Your voice counts! Howest takes student participation - participation of the students in the operation and functioning of Howest – very seriously. As a student, you can express your opinion, your idea, your remarks or comments almost anywhere and about anything. Who are we looking for? Everyone actually: critical minds, quiet workers, strategic thinkers, cheerful doers... from all programmes and all years. The objective of student participation is simple: Make Howest as good as possible for all students at all levels. A voice in (almost) everything The starting point of Howest is not difficult either: we never decide on the students without involving the students themselves. Or briefly: never about students without students. Student participation takes place at 3 levels: at study programme level at campus level at the level of Howest Howest encourages it when you make your voice clearly heard! You choose where, when, how often and how clearly you do so. A voice in your study programme Each study programme has a participation commission where students engage in conversation with the study programme staff. The subjects are by definition study programme-related: the structure and the implementation of the study programme, the spread of assignments and tasks, the creation of the examination schedules, the assessment of excursions, … Usually, the study programme staff takes the initiative (at least twice per academic year), but also students can request to convene the participation commission. Each meeting is followed by a report and … a follow-up. Each study programme organises the participation commission to its own discretion (with representatives, per class,…). Your study programme coordinator will have the pleasure to explain it to you. A voice in the campus At campus level too, you have a voice in the campus participation. The subject list is endless: a remark about the arrangement of classrooms and buildings, an idea for the cafeteria, a hint for the IT team, a suggestion for the cook, ... That’s the place where you can express your wishes! Some more examples: compliments for the maintenance team, ideas for an improvement, wishes for summer or winter periods. Just say so! Do not hesitate! Keep an eye on your mailbox. Invitations will come through a few times a year. A voice in Howest The Student Council focuses on the general operation and functioning of Howest. They are the interlocutor of the management and maintain close contact with the student councils of other education institutions through the Flemish Association of Students. In the Student Council, you will find (elected) student representatives who have and give an opinion on really everything. The Student Council confers with Howest on everything that concerns the students: the Education and Examination Regulations, the enrolment fee, quality care, student coaching, rights and obligations of students, educational innovation, communication, plans and initiatives of the university of applied sciences … The decree on higher education provides that the Student Council gives ‘advices’ that the university of applied sciences subsequently starts working with. This is an opportunity the Student Council is eager to use. In addition to their ‘seat’ in the Student Council, student representatives also sit (with voting right!) in the administrative bodies of the University of Applied Sciences (Supervisory Board, Stuvo Council). Moreover, the Student Council also sends people to the Flemish Association of Students, the General Assembly of the Ghent University Association ... The agenda of the Student Council is always surprising. Anything may and can be discussed and dealt with, as long as Howest and/or the Howest students (may) benefit from it. More information? Are you warming up to student participation but you are still in doubt? Do you have a question about how our participation bodies work? Do you want to know where to go with your comment or idea? We will gladly guide you! Do not hesitate and contact us via studentenparticipatie [at] howest.be (studentenparticipatie[at]howest[dot]be)