On 24 September 2025, drafting of a Council of Europe’s Student Rights Charter, a landmark initiative aimed at safeguarding equality, inclusion, and democratic participation for students across the continent was discussed at the ESU Convention that took place in Barcelos, Portugal.

It was outlined that the Charter’s purpose, as part of the Council of Europe’s Education Strategy 2030, is to place learners at the centre of decision-making and that the prospective Charter will seek to guarantee a minimum set of rights for all higher education students, from undergraduate to doctoral level, while reinforcing higher education as a public good and a cornerstone of democratic culture.

The representatives of about a dozen of national student unions took floor to express their appreciation of this long-awaited initiative and its importance, but also their real concerns and emphasised the specific matters to be reflected in the future Charter. Among those were academic freedom, rights to participation in decision-making, right to protest peacefully, raising accommodation and living costs, access and equal treatment.

At the same time on the 24 September, the Council of Europe’s Education Department presented the latest state of play to the Steering Committee on Education (CDEDU), where delegations particularly welcomed this work and highlighted the importance of reflecting the responsibilities clearly, not only of the member states, educational authorities and institutions but also of the students. The co-creation process, together with the ESU and the students, was praised as well.

Both the CDEDU and the ESU Student Convention agreed that the key building blocks of the Charter need to include fundamental values and expect that the European Student Rights Charter will provide a common framework across member states to protect students’ rights, enhance accountability, and strengthen democratic resilience in higher education.