What motivated you to get involved with the University Board? 

Through the student association that I chair, I became acquainted with the University Board, as the previous chair was a student representative on the board. Through her, I was introduced to the various bodies that students can be elected to, and received 1:1 accounts of the work as a student representative. I found it extremely interesting, as I have always been involved in positions of trust. Without the personal connection to the board, I doubt that I would have been involved in it, as people didn’t talk about it so much at the university at the time.

What matters and topics do you work on?

In the one and a half years I have been on the board, the Master’s programme reform has gotten a lot of attention. And AAU's position in the security policy agenda has also been a recurring topic.

What does someone who’s considering running for one of AAU's governing bodies need to know? 

It’s important to keep up to date on what’s going on in your area of representation, that is, among the students you represent. If you are elected to the board, you represent all students at the university, so it’s important as an elected representative to engage in dialogue across degree programmes and faculties to ensure that all students have a voice. 

What are the advantages of allowing students to be on the University Board?

You gain in-depth knowledge of the university's structure and work procedures, and in-depth insight into the rationale and the political forces behind decisions. The board is a good opportunity to network across the university and nationally.

What role do you play on the University Board? 

I’m a student representative and, along with the other student representative, represent all students at AAU. We try to ensure that decisions take into account students' perspectives.

As a student representative on the board, you are also part of the Study Environment Council where topics much closer to the student body are discussed. 

How much time do you devote to the University Board? 

It varies greatly depending on the schedule of meetings. In a month, it can be 25-30 hours with both board meetings and associated pre-meetings, study environment council meetings and network meetings. For most meetings, there are extensive agendas with large appendices that you need to read beforehand.

What would you say to students who are unsure about getting involved in student politics?

Get in touch with your local student political association and start getting involved there. I think it's better to start locally, so that you get a better understanding of student political work before you get involved in something like the university board.