Student Panel Focused on Across

The role of university alliances, particularly the ACROSS Alliance, was the central topic of the panel “Bridge to Europe: Higher Education, European University Alliances and Student Leadership”, held on 13 May 2025 at the Student Cultural Centre of the University of Banja Luka, within the General Assembly of the European Students’ Union, entitled “Board Meeting 89”.

During the panel, participants especially highlighted the importance of the University of Banja Luka’s membership in the Across Alliance as an example of successful integration of national higher education institutions into the European academic area. It was emphasised that this kind of networking brings numerous opportunities for students and academic staff, particularly in the areas of mobility, joint study programmes and the development of innovative approaches in education.

The panel gathered representatives of the European Students’ Union (ESU), university alliances, national student unions and domestic institutions, who discussed the role of universities in international networks and the need for stronger student participation in governance structures and the creation of educational policies.

The panel was moderated by Andrej Ševa, Teaching Assistant at the Faculty of Economics of the University of Banja Luka, and featured contributions from the Vice-Rector for International and Inter-University Cooperation, prof. Kristina Pantelić Babić, PhD; President of the European Students’ Union, Iris Kimizoglu; representative of the Romanian National Alliance of Student Organisations, Daciana Pop; and Duška Radmanović, MA, Assistant Director for Accreditation and International Cooperation at the Agency for Higher Education Accreditation of the Republic of Srpska.

It was concluded that inclusion in European university alliances such as Across is essential for enhancing the quality of higher education in the Republic of Srpska and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and that students should be active drivers of European integration within the academic sphere.

As a reminder, the General Assembly of the European Students’ Union, entitled “Board Meeting 89 – Banja Luka”, is being held for the 89th time, and for the first time in the Republic of Srpska and Bosnia and Herzegovina, at the University of Banja Luka. The event brings together more than 130 student delegates from over 40 European countries, who will, over the course of six days, discuss the future of higher education, student standards, rights and mutual cooperation.

Photo: D. Desnica