International Students Union

Contact:

International Students' Union of Norway, Lakkegata 3, 0187 Oslo, office: +47-98225998
open: 09:00 - 14:00
email: nationalsecretary {replace with @-sign}

isu-norway.no

org.nr: 892 438 072

ISU Norway stands with students’ community across the World

Ashish Singh, ISU HIO

In the wake of ongoing protest worldwide, ISU Norway also stands still with the international students’ community all across the world. After the protests in London against recent regulation on fee, Italy saw a huge protest against the proposed law by the government to reduce the huge amount of funding to the universities and make the education sector open for Private companies. The argument behind the proposed amendment comes from the background of the recent financial crisis and non-functioning of the existing university system. The reform cuts the number of university courses and faculties and reduces funding for grants. It sets time limits for research, overhauls the admissions system, increases the role of the private sector in university governance and limits the duration of rectorships. Italy spends less than 5% of its Gross Domestic Product on education - lower than many developed countries.

Students have held a number of demonstrations in recent months over the cuts, which some estimate will lead to the loss of about 130,000 jobs in the education sector. Whereas the Minister of Education Mariastella Gelmini said that these reforms are needed to equip the students for the job-market.

The battle over university reform has highlighted discontent over the future of Italy's youth, which has been fuelled by an official youth unemployment rate of around 25 per cent in the country and up to 35 per cent in the poorer south.

During the demonstration on Dec 14, 2010, cars were torched and shop windows smashed in street battles between protesters and riot police after the initially peaceful march descended into some of the worst violence seen in Rome for years. Some 41 people were taken into custody and almost 100 were reported injured in the action.

It is to be noted that in last few years Italy has seen increase in number of international students going to Italy. (in 2006, 49,090 students from different nationalities got enrolled )

Public Relations Officer of ISU@HiO Ashish Singh was present and took part in last two protests in Rome to show the support to the cause of students’ rights.

References: