The student democracy at HVL

The student democracy at HVL is built up as a system of elected representatives covering every level of the institution. Student representatives are elected at class level, department level, faculty level and university level. The elected representatives are involved when important decisions that affect the students are made.

Read more about the Student Democracy of HVL

Elected Class Representatives (KTV) represent the students in their study programme and intake, and raise any problems that the class may have. They are in contact with their Elected Department Representatives.

Elected Department Representatives (ITV) represent the students in their department and study location. The ITVs sit on two student councils: the local Student Campus Council and the Student Department Council in their department. Two ITVs are elected per department in each study location. ITVs stay in touch with their Elected Class Representatives, keep them informed about current issues and escalate problems higher up the line.

Elected Faculty Representatives (FTV) represent the students at their particular faculty. Two Elected Faculty Representatives are elected per faculty, and act as chairs of the Student Faculty Council (SFR) at their particular faculty. The FTVs act as the link between the Elected Department Representatives and the faculty. The Elected Faculty Representatives sit on the Faculty Council of their particular faculty as student representatives. 

Elected Campus Representatives (FTV) represent the students at their particular campus. Two Elected Campus Representatives are elected per campus, and act as chairs of the Student Campus Council at their particular campus. The CTVs act as the link between the Elected Department Representatives and HVL at their particular campus. The Elected Campus Representatives sit on the Campus Council of their particular campus as student representatives.

The Student Council

The Western Norway Student Council (STVL) is the highest student policy body at HVL, and is made up of 20 permanent representatives from the university’s five campuses. The Student Council meets five times a year, and makes resolutions regarding general policy on behalf of the students at HVL. The Student Council also elects representatives for central councils and committees, and responds to consultations in the university and college sector.

Representatives on the Student Council are elected in the autumn student elections via a ballot, which means that every student at university has a say in electing the representatives. A total of 10 representatives are elected from Bergen, 5 from Førde/Sogndal and 5 from Stord/Haugesund, for a term of a full calendar year.

Read the partnership agreement between the Western Norway Student Council and HVL (in norwegian)

Executive Committee (AU)

The Executive Committee is the executive body of the Student Council. It works to push through the policies and issues on which the Student Council has made resolutions, and other issues relevant to the organisation. It is made up of seven students, five of whom work full time and two part time. The Executive Committee has offices on every campus and can be contacted every weekday between 09.00–15.00.

Councils, boards and committees at HVL

On every council, board and committee which has decision-making authority at HVL, students must represent a minimum of 20% of those entitled to vote. The Student Council is the electoral body for the central councils, boards and committees, and it organises and elects student representatives for these committees. The Student Council elects students for the University Board, Learning Environment Committee, Education Committee, Suitability Committee, Appeals Board, etc.

Student Faculty Council for the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences

The Student Faculty Council is made up of all the Elected Department Representatives at the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences (FHS) These represent the 4,600 or so students in the faculty, from the Førde, Sogndal, Bergen, Stord and Haugesund campuses

The Student Faculty Council is chaired by two Elected Faculty Representatives, who are in regular contact with the management of the faculty and the rest of the student democracy. They raise issues that are important for the students of the FHS, and speak on their behalf. Read more here 

Partners

The Student Council is the highest student policy body at HVL, and it is also there to represent the interests of the students at HVL to affiliated organisations. For example, STVL is a member of the Western Welfare Parliament and the National Union of Students in Norway.

Western Welfare Parliament

The Western Welfare Parliament is the student policy body that works with welfare policy for all the students at the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences. Since most of the higher education institutions have decided to bring their welfare services together under the Student Welfare Organisation (Sammen), the students also got together and set up a body that can present the needs of all the students at the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences to Sammen, the municipalities and the county authorities.

National Union of Students in Norway

The National Union of Students in Norway (NSO) is the national student policy organisation which works on behalf of students and represents them to the Storting, government, Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education (NOKUT) and other national agencies involved in higher education. STVL is a local branch of the NSO and every year sends delegates to NSO executive workshops and the annual conference. In the same way as STVL is the electoral body for boards, councils and committees at the university, the NSO is the electoral body for national boards, councils and committees.

Student Council, University and College Network of Western Norway (Studentrådet UH-nett Vest)

The aim of the University and College Network of Western Norway is to help to improve higher education and research at the institutions, through a binding network partnership. The network is made up of the education institutions of HVL, University of Bergen, Volda University College, University of Stavanger and University of Agder. NLA University College and VID University College in Oslo are also associated members. The network has a student council made up of the leaders of the student democracies at the respective educational institutions. The aim of the student council is to work together on relevant political issues, regionally and nationally.

Jelle Sebastian Bruin, leader of the Student Council

Telephone +47 908 71 706

Send email

Student Council website (in norwegian)

Follow STVL on Facebook (in norwegian)