New student leader faces great challenges

Isabel Alejandra Díaz will never forget the spring of 2020. Like other students at the University of Iceland she had to work on her studies in the difficult conditions caused by the Covid Pandemic, including finishing her BA thesis in political science and Spanish. In addition to this, she has been at the forefront of protecting the interests of students in the current social crisis, as she was recently elected the president of the University’s Student Council. Furthermore, she will serve as student representative on the University Council for the next two years. Isabel looks forward to taking on the challenges she faces during her term, which happens to be the Student Council’s centennial. She is adamant that the authorities need to secure proper funding for the university to ensure that Icelandic students are on the same level as their peers in Nordic universities.

Isabel matriculated from Ísafjörður College in 2016 and enrolled at the University of Iceland a year later. She says she had no ambitions to get involved in student politics even though she was familiar with them. “The student organisation Röskva contacted me and invited me to a presentation, I attended and this got the ball rolling. I applied for the position of new student representative on the board of Röskva in October 2020, and I have been involved with them ever since,” says Isabel, who has served as the vice-president of Röskva and a reserve member of the Student Council before she was elected president of the council this spring. She is the first student of international origin to take that position.

Ready for the challenges of changed social conditions

When asked why she decided to stand as a candidate for the presidency of the Student Council she says that she is very enthusiastic to take on the current challenges. “Student politics have been very lively for the last 2-3 years, with successes reaching outside the university walls. We have managed to get the attention of many, we have been quoted in Althing and the university community has undergone various changes. My time as a student has involved a lot of student politics, and I knew that I wanted to work for the student body even though I was finishing my undergraduate studies. In February/ March it became clear that the near future held a lot of uncertainty due to the situation in our society and I knew I was ready for those challenges. I saw no hindrances and I believed this was the optimum way to use my strengths so I stood for the election,” she says.

Alongside her position as President Isabel will also serve as one of two student representatives on the University Council, thus having access to influence the operations and policy of the university. “Decisions taken there concern us and often directly impact students. It is important that we have a voice, and in recent years this has been of great importance. Of course sometimes there are difficult issues, but mutual understanding is key to reaching solid conclusions,” she says.

Isabel says that students face many burning issues, concerning COVID-19 and the social impact of the pandemic, and various long term practical issues. She says that she will have four or five main issues that she will focus on as President. “The registration fee at the university needs to be lowered so the university is on equal footing with Nordic universities; Icelandic students pay up to five times more to study at a public university than students in the other Nordic countries, in some cases we pay more than the tuition at private universities in neighbouring countries,” she says.

“Students must be made eligible for unemployment benefits. The Student Council has established that a part of students’ salaries go to the Unemployment Benefits Fund, as with all working people, yet students are not eligible for benefits,” says Isabel and adds: “This means that there is no safety network in place in case of a setback or a future pandemic – this needs to change, we need a long term solution,” says Isabel. She points out that working students were eligible for benefits in study breaks until 1 January 2010, and claims that the change made then should have involved students not paying into a fund where they cannot get any benefits.

A more sustainable university community and improved mental health services for students

Another important issue for students is a more sustainable university community where students are able to access most important services locally. “We have high hopes for the U-pass this year, a public transportation pass for students, and we hope it will greatly reduce the need for private cars. This is a great start alongside the fitness centre opening up on campus. We are also hoping to get a low budget supermarket to the area, a great convenience for students, inhabitants in the student apartments, university staff, and the companies in the area. We have also suggested health care facilities be opened up on campus,” she points out.

Mental health issues are also of great concern to students and Isabel says that the University has taken important steps in that area in the last two years. “The President of the Student Council is currently a member of a group where mental health issues are being discussed and funding for that field. This is an important issue for students because this affects their wellbeing; their mental and physical health. Many students work alongside their studies to be able to afford their expenses, but this can lead to serious stress and pressure on students.” She adds that the university has tried to meet students halfway in the difficult circumstances during the pandemic; “reacting with speed and efficiently, with little or no preparation - a fact that it is important to keep in mind,” Isabel adds.

Too many students work too much alongside their studies

Isabel also points out that university studies are full employment, but the student loan system and circumstances in Iceland make it difficult for students to focus all their energy on their education. Students support the system changes involving the foundation of the Education Fund for students (Icelandic: Menntasjóður námsmanna), which would entail a system of funding and grants similar to what is found in the Nordic countries. This would mean that upon the completion of studies 30% of the capital of student loans would be cancelled. “This has been a demand from students for many years and we have pointed out that the principle behind the Student Loan Fund that it be self-sustaining is unfair. The Student Council has shown that if the incentive system works students will enter the work market sooner and therefore pay more taxes and lower costs in the education system, up to about 1-3 billion Ikr. Our opinion is that this money should be put back into the fund to ensure that students can get good loans and a reasonable standard of living,” she says.

Far too many students need to work alongside their studies despite taking study loans, because the loans do not suffice. Their income then lowers the amount they can get loaned, creating a vicious circle whereby students need to work even more to make ends meet. “We hope to see this change with the foundation of a new fund, whose board will stipulate new arrangements and amounts for study loans.”

The underfunding of the university has led to deterioration in the quality of teaching, counselling, study facilities and specialised services,“ says Isabel and adds that the lack of funding causes fewer courses to be an offer which can adversely affect study progress.

Ensuring more funding for the University is essential

Isabel points out that the increased number of students at the university in the autumn term of 2020 is a great challenge. “We need to be vigilant so that this increase doesn’t cause a lowering in the quality of the education. No such problems have become apparent yet, but it is obvious that action will be needed. A similar situation arose after the crash of 2008 and we must avoid mistakes that were made then and ensure a better outcome for higher education and the student body,” says Isabel.

To ensure that the university can fulfil its basic commitments it is essential to increase funding for higher education.  “The underfunding of the university has led to deterioration in the quality of teaching, counselling, study facilities and specialised services,” says Isabel and adds that the lack of funding causes fewer courses to be an offer, which can adversely affect study progress. The underfunding of the university in any form is a serious hindrance to education,” she adds.

Former Student Council members make their mark on society

As already mentioned the Student Council celebrates its centennial this year, and Isabel hopes that social circumstances well permit a fitting celebration this autumn. “It is clear that the celebrations must continue, students deserve it as well as all those who have contributed to the work one way or another. There are many former council members who have made their mark on society – starting out in student politics. The fact that students have been looking out for their own interests for a century is noteworthy, and should be celebrated. A lot has happened in these years, we are a leading force and we will continue fighting the good fight,” she says.

The foreign service attractive

Isabel most certainly had reason to be happy last June, as she was among the candidates who received their graduation certificates in Laugardalshöll. She can now boast of a BA degree in political science, with Spanish as a minor. In her final dissertation she combined her fields by researching the independence struggle in Catalonia. Isabel concluded there that there are no legal obstacles to independence, but the staunch resistance from Spain and the lack of cohesion in the region will stand in the way of independence for a while.

What are Isabel’s plans when her term as council president ends next year? She says that she is obviously interested in politics, but also in the history, language and culture of various societies and how they have evolved over time. “This is integral to political science. Comparative politics are my favourite, because they provide an opportunity to widen your horizon in so many ways. There are many ways in which politics and systems of government are complicated and different, and therefore I plan to take a master’s degree in International Communication here at the University of Iceland next year, alongside my second year on the University Council. I would like to take my second year in the master’s programme abroad on an exchange, but after that the field is open, as it is I think a career in the foreign service is an attractive option,” she concludes.