Sefa Student Party
Sefa’s Student Party is one of the parties at the Faculty of Economics and Business, competing for places in the faculty student council (FSR) on behalf of Study Association Sefa.
Our passion for empowering Dutch and International students to connect and perform their highest potential is in our party’s mission. Our slogan “Building student success together!” exemplifies what we strive to accomplish: a strong sense of academic, social, career, and civic success for all economics and business students!
We happily invite you to discover our party programme and learn more about our vision, values, committee members, and the five core pillars of our campaign:
- Academic and Career Prospects
- Social Life and Campus Culture
- Student Wellbeing and Housing
- Inclusion, Diversity, and Social Safety
- Fostering AI and Sustainability
Click on any motion below to see the parties explination
Calling the police is an appropriate response when protests disrupt education or access to services.
Agree
Sefa Student Party believes police involvement should be a last resort when protests disrupt education. Universities should prioritize education while also allowing space for politics and public debate. When protests escalate beyond internal de-escalation efforts and risk serious disruption or violence, involving the police may become an appropriate response.
Student & Workers Councils should have the final say in all policy decisions
Disagree
Sefa Student Party believes the Student Council and Works Council should be involved in any major decision. However, we trust policymakers within the university to make decisions in the best interest of all stakeholders involved.
The UvA should expand research collaboration and funding partnerships with private sector companies.
Agree
Sefa student party agrees that the University of Amsterdam should expand research collaborations and funding partnerships with private sectoe companies- but only if they serve a purpose that benefits society and the greater good. Partnerships that are ethical, transparent and contribute to real societal challenges will help drive the public mission of the University.
The university should actively prioritise diversity targets in hiring, even when this means deviating from purely merit-based selection.
Agree
Sefa Student Party agrees that the University of Amsterdam needs to prioritise diversity targeting. Different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives contribute greatly to a representative university environment. Sefa believes that UvA should create equal opportunities, even for underrepresented groups.
The Binding Study Advice (BSA) should be abolished.
Disagree
Sefa Student party disagrees with this statement, as we believe the binding study advice encourages students to remain academically engaged, and allows students by maintaining progress early avoid potential future delays, unnecessary student debt, and a potential mismatch between the course and student. Without clear academic expectations, the quality of education will diminish. However, the BSA should be applied fairly and take into consideration certain circumstances, such as personal or financial issues that might prohibit a student from reaching their BSA.
Students wishing to follow honours programmes should be admitted based on academic performance, not motivation alone.
Fully agree
Sefa Student Party believes the current system works well due to its proven ability to reward top-performing students with the opportunity to receive the additional honors title.
The majority of the food options sold on campus should be plant based.
Fully disagree
Sefa Student Party supports diverse food options at the University of Amsterdam, while maintaining that dietary choices should remain with students and not be imposed by the university.
Occupations should be considered as a legitimate means of protest at the university.
Fully disagree
Sefa Student Party believes students and staff should be free to protest while respecting others’ right to study and remain neutral. Building occupations undermine that balance and reflect deeper concerns about students feeling unheard. The university is responsible for ensuring safe public discourse and managing protests through clear measures.
Admission to programmes with limited capacity should be based on random lotteries rather than selection procedures.
Fully disagree
Sefa student party believes that random lotteries, especially in numerus fixus courses, are an unfair representation of certain factors that must be considered before admitting a student into programme. Admission should reward motivation, commitment, and academic success, and these factors allow UvA to identify students that are academically prepared and aligned with the demands of the programme. A lottery system can overlook hardworking applicants that put a lot of effort into their previous studies.
The UvA should completely exclude research collaboration and funding from the security and resilience sector.
Disagree
Sefa Student Party believes that the UvA should minimize collaboration with and funding from the arms industry particularly in light of current global conflicts, while recognizing the importance of institutions that contribute to public safety, such as the police, AIVD, and RIVM and emergency services.
The UvA should strongly oppose any government attempt to reduce the number of international students.
Disagree
Sefa Student Party believes the University of Amsterdam should maintain a balance between Dutch and international students, reflecting its role as a Dutch institution. While this implies some limits on international intake, the diversity of Amsterdam highlights the value of international students who come to study, learn a new culture, and contribute to Dutch society. A balanced composition supports better integration and mutual benefit.
Study programs should be audited by an independent board on the diversity of the academic and ideological perspectives in their curriculum.
Fully disagree
Sefa student party strongly disagrees that the study programs should be audited by an independent board, due to the belief that academic expertise and the judgement of internal qualified educators and researchers is a sufficient resource to measure academic quality. The university should remain independent when determining its curricula.
The executive board of the university should be elected through an open election by the students and worker's body.
Disagree
Sefa Student Party believes that students and staff should have the opportunity to voice their opinions on the University's Executive Board through a non-binding referendum once candidates are under consideration. However, the final choice should be the University's due to its full overview, the tenure of the selection committee, and its experience.
The UvA should prioritise offering permanent contracts to Junior Lecturers (D4s), even if this leaves less financial room for senior lecturer salary increases.
Neutral
The university should significantly expand student services like student advisors and psychologists, even if this requires reducing spending on education and teaching.
Agree
Sefa student party believes that student well-being is a key driver of academic success, and the growing pressure and stress makes accessible support systems, such as study advisors and psychologists, so much more necessary. No student should struggle mentally, and expanding such services would help create a more supportive environments, where students feel heard and understood. However, in the long term, this should not come at the expense of the quality of teaching. Sefa student party believes UvA should simultanteously prioritize student well being and ensure that there is still a high-level of teaching standards
The university should ensure a larger part of the curriculum (of all study programs) is focused on career preparation, even if this takes away from time spent on academic subjects.
Fully agree
Sefa student party strongly agrees with this statement, as we believe that UvA should not only provide academic knowledge, but also prepare students for real life challenges. Many students graduate with strong theoritical knowledge but lack practical experience. By including more practical projects, more opportunites and access to internships, and the development of pragmatic skills such as leadership and problem-solving, this will enable to bridge the gap between academia and employment.
Every bachelor programme should be offered in both Dutch and English.
Agree
Sefa student party agrees and recognises the importance of providing programmes in both Dutch and English, as it improves the accessibility and inclusivity of both international students as well as Dutch students who want to study in their native language. The Sefa student party believes that internationalism is a key aspect of UvA, as it directly contributes to diversity and global perspectives. However, making sure the Dutch language is accessible in every programme ensures that domestic students are protected and valued just as equally. By offering both Dutch and English programmes, the UvA will be able to balance internationalism whilst maintaining national educational responsibilities.
The university should prioritise expanding study spaces over investing in additional contemplation rooms.
Agree
Sefa student party acknowledges one of the most immediate issues at the UvA, which is the lack of adequate study spaces, especially during exam season and peak academic hours. Expanding study spaces would directly benefit a large portion of students who are more academically productive when it comes to studying in university spaces. Sefa student party also recognizes tha importance of maintaining inclusive spaces that serve public needs and interests, such as rooms for reflection, prayers, and general well-being. However, due to the growing demand for academic facilities, the priority should be ensuring that students can come to the university and expect to be able to find a place where they can study and work effectively on campus.
The university lacks sufficient readily accessible gender-neutral toilets and should convert more existing toilets to be gender-neutral.
Agree
Sefa student party believes that UvA should provide an inclusive and comfortable environment for all students, staff, and visitors. Accesible gender-neutral toilets can help ensure that everyone feels accomodated on campus, as an inclusive campus environment is the most crucial aspect of student well-being.