A lot of different things can be associated with LundaEkonomerna, like the Novice week or the eeeDays. However, the main purpose of the union is Educational Surveillance. I met Samuel Trönndal, Vice President of LundaEkonomerna’s board, and Sebastian Krook, the Educational Affairs Manager, to discuss what Educational Surveillance means, and to understand its importance.
So what is Educational Surveillance?
The main purpose of Educational Surveillance within LundaEkonomerna is giving the students’ a voice towards the faculty and the whole university. It is about representing the opinion of LUSEM students and working towards a better education.
What does work with Educational Surveillance look like?
Samuel explains that LundaEkonomerna is constantly gathering information about how the students experience their education. These experiences are gathered through reports, forms, and Speak Up Days, evaluated and analysed, and then discussed with the faculty. The work happens on different levels and ranges from university to faculty to department level and is divided between Samuel, Sebastian, and the Education Committee. During the interview, it becomes clear that we – the students and our experiences – really are the foundation of the changes happening within LUSEM and the entire university.
Besides, LundaEkonomerna is one of the student unions in Sweden that works closest with their school. According to Sebastian, LUSEM is, for the most part, very open and wants to hear what we have to say and a lot of changes have already been made. However, some decisions are very long term and can take up to five to ten years to implement, so you won’t see all the changes yourself. Nevertheless, Samuel and Sebastian want to spread the awareness that everyone’s voice makes a difference.
Main issues when it comes to Educational Surveillance right now
One issue that has been discussed lately is to revise the Bachelor of Business and Economics to make it more relevant. Samuel and Sebastian explain that right now, some students feel that what they learn doesn’t really apply to reality. The students want to learn how to apply the theoretical knowledge they gain in their working lives later on. The theories that are taught should be the ones that are being used in reality. Another discussion is about new learning forms, like case solutions and more interactive classrooms.
Another always hot topic is that the students want to have more study spots. The lack of places to sit down and study at are common at many universities in Sweden, but LUSEM has historically been lacking in providing students with enough study spots, something that has led to economics students taking over other faculties study areas.
What else is there you should know?
When asked why they enjoy working with Educational Surveillance, Sebastian answered that he wants to give something back to the school, Samuel agrees and wants to make a difference. And they do. The last Speak Up Days broke the record for the number of students involved, with over 800 forms submitted. Besides, LundaEkonomerna recently launched their first monthly update of the union’s achievement in terms of Educational Surveillance. There is also a brand-new tab on LundaEkonomerna’s website called “About Education”. Here you can read the reports made from the latest Speak Up Days.
Samuel and Sebastian conclude by re-emphasizing the importance of every student’s voice. If you ever want to express your opinions on school related matters, don’t hesitate to report it on LundaEkonomerna’s website. All school related matters are handled by the Education Committee, or by the Educational Affairs Manager and the Vice President. These people work with Educational Surveillance and its improvement. Sebastian, Samuel, and the Education Committee will have your back! And for those interested in finding out more about Educational Surveillance, click here.
