Students of the Universitat de València are represented in several governing bodies, through which they participate in the institution’s decision-making processes. These bodies are the Student Council, the student councils of centres, the Senate, the faculty or school councils and the department councils.
At the SEDI, in addition to providing information about the election procedures for student representatives on each body, we offer a training programme for the student representation.
It should be noted that the participation in these bodies, along with the fulfillment of the established training requirements, may lead to the recognition of ECTS credits.
The Student Council
The Student Council is the highest student representative body at the Universitat de València.
It comprises all students who are members of the Senate and representatives from each centre, elected by the corresponding centre or school student council.
The functions of the Student Council include, among others, defending students’ rights and interests, proposing measures and initiatives to improve students’ conditions, and contributing to the promotion of activities and resources related to the university life.
Composition of the current Student council
The centre Student Councils
The centre Student Councils are the highest student representative bodies in each faculty or school.
They are composed of:
- Representatives elected by undergraduate and official master’s degree students who are enrolled in the faculty or school
- Students who are members of the Senate and were elected in that centre
- Students who are members of the centre council
- Students representative in the departments affiliated to the centre
The functions of the centre Student Council include, among others, proposing budget allocations for student sports and cultural activities at the centre, taking appropriate measures to defend students’ rights and interests, and being heard on all matters affecting students at the centre.
The Senate
The Senate is the highest representative and participatory body of the university community.
It is composed of the Principal, who chairs it, the general secretary, the manager, and a maximum of 300 members, 77 of whom are elected by and from among the students.
The students representation is distributed proportionally among the faculties and schools, according to the number of students registered at each centre.
The functions of the Senate include: defining the general guidelines of university policy, approving the fundamental regulations of the Universitat de València and supervising the management of its governing bodies.
How are student representatives to the Senate selected?
Every two years, elections are held for students representatives to the Senate. Students at each centre vote for the candidates standing for their election at their respective faculty or school. You can consult the regulations and any other information on the website of the Electoral Commission of the UV.
It should be mentioned that Sedi manages grants for the electoral campaigns of student candidates. These grants must be applied when the candidacy is submitted.
The faculty or school councils
The faculty or school councils are the highest governing bodies of each centre.
They are composed of the dean or director of the centre, who chairs the council, and a maximum of 60 members, 30 % of whom are students.
The functions of the faculty or school councils include directing and supervising activities of the centre, electing its government bodies, approving academic planning, managing resources and budgets, proposing new degree programmes, and resolving matters affecting the functioning of the centre.
Departments
Departments are teaching and research units comprising all professors from a same field of knowledge. For the collective functioning, they have a department council and a Permanent Board.
The department council is the highest governing body of a department. Is composed of all professors and representatives of teaching and research staff in training, research staff in training, the technical, management, administration and services staff assigned to the department. It also includes a number of students taking courses taught by the department, in a number equivalent to 25 % of the total membership.
The permanent board is in charge of the ordinary management of the department. It is composed of the direction and representatives of the teaching, technical, management, administrative and service staff, but also by students, elected among the members of the department council.
