Through strong connections with study associations, participatory bodies, and national politics, UReka strives to voice a well-informed, critical opinion on the policies presented by the executive board and initiates the change the student community of the UT desires to see. UReka sees the university as a platform for self-development and inspiration, where students should receive a world-class education from motivated professors in coherent modules, where internationalisation creates a new perspective and teaches all students what it means to be inclusive and live in a globalised world, learning from each other through face to face interaction.
Party Programme 2023
Vision
Education
Student-Wellbeing
Currently, the student psychologists are the most used facility. UReka notices that students sometimes ask for help only when they need it urgently, and not as a precaution, to take care of themselves. However, the UT has several lower-threshold facilities than the student psychologists to support struggling students. Unfortunately, many students might not be familiar with these low-threshold facilities, which is a major concern for UReka. UReka will keep urging the Executive Board to communicate clearly which mental health aid facilities the UT offers and how students can reach them. An example of this is a flowchart, which the Executive Board made after the last student well-being initiative was brought forward by UReka.
In order to make sure that students are repeatedly made aware of these trainings, UReka believes that the University should continue to regularly promote and support these programs. UReka also recognizes the need for support following after these training sessions. Students who assist their peers, such as Confidential Contact Persons and those who completed the Look After Your Friend Training, may run into challenging circumstances for which they require support or direction. According to UReka, the UT should be aware of this and take proactive steps to provide assistance, such as designating a SACC contact person for these students.
Housing & Facilities
Recently the UT has also recognized this problem and developed a plan to increase capacity in the short and long term. UReka will monitor the execution of these plans closely. In the annual discussion on the UT’s real estate development plans we will push for the prioritization of Sports and Culture facilities.
Campus
Growth
Digitalisation
Moreover, we must also pay attention to the tools and software utilized within the courses. Thus, it is essential to remain up to date with state-of-the-art software licenses in order to ensure students at the University of Twente have access to the latest tools and resources that can enhance their learning experience.
In parallel, we aim to improve the applications used throughout the University to ensure their relevance and smooth functionality in terms of user-friendliness, efficiency, and responsiveness.
Activism
Sustainability
Furthermore, the UT needs to create awareness about responsible energy usage among the UT community through an active campaign emphasizing the importance of responsible energy usage. Creating a culture of sustainability on campus in combination with innovative technical solutions is key to realise our goals as the UT.
Communication & Transparency
Next to gathering student input more actively, the UT should also facilitate student initiatives. UReka especially observes that many students have great ideas, but do not know who to contact to realise them. Hence UReka desires more clarity on who can be contacted within the UT when students have ideas or initiatives. The goal is to make it easier for students to work out their initiatives together with the UT. UReka itself is always open for ideas and student initiatives and connects students with the right UT departments and employees when we receive student input.