Student Council KU Leuven pleads for maximum usage of lecture recordings where possible.
Read the full statement below:
Student participation is one of the most important pillars at KU Leuven to implement good and inclusive policies. It is no surprise that the student community is characterised by great diversity. Together with the faculty consultative bodies, we always try to focus on inclusion. This report, written in the framework of the institutional review (see infra), puts forward how the student representation includes students with different backgrounds, how it makes their voices heard and how student representation contributes to the theme ‘diversity and inclusion’.
Read the full report below:
Institutional review?
To continue to guarantee and improve the quality of education at KU Leuven, a lot of attention is paid to quality assurance. Maybe as a student you have already participated in a COBRA review for your program. But this year, the institutional review will also take place….
What is it?
KU Leuven will be visited this year by the Nederlands-Vlaamse Accreditatie Organisatie (NVAO). They will look at the quality of the educational policy at KU Leuven, as well as determine where there is room for improvement. In preparation, a critical reflection was made with the help of students, faculty and staff. You can read it here.
How does it work?
On Monday, November 22, an international committee came to KU Leuven for an exploratory site visit, where they formed a portrayal of KU Leuven and its context. This month, in March 2022, they will return with targeted research questions to further assess the quality of KU Leuven. Throughout the process, we as students will also be represented at the various KU Leuven councils and during the site visits.
Last Friday, Rector Luc Sels -as most of you have heard- came to our General Assembly to discuss all the concerns of the students regarding the corona approach. We would like to emphasize again that we as a student council are very happy with these measures, which above all show confidence in the student to handle the situation responsibly. Herewith a report of the main points.
On Friday a strong advice was formulated at GEMS (ed. the advisory group for the government on the corona approach) to switch to Code Orange as of today, which would mean that a 20% occupancy was allowed to remain in the auditoriums and our work lectures, practicals and the like would be suspended. In reality, this would probably have meant that many lectures would have had to continue online. KU Leuven, however, is taking a different approach:
On-campus education with online alternatives
KU Leuven chooses to continue to give students the opportunity to physically come to classes, but with the recommendation to occasionally follow online as well. In this way you help reducing the number of people in the auditorium. If you come to the auditorium, try to sit according to the stickers if the room allows it. This arrangement will apply to every KU Leuven campus, provided that the local crisis cells do not decide to adopt other measures.
“I hope that this way, on a voluntary basis, we can maybe factually go to 40-50% occupancy“, the Rector said.
Note: if there is really no other way, we may still have to stiffen measures, but with this joint effort, we are doing everything we can to allow classes to continue physically until the block period.
Why does the KU Leuven choose to proceed in this way?
Work lectures, labs & excursions
Study places in libraries and learning centers
The Exam period
To keep studying as affordable as possible for every student, and to give students a realistic view on the cost of their studies, KU Leuven wants to be able to provide data on the average cost for each program.
Therefore, we are looking for students who would like to keep track of their expenses for the purchase of study materials, study trips and internships for one academic year. In this way, students can get a better idea of the real costs of a programme or course.
Why is this project important?
In the video below, Zita, a dental student and representative, sums it up for you!
So, would you like to help your fellow students, or do you want to ensure that education remains affordable for future generations of students? Then be sure to join this initiative by contacting your Faculty Student Council or sending an email to studiekost@kuleuven.be.
What happens to my contribution?
With your help, every student will eventually be able to find the costs for study materials and other supplies in the ECTS sheet of a course. In addition, the aim is to address this topic annually in each Program Committee (POC), so that teachers and student representatives can keep an eye on the costs of a course together.
Every year, KU Leuven awards Honorary Doctorates to persons of exceptional merit in the scientific, social and/or cultural fields.
Double Celebration
In 2021, the ceremony, called the Patron Saint’s day, could not take place live. This year the celebration took place on February 2th. The honorary doctorates of 2021 have received their honorary doctorates this day, too. As students, we also nominate an honorary doctor every year. But, who are they?
Honorary Doctor 2022: Philippe Grandjean
Last year, the GA chose physician and environmental epidemiologist Philippe Grandjean to receive the 2022 honorary doctorate. He specializes in the health consequences of exposure to environmental chemicals. Currently, his research focuses on the link between exposure to chemicals and behavioral development, the immune system and metabolic abnormalities. You can read more about Grandjean here.
Honorary Doctor 2021: Kate Raworth
Her research focuses on the relationship between economic growth and today’s challenges such as social inequality, global warming and the disadvantage of developing countries. She is also known for her book “Doughnut Economics. Find out more about Raworth at kateraworth.com
Laudatio
The awarding of an honorary doctorate is accompanied by a so-called laudatio. This is a speech of praise
in which the supervisor of the honorary doctorate explains why this person deserves an honorary doctorate. Every year, the Student Council President records a laudatio for the honorary doctor of the students. The laudations are shown during the Convocation ceremony.
Curious about the other honorary doctorates of ’21 and ’22, or want to know more about the Patron Saint’s Day? Check the KU Leuven website. Below, you can rewatch the full Convocation ceremony of this year.
Soon, Vice-Chancellor of Sustainability Gerard Govers will write a new Sustainability Policy Plan together with the Sustainability Council. Our Sustainability Officer Liesa Vosch is also involved in this process. At the General Assembly on November 12, 2021, the FOs decided to submit the following points of interest from the Student Council for inclusion in the Sustainability Policy Plan:
Climate neutral by 2050
A Pioneer Role for KU Leuven
Evidence-based Information and Tools for Students
Consumption
More Green on Campus
Education
Sustainability Staff
Sustainable Funds & Investment Policy
New Sustainability Report
Transportation
Attention for Alternative Frameworks