The European Students’ Union
How you and your student union can help give
people equal opportunities in higher education
EqUiTy Handbook
How yoU and yoUr STUdEnT Union can HElp
givE pEoplE EqUal opporTUniTiES in HigHEr EdUcaTion
The European Students’ Union
The European Students' Union (ESU)
rue de la Sablonnière 20
1000 brussels, belgium
T: +32-2-502 23 62
F: +32-2-706 48 26
sac@esu-online.org or
secretariat@esu-online.org
iMprinT
EqUiTy Handbook
printed in brussels, november 2009
content: Jenny björk, Hartwig
brandl, inge gielis, yonatan green,
alma Joensen, ben vulliamy, olav
Øye
coordination: yonatan green
Editing and proofreading: yonatan
green, alma Joensen, corinna
karlsen, olav Øye
layout: linus rowedda
cover illustration: are Edvardsen
The Equity handbook is part of the
project Equity in higher education
from a student perspective (StudEq).
This project has been funded with
support from the European commis-
sion.
This publication reflects the views
only of the author, and the commis-
sion cannot be held responsible for
any use which may be made of the
information contained therein.
TablE oF conTEnT
1
introduction .................................................................................................... 5
2
about the Equity project ............................................................................ 8
3
what do we mean by »Equity«? ............................................................... 11
4
reality check: Underrepresented groups and obstacles .................. 16
5
campaigning for equity in higher education ....................................... 22
6
The international influence ...................................................................... 34
7
Equity in the student union ...................................................................... 43
8
Examples from national unions of students ....................................... 56
9
ESU’s work on equity .........................................................................