The Student Union, or AStA for short, is the organisation that represents the interests of students at Hochschule Bremen across all faculties.
It can have up to 12 members with voting rights who work in different fields. The AStA currently consists of a 3-member board (consisting of the 1st and 2nd chair and the finance department) and the departments for university policy, social affairs, public relations, culture & society, environment & sustainability, mobility & housing, international affairs and the intersectional feminist department. The work of AStA members is voluntary*.
In its work, the AStA also seeks to engage with political decision-makers and exerts influence on political processes within the scope of its possibilities. In the past, the AStA organised resistance against the sell-off of the university and prevented the introduction of tuition fees in Bremen in cooperation with other AStAs and interest groups.
The AStA is also involved in demonstrations, for example in the education strikes or, as recently, in the specially organised demonstrations against the university development plan. Where university representatives do not have the courage to resist, it is often only the AStA that represents the interests of the students.
In addition to these large campaigns, which are visible to everyone, the AStA deals with the current situation at the university on a daily basis.
The members of the AStA regularly take part in meetings of the university committees and work together with other student representatives, such as the student councils. The AStA also manages the finances of the student body and offers various services, such as reimbursement of the semester ticket or issuing the International Student Card, equipment hire or cargo bikes. The AStA also manages the cultural semester ticket together with other AStAs in Bremen.
The AStA also regularly organises events, such as sports tournaments, first semester parties or events for various occasions, such as Halloween etc.
The AStA also offers free and independent BAföG and social counselling, which is available to all students at the Hochschule Bremen for questions and problems.
The meetings of the AStA are open to the university public and can be attended by any student. Information on the dates and opening hours can be found here.
If you would like to find out more about the AStA or maybe you are even interested in joining us, feel free to send us an e-mail or come to one of our regular meetings.
* AStA members can have their semester fees refunded if they work regularly.
