What is VVS?
VVS is the Vlaamse Vereniging van Studenten or the National Union of Students in Flanders - Belgium. VVS is a non-profit organisation.
VVS is recognised by a decree (Flemish law) concerning the subsidizing of students and high school students umbrella associations as the national student organisation representing all students in Flanders, the northern Dutch speaking part of Belgium. This recognition entitles us to a grant from the government of approximatly 200 000 euro. There are over 175 000 students in Flanders.
short history
VVS exists since 1938. The organisation went through different changes in membership (individual membership and umbrella organisation). Also the political focus changed over the years, from a fight for education in our own language, Dutch, to a very political organisation etc. In 1993 the student unions created the umbrella structure that still exists today. Since 1999 VVS is recognized as the official representation of all students in Flanders.
goals and aims
VVS represents all students in Flanders. For VVS defending student rights goes hand in hand with working on the democratisation of education and society. This means that for VVS everyone regardless of socio-economical and cultural background has the right to participate in the education of his or her choice and according to his or her talents. All financial or other barriers should be removed. VVS also strives to have democratically organised institutions of higher education with real student participation. The higher education provided should be of high quality.
VVS has the following goals:
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defending students' interests, without discrimination
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developing instruments to stimulate and defend democratisation
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strive for education of the highest quality
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fight for democratic higher education institutions with real student participation
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fight for a democratic society
structures
Students in the higher education institutions elect the student union. These elections are organized differently in the HEIs, but all students can vote. The mandate is one or two years. The student union mandates delegates for VVS. Every month the representatives of the different student unions ('studentenraden') gather. The General Assembly ('Algemene Vergadering''), the highest level of decision making in VVS, is where the policymaking happens.
The BM elects an Executive Committee ('Raad van Bestuur') and a chairperson who should take care of executing VVS’s policies and defending the different points of view of the organisation. The number of positions is not fixed. EC members are elected separately. Their mandate is one year.
The student unions gather ones a year for the annual Congress of VVS ('Congres'). Here certain topics are dealt with in an open and straightforward way. The aim is to give the General Assembly guidelines for the years to come. The conclusions of the congress are binding for the General Assembly. They can only be changed by a 2/3 majority.
VVS has also three permanent working groups, one on social affairs, one on educational affairs and one on international affairs. These working groups formulate positions and prepare policies, which the General Assembly has to ratify to make them official VVS policies. Depending on current topics ad hoc working groups will be used to prepare policies. We also have 2 platforms, one for students with disabilities and one for students from ethnic minorities.
The office of VVS is in Brussels. The secretariat consists of five people.
contact
You can find our contact details here.