Promoting the Student Statute

The Student Statute, which is currently in its negotiation phase, is a charter of rights and obligations that shapes the University Student Council. This national council will be the most senior entity for institutional participation by university students through their representatives and associations.

The University Student Council will be chaired by the minister and in theory it will include two students from each public and private university and representatives from the main student associations. Similar bodies are also planned with responsibilities at the regional level.

Many students see the Student Statute as a long overdue recognition of students and student associations. The drafting of the statute to represent students’ rights and obligations and to create the University Student Council has been awaited since the Universities Act (Ley Orgánica de Universidades) was modified.

In January 2009 the Ministry published a draft statute that has been sent to the most representative student associations in the field of higher education, including the Coordinator of Student Representatives from Public Universities (CREUP), the Federation of Progressive Student Associations of Spain (FAEST), the State Confederation of Student Associations (CANAE) and the Students’ Union.