Student participation

What is the AstA and what’s its job? Everybody talks about it but only few know about it. According to the university law of Rhineland-Palatine the student body is to:

• Enable the forming of opinions among the students
• To represent the interests of its members in university and society
• To advise students on conducting their studies
• Comment on university politics
• To represent disciplinary, cultural, economic and social interests of students
• To promote gender equality and help to eliminate existing discriminations
• To promote university sports
• To cultivate multi-regional and international relations between students

The student parliament [StuPa] is the decision-making body of students. It consists of two representatives per department, who are directly elected by the student representations of departments. The StuPa makes decisions and resolutions, supports the AStA and elects the student representatives for the administrative council of the student social service. Being the most senior committee of the student body, it represents the opinion of all students of the university. Queries, suggestions and requests can be submitted through a petition to one of the two student representatives of your department. They will then be discussed and decided on in the StuPA. You can also submit your case straight to the StuPa by e-mail: stupa(at)hochschule-trier.de

All student members of a department elect a student representation of their department. These representatives are responsible for all queries and problems of students concerning studies and also represent the students interests within the department. The departments also organise different events such as first semester welcomes, collecting and lending lecture manuscripts, old exam papers, examination and internship protocols as well as departmental parties and sports events.

The departmental council advices and decides in all matters of the department of fundamental significance. To be able to fulfil this role to the best possible degree the departmental council can form committees, e.g. the committee of study and teaching, the examination board or the budget committee.

The departmental council as well as the committees are made up by professors, employees of the department and representatives of the students of the respective department.  By participating as a student representative in this committee, you can contribute your own ideas, requests and interests!

The senate is responsible for all matters concerning the entirety of the university:

• General objectives of distribution of staff and financial means
• Comments on suggestions by the departments on the appointment of professors
• Resolutions on the establishment, change or abolishment of study courses
• Composition of a general development strategy for the university

The senate constitutes the following permanent disciplinary committees: appointment committee, budget committee, library committee, committee of study and teaching, committee of research and development, building committee, IT-committee.

Student representatives can get involved in the senate itself as well as in all its committees.

Student representatives can also contribute in the following committees:

• Quality management system group
• Quality commission
• Round table of service units

A central tool of quality management are the regular student surveys conducted by the University of Applied Sciences Trier. They include:

• First semester survey
• Lecture surveys
• Service surveys
• Graduates survey

Student feedback is very important to us. On its basis, we develop and improve the quality of our services, our courses and the individual lectures.