The times have changed forever. The combined crises of Covid19, economic repercussions of the war in Europe, and climate change have exposed students, higher education institutions and student services to profound change. It is indeed a “Zeitenwende” (Olaf Scholz) with challenges that we have not seen since the end of the Cold war. Campus life has changed drastically with more online-learning and off-campus living. Students’ well-being has suffered from financial and economic difficulties, mental-health problems, and social challenges. Student Services must find a solution to the gap between rising costs and lack of funding.

How are student services adapting to this situation?
How can we impel change for positive transformation and strategic management?
What kind of scenarios can we develop for the near future?
What kind of strategic change management is necessary to transform the social infrastructure in higher education for the future?
How can we build resilience, ignite change, and take everybody along on the journey?

The European Student Affairs Conference 2023 is organised by DSW and its European partners, and provides student perspectives, expert knowledge, peer discussions and good-practices on these volatile, rapidly changing times for student services across the continent.

On invitation by the STW in Anterior Palatinate, the conference takes place in Neustadt on the Wine Route in the beautiful West of Germany, a wine-growing region since Roman times, with glimpses on the revolutionary history of Germany and an optional excursion to Heidelberg – all in all a very good place to talk about change.

Call-for-programs open now!
Please send in your proposals for presentations, short contributions to workshops or panels. Contact: [email protected] for more information.

Who?
The conference is the perfect event for management and leadership level in student affairs and services in Europe, particularly in student housing, dining services, health and counselling services, digitalization and technology, personnel and administration, and internationalisation.

What?
International conference with speakers and participants from 20+ countries across Europe. Keynote presentations and panel discussions, parallel workshops, professional networking event and an interesting cultural program in the Palatinate wine region, optional excursion to Heidelberg

When?
July 5-7, 2023 (arrival on the 4^th of July  is recommended, as well as an extension of the stay in Heidelberg on the 8^th of July 2023)

Where?
Neustadt is a picturesque town on the beautiful wine-route of Palatinate, in the triangle between Mannheim, Strasbourg and Metz. The conference venue can be reached directly by train (www.bahn.de/en) from Mannheim, Karlsruhe, Strasbourg or from Frankfurt-airport (1h train ride) and is also easily accessible by car.

Conference Venue: Weincampus, 67435 Neustadt an der Weinstraße, Germany

Costs: Participants fee of approx. 430,- Euro plus own hotel accommodation and travel arrangements, but including meals and cultural program.

Organisers: The conference will be organized by Studierendenwerk Vorderpfalz as a host institution, Deutsches Studentenwerk, German-Polish Working Group and kindly supported by the European Council for Student Affairs (ECStA).

Deadline for registrations: 30th of May 2023.

Contact: [email protected] 

Program and more detailed practical information available here from End of March 2023.