Learn more about student influence

Contact your student union to find out more about how to become a student representative.

Student unions and associations

As a student representative, you are appointed to represent students, mainly on issues related to education and the situation of students. Exactly what you are expected to be familiar with depends on where you are involved as a student representative, but it is always good to be familiar with the issues that the body you are involved with is working on.

Even if many meetings include issues that are not relevant to you, it is a good idea to familiarise yourself with the items that will be discussed at a meeting beforehand. Even if a question is not perceived to be about the programme or the students' situation, there may be things that are important to highlight from a student perspective. If you read the agenda and any supporting documents in advance, you also have the opportunity to contact your student union or find out more information before a meeting.

Contact your student union for more information on what is expected of you in your role as a student representative.

Student unions and associations

In your role as a student representative, you represent all students within the part of the University that you are representing. For example, if you are a student representative in a faculty body, you represent all students in that faculty. You therefore need to have information from your student union about who you represent, since you also represent doctoral students in many cases.

Contact your student union for support if you feel that you are not being listened to in your role as a student representative.

Student unions and associations

As a general rule, you always have the right to vote, but there may be exceptions. Therefore, you need to get information from the body you sit on. The body should give you information about what you are entitled to during a meeting.

No, as a student representative, you must represent students at the part of the University in question. Students will have different opinions and students' opinions may differ from those of the department. However, this does not mean that you are obligated to mediate – you represent the students as a group. If you need support in any situation, you can always contact your student union or the student and doctoral student representatives.

Student unions and associations

In many cases, student representatives do receive financial compensation, but this varies within the University. There are decisions on compensation for student representatives in University-wide bodies, as well as in certain bodies at the faculty and department levels. You will find information on this in the Rules for student influence, available on the page Laws and regulations.

For other bodies, which are not named in the Rules, the faculty or department shall have an up-to-date list of bodies and groups where the student unions are entitled to appoint student representatives. This list shall also include information on any financial compensation, and shall be reviewed annually in consultation between the University and the student union. For more information, please contact the head of the body in which you participate or your student union.

Student unions and associations

There is a form for reporting student representative assignments. In order for compensation to be paid for the correct period, it is important that you submit a report to the secretary or coordinator, preferably in connection with the last meeting of the semester.

Please note that there is a separate procedure and form for student representatives who receive monthly fees from the students’ union or the co-operation body of the students’ unions.

You can find information about the forms on the page Student influence.

It is the responsibility of the body to inform all of its members. If you do not receive the information you need, contact the chair and/or secretary of the body. If you do not receive information despite attempts to contact them, you can turn to your student union for support.

Student unions and associations

The University of Gothenburg is a decentralised university, which means that responsibility is often delegated from the Vice-Chancellor via the Dean to the Head of Department. In some cases, it is also delegated from the Head of Department to, for example, the head of a unit or the Vice Head of Department. This means that the work looks different depending on how the person who has been delegated responsibility chooses to work. It also means that the organisation and its bodies may be referred to differently.