Uni Elections 2022

Every year more than 120 students are elected to fight for a better study environment and stronger subjects. They play an invaluable role in safeguarding that our university offers the best possible university experience for students. But the Uni Elections is for more than just student politics. Our lecturers, researchers and staff are choosing their own representatives through the Uni Elections.

Students are elected to three types of democratic bodies: the Study Boards, the Academic Councils and the University Board.

Study Boards

The Study Boards organize all subjects at the university. The study regulations created by your Study Board organizes your courses, determining for example the content of your course and the exam forms. Applications for dispensation and merit are reviewed here too.

Academic Councils

The six Academic Councils deal with academic concerns at faculty level – research, education and sharing of scientific results. They assemble academic committees, assess applications for research positions and assign Ph.D. positions and doctorates.

The Board

The Board of the University of Copenhagen is the university’s highest authority. Of the 11 members of the board, two are students. Each year one student is elected to sit on the board for a two-year period.

Before the Uni Elections the Student Council’s candidates for the various institutions are chosen. For the Study Boards it is the local councils that chooses who will represent the Student Council. For the Academic Councils it is the faculty councils who choose the candidates. Because there is only one student elected per Uni Elections, we choose a top candidate at the Student Union's General Assembly, usually held approximately one month ahead of the Uni Elections.

The Uni Elections itself lasts a week where all the students at the university is able to vote electronically. Each student can vote for representatives for their local Study Boards, for the Academic Council at a faculty level and to the University Board. Most places it is only the Student Council who run candidates for the bodies. It's still important that as many students as possible votes. It shows that we support the candidates and that we stand together to work for the best possible education. Other places we are not the only ones who stand for election. There are party political organisations who wishes to gain influence at our university. In those cases, it is particularly important to vote, so that we can get representatives who represents all students' interests, not just a narrow party political interests.

At the end of the week we get the results – how many voted and who got elected? During the next year, the elected students are responsible for representing the students' interests in the bodies. Sometimes it can be lonesome to be the only student voices in the room. Therefore, the Student Union regularly host open meetings and workshops to give the representatives the tools to create real change.