In February 2021 three ENOHE colleagues met with representatives from the Student Alliance of Slovakia and the member of the National Council. The Student Alliance is hoping to set up an ombuds service for school students in Slovakia.
They put a number of questions to us in advance about possible models for such a service and the benefits or drawbacks of making such a service available. In addition to answering pre-prepared questions, we had useful discussions with the representatives.
The three of us were able to give views based on three very different models. Anna Rothwangl from Austria was able to talk about a central national office established by a government ministry; Bo Svend Gad Køhlert (Denmark) spoke about his student-focused role as Student Ambassador, but was also able to cover the different approaches in Scandinavia as a whole; Jean Grier (Scotland, UK) was able to talk about her role as a ‘campus ombud’ but also about the Scotland-wide approach required by the remit of an external ombudsman, and the different approach which had been taken in England and Wales.
We wish our friends in Slovakia every success with their new venture.
You can read some of our dialogue with the Student Alliance of Slovakia in the file below.