Your voice, your education: Make yourself heard during the participation elections!

This is the moment for you as a student to exert your influence.

At THUAS, students and staff have a legal right to a say in decision-making. This is facilitated through the participation system, which consists of three levels: the General Council (Hogeschoolraad), the Faculty Councils, the Service Council and Centres of Expertise Council (also known as sub-councils), and the Program Committees. In almost all these councils, exactly half of the seats are reserved for students—with the exception of the Service Council and Centres of Expertise Council. These bodies advise management and co-decide on important matters.

Studying is more than just hitting the books

Sadaf Heidari, a second-year International and European Law student, decided to take matters into her own hands last year. She ran for election and secured a seat in both the General Council and the Faculty Council of BRV (Public Administration, Law, and Security).

"I discovered that our advice and consent actually carry significant weight at this university," Sadaf says. "The board truly wants to hear the opinions of students and staff. To me, being a student at a university of applied sciences is about more than just studying. We must participate in the governance process because if we don’t speak up, they won’t know what we want."

What does the participation body decide on?

The topics handled by the participation bodies are very diverse, ranging from approving holiday dates to consenting to the budget. Sadaf highlights the Education and Examination Regulations (OER/EER) as one of the most important documents the General Council reviews.

"This is the legal document that contains everything regarding our grades and the examination boards," she explains. "Every year, as a council, we provide our input on this. We read the document thoroughly to ensure there are no loopholes and that it works in the students' favor. It’s a big but essential task. we do this specifically to prevent future problems for students."

Additionally, the participation bodies address current student "pain points." Following up on and resolving all incoming complaints is seen as one of the Faculty Council's most important agenda items.

Why you should vote, especially now

During the elections, you can only vote for candidates from your own faculty. There is a good reason for this, Sadaf argues. "Candidates from your faculty know the pain points, the students, and the programs better than anyone. They represent your voice in the council. If you choose someone who is easy to approach and talk to in the hallways, you can raise your issues directly. Everyone benefits from that!"

How do you cast your vote?

The voting process is very simple. Today, you will receive an email from WebElect containing a unique link that allows you to cast your vote directly. If you are eligible to vote for multiple councils or committees, you will receive a maximum of three ballots in that same email. You then have until Tuesday, 2 June, 11:59 PM to officially submit your vote.

Check the list of candidates per electoral district here.

Announcement of the results

Curious to see who your new representatives will be? On Monday, 8 June at 3:00 PM, the Participation Election Committee will officially announce the results in the presence of the Board of Trustees.

You are more than welcome to attend the announcement in the Speakers’ Corner in the main building. If you cannot be there in person, the results can also be followed online.

More information

Would you like to know more about the elections and the schedule? You can find more information here. You can also always contact the Participation Election Committee.