Student participation

All students 

All students at HVL can participate and give feedback by: 

• participating during classes and in other meeting forums where the whole class meets with e.g. subject teachers, course leaders or coordinators 
• registering as a reference group member and giving feedback to the subject teacher/course coordinator 
• respond to subject surveys, the National Student Survey and other student surveys 

In addition, all students can speak up if they need to report unwanted or serious incidents. 

Student democracy

Student democracy represents all students in matters that affect student life. The various representatives have different areas of responsibility, but they all work together for the HVL’s students.

• The programme coordinator shall ensure that the students elect a class representative and deputy representatives for all academic year groups. If a programme of study is offered at several campuses, one student representative should be elected per academic year group at each campus.
• All study programme councils have student representatives
• You can stand for election as department representative, faculty representative and campus representative.
• We have student councils for all faculties and all campuses.
• Student representatives will be invited to seminars, discussion forums and other meetings at faculty and institutional levels.

Vestlandet Student Government Association (STVL) is the highest student body at HVL. Students at HVL are represented on all councils, boards and committees with the power to make decisions at faculty and institutional level. STVL also organises student representatives for these councils and committees.

Want to know more about student democracy and what it’s like to be a student representative? STVL has put together a representative handbook which can answer some of your questions.

Student Welfare Organisation and student organisations 

In addition to participating and giving feedback to HVL, students can also participate in other forums that affect the learning environment as a whole: 

• There are active student organisations on all five campuses. 
• Saman, the Student Welfare Organization in Vestlandet runs, among other things, fitness centres, kindergartens, health services, housing and cafes. Students make up the majority of the board, and the chairman of the board is also a student.