News
Read about recent OBESSU events, activities, conferences, advocacy work, workshops, political representations, seminars…
Latest news
Amplifying School Students’ Voices in Europe and Beyond – December 2025
Despite the sweet sound of Christmas bells and the inviting smell of cheese fondues, the OBESSU team has not yet given into the temptation of starting its holidays in advance. On the contrary, the whole office has been quite busy, wrapping up any loose ties left and preparing for the year ahead!
Amplifying School Students’ Voices in Europe and Beyond – November 2025
As the year winds down and festive lights start to appear across Europe, the OBESSU team has been full time busy — tracking policy developments, pushing students’ perspectives forward, and tying up the last loose ends before the holiday break. Here’s a glimpse of what we’ve been up to this month!
SBIM Training course in North Macedonia
People always give me strange looks when I tell them that instead of releasing some post-exam stress, I travelled to a small Macedonian town to participate in a training course.
To be fair, the weird looks are totally understandable. It is not a usual choice – but let me tell you why you should definitely choose a training course organised in a remote town over the comfort of your own room!
Press Release – “Shaping a just, peaceful & sustainable future” starts with Student Rights
As the educational community gathered to engage in a variety of activities in the frame of the Global Education Week (GEW) 2025 under the theme "Shaping a just, peaceful & sustainable future" the Organising Bureau of European School Student Unions (OBESSU) takes the opportunity at the closing of the week to once more call stakeholders to take all possible actions towards the recognition of the fundamental role school students play in this process.
Three out of five Serbian secondary schools are in critical condition, shows new “Crisis School Traffic Light” by UNSS
Belgrade, October 2025. The Union of Secondary School Students of Serbia (UNSS) has published the first results of the “Crisis School Traffic Light”, a monitoring tool designed to track the state of students’, teachers’, and parents’ rights in secondary schools across the country. The findings reveal a deeply worrying picture: three out of five schools assessed in the pilot phase were rated as being in a critical condition, signalling systemic and institutional deterioration within Serbia’s education system.
Amplifying School Students’ Voices in Europe and Beyond – October 2025
Despite the falling leaves and grey skies, the OBESSU team remains full of energy, working hard to make sure that European education policies effectively reflect the students' perspective. Here is a quick recap of what the advocacy team has been up to in the past month, along with upcoming opportunities to get involved!
Intersectional Leadership in Action: Reflections from OBESSU’s Training in Mollina – by Nadin Suljić
I, Nadin Suljić from ASuBiH, had the opportunity to participate in OBESSU’s Training Course for International Officers, which took place alongside seven other partner organisations during the University on Youth and Development in Mollina, Spain, from the 14th to the 21st of September. The event brought together 15 representatives of school student unions from across Europe, creating a unique and diverse space for dialogue, learning, and reflection.
Empowering Youth Voices: A Journey of Collaboration and Inclusion in Mollina – by Lana Radović
This year, once again, OBESSU was welcomed by the University on Youth and Development to take part in the event held from 14th to 21st September in Mollina, Spain, focusing on the annual theme of Empowering Youth for Digital Safety. Out of around 250 participants of the event from across the world, 15 of us young individuals from Europe gathered to work together on some of the most pressing issues facing today’s society. The workshops organised by OBESSU included discussions on feminism, gender equality, intersectionality, discrimination, and, more broadly, fundamental human rights.
Amplifying School Students’ Voices in Europe and Beyond – September 2025
Do you wish to have an insight of the latest policy updates and OBESSU’s advocacy efforts?
Take a look at what we have been up to during September - including events and policy initiatives, or mark your calendar - listing out upcoming meetings and activities of interest. Have your say - through ongoing open consultations and surveys, or check out useful policy and education centered Resources - tools and information materials shared by Civil Society orgs and Institutions.
ELNE – Policy Recommendations & Start of Year 3
On the 17th of September, the Educational Leadership Network Europe (ELNE) closed its second year with the adoption of Policy Recommendations addressing the need to establish an EU level definition on collaborative school and education leadership. We now look forward to new activities, as the 3rd year has kicked off. Check the article for more information about the Recommendations and what is the theme chosen for the 3rd year of activities.
State of the Union (SOTEU 2025) – What lies ahead for learners across secondary education, VET and apprenticeships?
On the 10th of September, the current Commission President - Ursula Von der Layen, was welcomed at the European Parliament seat in Strasbourg and gave her first State of the Union Speech under her current mandate.
As OBESSU, we work closely with institutions in ensuring that school students and student unions are engaged and represented across a variety of EU initiatives. Thus, we use the opportunity provided by this process and dive into the different areas and streams covered within SOTEU. What lies ahead and how will and can the way forward impact realities for students and learners across Europe or even beyond the region.
