AEGEE is a student association which often receives some help from the universities. Obviously, every Antenna enjoys a different support from a university and in this article we verify the situation of some Locals (AEGEE-Skopje, AEGEE-Rostov-na-Donu, AEGEE-Kyïv and AEGEE-Verona) which have a good relation with the universities.

Marija Davcheva, External Relations Responsible of AEGEE Skopje, tells us AEGEE-Skopje office is registered at the University SS.Cyril and Methodius Skopje, Faculty of Law’s address and they have their office there. Also, the Macedonian University supports her Antenna by providing the office and rooms on request for events/workshops and general assembly. The faculty also covers the costs, monthly bills for the office including the wi-fi network. The Antenna has not had any other financial support from the University yet. Instead, the University helps AEGEE-Skopje to collect more new members by allowing it to promote its activities inside the areas and the hallways of the faculties. AEGEE members usually make info desks in certain periods of the academic year, for instance the beginning of a new semester or before the SU applications, when the students are motivated the most and are looking for new volunteering opportunities. The University allows AEGEE-Skopje to make info desks in the faculty areas, as well as presentations for AEGEE activities in some of the classrooms at the University. Until now the Macedonian Antenna has not promoted any collaborations with the University like a foreign language course.

Anna Bespalova and Elena Efremova, Board members of AEGEE-Rostov-na-Donu, tell us their University guarantees some kind of support to the Russian Antenna by offering an annual grant for student project and international events. Then, the Russian Antenna takes financing from the University for the Summer Universities, NWMs and LTCs, and is provided accomodation, meals and transport. The University helps AEGEE-Rostov-na-Donu to collect new members by giving information about its events on the official website and let it spread its promo materials in the areas of the University. The University allows the AEGEE members to promote their association inside the areas of the same University by providing the space for presentations and let them print their promo materials for free.

Sara Bottacini, Board member of AEGEE-Verona, tells us the University allows the AEGEE members to promote their association in the areas of the same University although they do not receive any other kind of support. The ESU, an office which tends to give offsite students canteen and accomodation, leaves some space for the office of the Italian Local and funds AEGEE-Verona a little for its activities.

Iryna Sheremeta, Board member of AEGEE-Kyïv, says that the Ukrainian Antenna does not receive any kind of support from the University and it does not have sponsorship as well. AEGEE-Kyïv members do not get any financing from the University, but they get rooms for free and possibility to make their events there (Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyïv). Currently, they do not have an office but they are working on this. “We have good relationship with heading in the University after Autumn Agora Kyïv 2015, so hopefully we will get office for us” adds Iryna. The University helps them to collect more members because they do presentations about AEGEE in different universities in Kyïv. About the association promotion, they are placing posters inside the University and collaborating with student parliament. “In such a way we get promotion in University and on some events as well” says Iryna. 

Just close your eyes for a few seconds and think about nature on our planet. Do you see the glistering of the oceans in the sun, the colourful flowers in the fields and can you hear the birds in the forest? Amazing, isn’t it, what our planet looks like today? A source of life and diversity on all different levels and in different appearances…

From the beginning of our existence the human race has always put its stamp on the earth by changing the environment. With the growing world population and the consumption based economy there is no spot on the earth which is not influenced by us. Nowadays, humanity consumes the resources of 1.8 planets and we will need 3 planets by 2050 if the present trend continues.

A solution for this problem would be a more sustainable lifestyle and mind set. Sustainable means that the things we do right now could go on forever and don’t deplete the resources we have. Sustainability will increasingly determine the way we live, do business, vote and understand ourselves as a human species. The change to a sustainable way of living in this world therefore is the challenge of our generation.

University of Lund , Sweden

What could be a better place to start with the change to sustainability than universities? They are the institutes where our knowledge and understanding expands every day by research and teaching. Universities create knowledge to solve sustainability questions. Universities should practice what they preach, so be sustainable themselves as well.

Being a sustainable university goes further than separating the garbage and insulate well, education is a very important factor too. Students are important agents of change to steer the sustainability transition of universities and colleges. As Europe’s largest interdisciplinary youth organisation, AEGEE has a huge potential to sensitize students for the opportunities that the sustainability transition offers and how they can positively contribute to it.

Logo RootAbility

Are you challenged to make your university more sustainable? At the Agora in Patra the organisation rootAbility will conduct a workshop on how to make your own student driven change project possible. RootAbility is a social business which drives the sustainability transition of the European higher education sector, by establishing and coaching student-driven and staff-supported sustainability units, teams and projects. They believe that universities and colleges should create new knowledge to solve complex sustainability questions, educate the decision makers of tomorrow on relevant sustainability competencies, reduce the ecological and social footprints of running the organisation and assist regions in their sustainability transition.

Ever thought your university could do more with sustainability? Learn how to actively impact your university’s transformation process with your own student-driven change project!

Be the change!

What: Workshop Impact your university
When: Thurday the 1st of May
Where: Spring Agora Patra

Written by Iris Hordijk, Policy Officer on Sustainability