Change is a constant force that shapes our life, and it begins with the collective power of visionary individuals determined to make a difference. The 020 family is thrilled to introduce the newly elected, vibrant, passionate, and progressive candidates who were successful in securing a seat in the Student Council Elections of 2023 at the University of Amsterdam.
This year’s student council elections had a 16% voter turnout, the highest since 2014 and we believe that in an era where student activism is on the rise, 020 has emerged as a community promoting positive transformation within the university. Composed of an exceptional team of individuals, our party champions inclusivity, sustainability, and the empowerment of students from all walks of life.
After a stressful campaign season we are happy to announce that out of the 14 people who chose to run for the general elections at the UvA with 020, 7 successfully secured seats in CSR, FEB, and FMG’s boards. It is our pleasure to share with you a glimpse into the remarkable individuals who have been elected to lead this year’s Council from 020. Together, they bring a fresh perspective, innovative ideas, and an unwavering commitment to creating a university environment that fosters growth, creativity, and social progress. Here is the list of candidates who got elected:
CSR: Ihab Laachir – Accessibility and Inclusion
Ilab’s focus is on striving for a more centralised accessibility policy at the UvA. He aims to push for the implementation of accessibility measures that the university’s faculties urgently require. He is a pioneer among students and students with disabilities taking an initiative in the university’s policy process from the beginning till its execution.
FEB: Brody Xin - Improve quality of education
Brody’s focus is specifically on the university’s guess correction method used in exams as it fails to accurately reflect student’s understanding of the course content, resulting in lower exam grades. He is determined to encourage the university to make use of conducting a comprehensive study on the guess correction method and use varying examination formats which allows students to prove their merit.
FMG Social Sciences: Julie Barikmo - Quality of education and Mental Health
Julie’s focus is to make quality education accessible to everyone, particularly students suffering from mental and physical health problems especially after COVID-19. Her fundamental question is, “How can we make use of online tools while still ensuring the quality of education for all students?”
FMG Comm Sci: Diana Burduja - Stress relief and Mental health improvement
Diana’s focus is to ensure enough time and stress relief resources are provided to students after their exam period. She proposes a lecture-free week following exams to provide adequate rest and rejuvenation period for the students at the university.
FMG Psychology: Natalie Kotova - Promoting Mental health awareness
Natalie’s focus is on the lack of mental health resources and facilities that are available for students at the university. She aims to promote creating a safe space on campus where students can share their mental issues without the fear of judgement and organise campaigns to promote mental well-being.
FMG Child Dev & Educ: Serena Song - Advocate for inclusion of all students in Dutch courses
Serena’s focus remains on the lack of access to Dutch courses for international students. She suggests initiating internal communication with the coordinator of Dutch courses to make them accessible for all students, providing more opportunities to international students in their future professional prospects in The Netherlands.
It is also important to mention our 8 other exceptional candidates who participated in this year’s Student Council Elections with 020 but did not get elected.
FEB: Alexia Fodor
FMG Social Sciences: Conor Barry
FEB: Abhijit Raghu
FMG Social Sciences/CSR: Sonja Andrea Kuijt Huaman
FEB/CSR: Joaquín Beláustegui
PPLE/CSR: Maria (Mash) Zotova
FMG Social Sciences/CSR: Kiara Marques Ferreira
FEB/CSR: Beris Bajrović
While this is just a glimpse into the incredible candidates who form the backbone of this year’s campaign season at 020, if you would like to read more about the aspirations, policies, and initiatives proposed by these exceptional candidates you can visit our instagram account with mini interviews from the candidates!
Lastly, another big congratulations to all of the elected and unelected candidates for the 2023 campaign for showing up and setting an example of change. They decided to take a step closer towards change and we wish them the best of everything for their upcoming responsibilities.
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Article by Manavi Khanna
