PARTISPACE Evidence paper 1: University Student Network, Bologna
Year of production: 2018
Image is illustrative: Pexels
A significant proportion of the Bologna youth population is made up of students. There are formal mechanisms for election of student representatives within the University, and this example is an extension of these formal arrangements.
This project is a sub-group of formal Student representation. USN is an association established by a group of students of the School of Political Sciences in 2013. The main objective of the association is promoting inclusiveness and providing a safe and secure place where there is open opportunity for discussion.
They also support participation in the elections and in the University student councils; organization of meetings between students and experts on topic such as gender theory and social recognition; they hold debates or seminars on cultural themes or current events; they show films and support social and cultural actions in the urban space. They have around 50 members, age between 21 and 26. All of them are university students. The proportion of boys and girls participating is more or less equal.