THE STUDENT COUNCIL EXCLUDES BANKS AND SPERM BANKS FROM STUDY FAIR FOLLOWING RECTORATE RECOMMENDATION – FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES FOLLOW

Every year at the end of August or beginning of September, students at Aarhus University can stock up on free stuff and student discounts and take part in competitions when various associations, organisations and companies promote themselves at stands in the Ambulatory and the Main Hall. 

This was also the case this year, but something was different. Several stands at the fair were empty, and the number of visitors seemed smaller. 

Daniel Hjort, spokesperson for the Student Council, which organises the fair, explains that the council prioritised differently this year and therefore didn’t sell stands to banks, sperm banks or fertility clinics. They have otherwise been widely represented at the fairs in recent years. According to the Student Council, there were around eight banks and three sperm banks at the fair in 2024. 

But not this year. The change was made at the request of the rectorate – specifically the rector and pro-rector – who visit the fair every year, Daniel Hjort says.

"Last year, they noted that they thought it had become too commercial and very homogeneous. A more uniform type of stand, especially in the banking and fertility categories. So they made a very strong recommendation that we should reconsider how we organise the fair for students," Daniel Hjort says. 

NEW STUDENTS

The advice from the rectorate was particularly based on the idea that new students – already overwhelmed when starting a new programme – may be more susceptible to what they’re presented with. That’s why the Student Council carries a special responsibility, Daniel Hjort explains. This year, the fair has focused more on stands that are relevant to student life. 

"The event is meant to reflect the needs of the students, so this year’s fair featured a new composition with an emphasis on breadth and diversity, focusing on student societies and cultural offerings. We have had several participants from the university and the municipality," Daniel Hjort says. 

Daniel Hjort emphasises that the rectorate made a recommendation, but didn’t force the Student Council to change the format of the fair. 

"But of course we take extra note when it comes from the Rector's Office," Daniel Hjort says. 

NEW COOPERATION POLICY 

In addition to associations and cultural offerings, this year, visitors could encounter a stand offering broadband services or a stand for a dental clinic. At first glance, you might think that they belong in the same category as a bank. According to Daniel Hjort, it’s about finding a balance. He doesn’t rule out the possibility that next year might still feature a fertility clinic or one or two banks.  

“I can definitely imagine that. Students do need somewhere to keep their money,” Daniel Hjort says. 

Based on this process, the Student Council has drawn up a new cooperation policy with guidelines on the types of cooperation the Student Council may enter into. The starting point is that it should be about the students, and that students shouldn’t be treated as a commodity to be bought. 

IMPACT ON THE BUDGET

A stand at the study fair can cost over DKK 10,000, which is why the new line has also had an impact on the Student Council's finances. According to the spokesperson, there were around six empty stands this year. 

"It has definitely had an impact on the budget we have for our event," says Daniel Hjort, without going into detail about the exact loss. 

Daniel Hjort points out that the Student Council is satisfied with this year’s selection of stands at the study fair, and that it’s a positive step to have reconsidered what the fair should be. However, there were a number of comments from some of the organisations and companies that participated in this year's fair.

"We received a few comments about how unfortunate it is that some of the key players have been absent. Some of them have the resources to create something that really attracts people," Daniel Hjort says:

"I'm sure some students love being sold a product, taking part in lots of competitions and receiving gifts. But there are probably just as many students who think it is important to have time and peace to get to know the city. That task is more important than I thought when I started in the Student Council," he says. 

Ahead of next year’s Study Fair, the Student Council will look into how best to balance the composition, ensuring the stands are fully occupied while remaining as relevant to student life as possible.

THE RECTOR'S OFFICE WILL ASSIST THE STUDENT COUNCIL IN FINDING THE RIGHT BALANCE

Pro-rector Berit Eika is pleased that the Student Council acted on the Rectorate's recommendation, and she was actually "pleasantly surprised" by how much attention was paid to the observation made by the Rectorate last year. She emphasises that it wasn’t an absolute requirement to exclude certain stands.

"I hadn't imagined they would be able to act so quickly. They really deserve praise for that," Berit Eika says. 

However, the pro-rector also noticed the empty stands and the somewhat subdued atmosphere at this year's study fair. She hopes that next year the right balance will be struck, as “it creates a better atmosphere when the place is buzzing.” AU's management would like to help strike a balance and is willing to "look at the economics behind it." 

“I’ve told the Student Council that we can work together on this, because of course, the fair should be buzzing. It’s a unique opportunity for new students to be exposed to the many opportunities on campus and in Aarhus. I would like us to take this opportunity to expose the students to even more of what is happening here on campus and in the city. These could be our own services or those provided by the city to students, or several of the cross-disciplinary associations. And it would be fantastic to see more of the city's cultural institutions represented," Berit Eika says. 

According to Berit Eika, there’s no fundamental opposition to certain stands; it’s just not appropriate to have so many of the same kind. 

"We want to help find the golden mean, and then we won't interfere, because it's the Student Council that's in charge of the event," she says. 

She acknowledges the dilemma that the Student Council now faces in terms of setting the right tone for the fair.

"You could also argue that it’s not ideal if only one specific dentist or a single broadband provider is given a stand. I recognise that it’s a dilemma. But last year, it was striking how many stands were specifically focused on fertility treatment," Berit Eika says.  

This text is machine translated and post-edited by Cecillia Jensen