also have a more like fun and events part of it, like we are here to like raise matters and raise our political opinions and everything. But we're also here to make students at the faculty have fun.

TP: Okay, nice!

LP: So we organise some kind of events as well for people to like, get to know each other and such kind of things. So I did a bit with this. This year, I'm being a board member, as I said before, which means that we are working with the president and vice presidents in order to check on a more regular basis what they are doing, how they are working with the political plan, with other students, with representing the political opinions of the union.

LP: And we make sure that everything is running smoothly and everything is going fine for them, in essence.

TP: Amazing, amazing work. So many fantastic activities that you're involved with there as well. And I really have so many exciting questions for both of you. You're doing such amazing work, and I really want to ask you a question about empowering students. Of course, feel free to answer this in any way, but I'm interested in how the unions help to empower our students. Laurine, perhaps you could start.

LP: Yeah. There's so many things to say about this. I think... so like the union is really important because it's where students are actually able to make a change at a university or faculty or department level, which is really important because for me at least, the fact that we have a voice and we are able to give our opinions on the way courses are designed; on the way like equality and diversity is achieved in our courses is really important because we have this perspective of being a student ourselves.

LP: And I think there is so many ways that you can actually like take part in this change as a union level. For example, at the Social Sciences Student Union, we have something called the student representative, which is for each department, for each each programme. We have one or two student representatives that are here. When the department have a board meeting with teachers, course coordinators and everything, they they go, they join these meetings and actually raise the concerns that students can have and really bring the students voice into the discussion, which is so important.

LP: And I at the same time, it's also something that I did because I got this opportunity. It's every I think it's every fourth year; each programme is being evaluated. And some teachers from other universities actually arrive to Lund and try to get opinions from the teachers, from the students on how the programme can be improved on a like more longer-term basis.

LP: And I get the chance to be part of it. And it was just fantastic to actually be able to reflect on what my experience was of the programme and how we could achieve; how we could improve on things like, for example, like making it more like sustainable and making it more inclusive for everyone. So it was really, it was really good to be able to give a voice and like be part of this change happening, I would say.

TP: That is amazing. That sounds like the perfect definition of empowering students. And Emmy, I'm curious to hear about your thoughts.

ES: Yeah, it's really nice to hear that. And I think one of the most beautiful things maybe I think about students' influence and the work we do today, will be the benefit for the future students. So sometimes work and changes takes time at university, maybe. And the things we... the issues we're raising today will maybe be better for the students in five or seven or ten years.

ES: And I think that's really nice to sometimes have the long perspective, because as a student today, often you get focused on right now, here, your course, what's going on, the matters. But I think being involved at the unions makes you think a little bit longer and look at it from a bigger perspective so that the changes and the voice and the topics that you discussed with your evaluation will maybe we make the time here at Lund for students next time better.

ES: And that's really good. And I also thought about the fact that we're being the student voice and that we have the actual legal right to be in the working groups and in the boards. That is something good because, if I'm not remembering wrong, it's in this Higher Education Ordinance, an act in Sweden that students have the right to be heard in every decision-making body that affects the education.

ES: But here in Lund we have actually... the University and the student unions have made an agreement that the students have the right to be involved in every decision making body and every preparatory body, not just the ones that are directly connected to the educations. So we're also in the Research Board, and in other working groups that might not be specifically connected to education, but it also affects the students.

ES: So I think on a higher, sort of general perspective, I think by this students are empowered through the unions because we're here and even if you're not a member of the union, we're working for your rights anyway. And so you don't need to take an active part, even though we think it's really fun. But we're working for your rights no matter what.

TP: Fantastic. It's so great to hear. So it sounds like what you're saying is there are opportunities for students to be involved. But even if a student doesn't want to be involved, the union is still going to help them and benefit their education and benefit their influence. So it's basically a win-win for everyone.

ES: Yeah, And also I think the student unions also provide support and help for individual students. If there is a specific problem at a course, or with a teacher, the students can come to the union, then they will help them to talk with the teacher or the head of department or someone in charge. So it's also kind of a supportive function for students.

ES: So we're not only working on like strategic and bigger questions, working with evaluations, we're also there to like raise students' voices if it's something wrong with like, their specific exam or something like that.

TP: Fantastic. That's so amazing to hear. And I'm really curious about how... you're both really, really active in a union and in LUS, which is great to hear. And I'm thinking about future students who might want to come to Lund. And I'm thinking, how can future international students or Swedish students for that matter, get involved in a student union or LUS? So maybe Emmy, you would like to start there?

ES: Yeah. So in the LUS, we have the student representative post at the central organs or boards. So usually a student starts at their own union and being active there and working with education surveillance, and then when they have maybe done a year or two, they want to try something new and work with it on a wider... on a wider scale.

ES: And that's when they come to us. But we also have a lot of students that are coming to LUS as their first student representative posts. So we have... you can get involved in both specific temporary project groups or topics that are very... for a short amount of time, or it's for those temporary - no, not temporary - those boards that are always here.

TP: Fantastic. So it sounds like there's different opportunities and different levels of time commitment that you can commit to as well.

ES: Yes. Some of them take a lot of time and some of them are like maybe one meeting per term or two meetings per term. So... but I also think at our organisation, LUS, it's almost only like political posts and we do not have any social events or things like that, because that's for those students who want to be involved in that kind of student life, they usually go directly to the student unions or the nations or the academic society, but we're only almost only working with the political posts.

TP: Okay, fantastic. Laurine?

LP: Oh, I think I'm going to talk a bit more about the Social Sciences Student Union since it's where I've been active, and yes, as Emmy really well said about this. It's... at the union, at the union level, we don't only have the education surveillance part. Like, it's the most important part of it of course, but we also try to work with the labor market and with more like social activities.

TP: Okay.

LP: So yes, you can either work with the like the more political side by being a student representative or you're working with like different boards at a faculty level or at a department level, or you can work more with the labor market, which is like trying to, like, connect social scientists currently studying with the current labor market. And I think it's also very important that we work on that.

LP: And then you have more of like the social activities. So organising some events for the active members or all members at the University level. And I would say, the fact that there is such a big range of positions that you can apply for, it is really good because you can really decide what you want to be active with depending on the time you have and also on the interest you have.

LP: So for example, if you want to really be like, being active in like, more politically and going to meetings and be like, be a representative for the unions and of your fellow students, then you can completely work with education surveillance. But if you want to be in a more... like organizing events either for the labor market or just fun events, then there's also these possibilities. And I'll say for a new student, it can be at first a bit impressive, like "Oh, can I be part of the union? Can I actually like do something?" And I would say of course. And the best way to go is at the beginning of each semester we try to have some like welcoming events, or you can just swing by the office and have some coffee and chat with all of us.

LP: And I think it's the best way to start because you realise that all of you can have the power; can have a voice there, and can be part of the change. So I think it's really good to just go there and and talk with us and yes, I think it's a good way to start.

TP: Yeah, I can imagine that it can be a little bit intimidating at the very beginning because it's a really big role and you can get really, really involved and take some responsibility. But what I'm hearing from both of you is that it's totally worth it and it's absolutely worth it to get involved and take the plunge.

LP: And I'd also like to add the fact that even if it seems like, "oh my God, it's a big, big responsibility", the full timers and the people working at the union are always here to run students through their responsibilities. You're never going to be put out there and try to figure it out. You're going to have meetings with them.

LP: You can always contact them with them if you're struggling with your position. So it's, it's at the same time being active and being part of the change and the political change. But also it's learning. You're always going to learn during your position. And yes, I really think that it's... everyone can do it. Yeah.

ES: And you also get... I think another thing that you get from being active in the unions and this, as a student representative or organising social events, you meet a lot of new people and you get a lot of new friends. And I think that is something really important as well because yes, it's important and fun to work with making a change, but you also get new experience that you might never have even had a chance to be a part of if you weren't active.

ES: So even if I said before that we're doing it for next generation of students, you're also doing it kind of for your own change and development because you get to experience and learn and learn how to act in meetings and work strategically with being the student voice. So that's, that's really cool.

TP: That's awesome to hear. And of course it's going to look really, really good on your LinkedIn and your resume and your CV as well, right?

ES: Yeah, hopefully!

TP: Perfect. And I have to also ask, because you're both mentioned it a couple of times about making friends and organising social events, that sounds like something that's really worth being a part of. You mentioned earlier, Laurine, the Ball, would you like to tell us about some fun social events or anything that you've been involved in with your union?

LP: Yeah.

TP: Perfect.

LP: So yeah, we try to have as many fun activities that we can have. So the first thing that we create, and this is more for the new students. So for you listening, it's, it's going to be nice for you to know about, it's having a Novisch Period. So basically it's, during one or two weeks, the unions organising some activities for new students. So it can be doing some boardgames, doing some outdoor games like, for example, like tug of war or like some games like this.

LP: We also try to have this, like, this dinner where like, all the new students can join and enjoy some nice food, some nice songs, and get to know each other, of course. And then there are some events that are happening more like sporadically during the year. So things can be like board games nights, it can be a coffee during the afternoon that you can just join and just talk with some people.

LP: It can be movie nights as well. And then there's more about, like, big official events. One thing that they do is the Ball that I talked about. It's really specific to Sweden, like, I didn't know about these kind of traditions before arriving here.

TP: Okay.

LP: But basically it's a really big formal dinner that they have in this big castle in Lund, AF Borgen, that you're going to see when you arrive.

TP: A Ball, in a castle? Wow!

LP: Yes, it's really, really fancy. And basically you get some nice food, some songs, some entertainment. And it's a really nice way for students to gather together and be there with their friends or meet new friends, of course. And it's also a time where, like, for example, the active members of other unions and of LUS, of course, are also attending. So it's a good way to to get to know them and get to know more about what they are doing and like start having some kind of like network, which is always good to have.

LP: So yes, I think it's...

TP: So many fantastic social examples there.

LP: There is a lot of fun activities that happen throughout the year, it's always fun to take part in it.

ES: Yeah. So during the year, the unions and the nations have... all the unions and nations have their own Ball. So during the semesters it's almost like one Ball every weekend. So that's really funny.

TP: One ball every weekend? Oh my god.

ES: Yeah. Almost. Because they're divided so they won't be happening at the same time. Because the place where it takes place, it can all be used by one union or one nation each weekend. So that's why they have split it into the whole year.

TP: So it's just balls every single weekend?

ES: Yeah, almost.

TP: What more reason do you need to come and study at Lund than that?

ES: Yeah, exactly.

TP: And was there anything else you would like to add about the social aspect of being in LUS as well? You mentioned making friends, some trips, that...

ES: There's... we have started working with the social events for our student representatives in LUS as well. But for our organisation it's more about, you get the chance to take part in the different bodies. So we're not working as much with social events as the unions and nations because our focus is the political work.

TP: Okay. Absolutely. And do you think there's anything that I haven't asked either of you about today that you think is really important to highlight about LUS or being in a union? I mean, you've both said some amazing things about your experiences. Have we missed anything?

ES: I think one cool thing about the student life in Lund is that it is ran completely by students, and some people are working full time and taking a year off their studies, but a lot of people are just doing it for free because it's fun. That's literally the reason, you get to be a part of the student life and you do it besides your 100% studies and you spend a lot of time on it and the things you get back is being involved, and that's really cool.

ES: You don't get any money, you just do it for fun, and it works, because everybody is contributing.

TP: Amazing.

LP: I completely agree with you... Yes, it's... for me, the best part of being part of the union is getting to be involved and getting so much experiences out of it. I just said like you get to be involved in projects, in meetings that you would perhaps never have been a part of beside of that. And also a really good thing, like talking about like, meeting friends and those things.

LP: I think it's a really good way also to, when working at the union, you also meet a lot of people that share the same views as you, either politically or just like, a view of the world and everything and for me it has been like so incredible to be able to have these like amazing conversation with these people.

LP: Also coming from different backgrounds, being from Sweden or being from any other countries in the world, it was just amazing to like get nourished with this perspective on this. It was, yes, truly amazing for me.

TP: That's so fantastic to hear. And I think that about wraps it up for today. So I really want to thank both of you for coming and sharing your experience. It's been an absolute pleasure to hear about the amazing work that LUS and the unions are doing. So thank you guys, so, so much for coming in and talking today.

TP: And I'm sure you've really inspired some future international students to get involved. So maybe your your participation numbers are going to surge next year because you've done such a fantastic job today. So thank you, and I wish you the best of luck in the future with LUS and also at your union.

Outro: Thank you so much for listening to this episode of the Lund University International Podcast. If you're interested in learning more about Lund University, you can go to our website, lunduniversity.lu.se. You can also follow us on social media on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. And you can also chat with our current students on Unibuddy. Don't forget to subscribe and we look forward to bringing you a new episode very soon.