GUE/NGL President Lothar Bisky this morning opened a seminar on higher education participation hosted by GUE/NGL and European Universities Network Campus Europae.

Bisky introduced his political group and set out its understanding of higher education as "a public good and a public responsibility". "For this reason, public funding remains the main priority to guarantee equal access. The situation in the member states varies widely in terms of fees and the possibility for students to obtain grants. The Bologna process didn’t change this much. We must all work together to reduce differences and achieve real equal access" he said calling for greater student influence not only in the teaching process but also in the field of research and administration.

The seminar saw participation from the European Commission, Eurostudent, the European Students Union, GUE/NGL MEP Gabi Zimmer as well as a delegation of Chilean student leaders campaigning for free education and constitutional change in Chile.

GUE/NGL Press Contacts:

David Lundy +32 485 50 58 12

Gay Kavanagh +32 473 84 23 20

Sonja Giese (DE) +32 486 94 50 21 

david.lundy@europarl.europa.eu

gabrielle.kavanagh@europarl.europa.eu

sonja.giese@europarl.europa.eu  

European United Left / Nordic Green Left

European Parliamentary Group

www.guengl.eu