As a student or staff member, you can stand as a candidate for two participatory bodies: the Faculty Council of Humanities and the University Council. In both cases, you represent the interests of students and staff members and contribute ideas to policy. Are you considering standing as a candidate for the University Council or the Faculty Council of the Faculty of Humanities? Candidate nominations for the 2025 elections will take place on 8 and 9 April. Students serve a one-year term, staff members serve two-year terms. A term runs from 1 September through 31 August, corresponding with the academic year.
Levels of co-participation
University Council
The University Council is the central participatory body of the university, consisting of both students and staff members. The Council has various tasks and authorities, including advising on and consenting to major policy proposals made by the Executive Board. Furthermore, the Council monitors the quality of education and research overall.
Faculty Council of Humanities
Within the Faculty of Humanities, the Faculty Council is active. This council represents students and staff members within the faculty and engages with decision-making processes related to faculty policy, education, and research. The student section of the council specifically represents students’ interests, ensuring their voice is heard in decision-making.
Standing as a candidate
Students
For both councils, students can only stand as candidates through the party-based system. This means you can only become a candidate by joining an existing student party participating in the elections, or by establishing a new party. You therefore cannot participate independently or as an individual candidate.
If you wish to become a candidate, please contact one of the student parties active within the council you are interested in. They determine how their candidates are selected and in what order they appear on the electoral lists. The parties also handle the submission of required documents to the electoral office. Therefore, as a candidate, you do not have to arrange this yourself, but you must be available at the time of candidacy. In 2025, this will be on 8 and 9 April.
Staff members
As a staff member, the term of office is two years. In 2025, there will be no elections for the staff section of the University Council, as these took place in 2024. New elections for staff members will be held in 2026. You then participate via the party-based system.
For the Faculty Council, the situation is different. These elections will take place this year. Staff members participate in the elections on an individual basis. You therefore stand as an independent candidate, without intervention from a party or list. You will personally submit a statement of consent and supporting statements from five colleagues. If the number of candidates is equal to or fewer than the available seats, the candidates are automatically appointed.
To think freely is great, but to think together is better