If you’re hearing about this for the first time, you might be wondering: What exactly is a political program, and why does the student union need one?
Simply put, the student union represents students’ views and goals on issues that matter most to them such as the functionality of learning spaces, access to student welfare services, and the quality of student housing. A political program brings these perspectives together and ensures that our advocacy work is consistent. It helps us promote students’ interests both locally and nationally, year after year, moving in the same direction.
The political program is one of several key documents that guide the student union’s activities. Others include the budget, strategy, and action plan. Together, these documents outline policies, instructions, and measures that steer our work.
You might now be asking: Isn’t the student union politically neutral? Yes—and that means we are not affiliated with any political party or group. Our advocacy is carried out independently, while considering diverse viewpoints.
However, many student-related issues are inherently political. For example, the availability of affordable student housing or the level of financial support for students are matters influenced by political decisions.
Our current political program dates back to 2017, so an update has been long overdue. The Representative Council is responsible for renewing and approving the program.
This autumn, a working group made up of Student Union Board members and Representative Council members has been drafting the new program. The process has progressed well, and the updated political program is now under review and open for comments by the Representative Council. The final decision on its approval will be made in December 2025.
You can find the current political program, as well as other important documents in the Documents section of the HAMKO website.