ESU slams attack from Spanish newspapers...

Politics.be · 12 mei 2012, 13:30

... on student leaders amid doubling of tuition fees in Spain MADRID – The European Students’ Union (ESU) deems the content of several articles in the Spanish media very inappropriate as it jeopardizes the future of the student movement in the country. La Razón, one of Spain’s biggest newspapers published on 9 May 2012 a front page article which revealed many personal details of five national student leaders in Spain while criticizing the age and personal academic careers of the students.

Spain is one of the hardest hit countries during the ongoing economic crisis and students have seen tuition fees rise with 67% in the last months making higher education topic of a heated debate. ESU Chairperson, Allan Päll, said: “Even if one has a different take on higher education budget cuts, it should never be the case that students who are standing up for the rights of their fellow students and all future students are being nailed to the post like this.”

CRUE (the Spanish Rectors Conference) has shown their support to the student representatives and the students’ right to defend their demands without being intimidated as well. Spanish student movements are currently fighting hard against cuts in the public higher education budget and has scheduled several demonstrations and actions for the upcoming weeks. ESU, the umbrella organisation for 47 national unions, adopted a Statement on the Spanish students situation at their Board Meeting in Bucharest on 23 April.

This Statement sets out that even though CREUP, ESU’s Spanish member, understands that the Spanish government had to make hard decisions to reduce their public debt it does no agree that the voice of the students has been left out during the negotiations: “Student representatives have not had the opportunity to defend students’ interests and motivations and to participate in the elaboration of the measures. We already had an increase in tuition fees last year, but we will have to face next academic year a 67% increase in tuition fees.”

-- ENDS ---

For more information, please contact: Allan Päll, ESU Chairperson: [email protected] or secretariat@esu-

Bron: politics.be

12 mei 2012, 13:30	#1
Politics.be Redactie Geregistreerd: 27 november 2004 Berichten: 28.704	ESU slams attack from Spanish newspapers... ... on student leaders amid doubling of tuition fees in Spain MADRID – The European Students’ Union (ESU) deems the content of several articles in the Spanish media very inappropriate as it jeopardizes the future of the student movement in the country. La Razón, one of Spain’s biggest newspapers published on 9 May 2012 a front page article which revealed many personal details of five national student leaders in Spain while criticizing the age and personal academic careers of the students. Spain is one of the hardest hit countries during the ongoing economic crisis and students have seen tuition fees rise with 67% in the last months making higher education topic of a heated debate. ESU Chairperson, Allan Päll, said: “Even if one has a different take on higher education budget cuts, it should never be the case that students who are standing up for the rights of their fellow students and all future students are being nailed to the post like this.” CRUE (the Spanish Rectors Conference) has shown their support to the student representatives and the students’ right to defend their demands without being intimidated as well. Spanish student movements are currently fighting hard against cuts in the public higher education budget and has scheduled several demonstrations and actions for the upcoming weeks. ESU, the umbrella organisation for 47 national unions, adopted a Statement on the Spanish students situation at their Board Meeting in Bucharest on 23 April. This Statement sets out that even though CREUP, ESU’s Spanish member, understands that the Spanish government had to make hard decisions to reduce their public debt it does no agree that the voice of the students has been left out during the negotiations: “Student representatives have not had the opportunity to defend students’ interests and motivations and to participate in the elaboration of the measures. We already had an increase in tuition fees last year, but we will have to face next academic year a 67% increase in tuition fees.” -- ENDS --- For more information, please contact: Allan Päll, ESU Chairperson: [email protected] or secretariat@esu- Bron: politics.be __________________ Politics.be - Jouw politieke portaalsite