The Student Organisation of University of Maribor (SOUM) is an association of students of University of Maribor. It has been organised on the basis of Student Community Law, adopted in 1994. As other European national, university and local student associations, Student Organisation of University of Maribor provides different student extra curicullum activities, and it also delivers student policy on the areas of education, international co-operation, social and economical welfare of students.

Mission

The Student Organisation of University of Maribor should entirely fulfill the needs of students with wide-spread structure of student extra curicullum activities on different areas and with strong student policy.

Activities

The main activity of  the Student Organisation of University of Maribor (ŠOUM) is providing student extra curicullum activities on different areas, and delivering student policy on the fields of education, social and economical status of students and international co-operation. The work of ŠOUM is implemented by different departments, especially on the fields of  social standard, education, university policy and international co-operation. Further on, the activities are partially carried out by:  the Student Legal and Information Centre (PIP); Erasmus Student Network Maribor (ESN); The Student University Magazine SPEKTER; Student Multimedia Centre Cyber.Student; School Student Community of Maribor. Some activities of ŠOUM are caried out in the co-operation with assosiated member Organisations  of ŠOUM dealing with different areas: student culture, education, sports, technical culture, international co-operation, training and education abroad, research work, student social and economical status, information and computer technologies, publishment and media. ŠOUM also takes care of student food in Maribor, Celje, Velenje, Kranj, Murska Sobota, Slovenj Gradec, Ptuj, Šentjur.

Aims

The main aims of the Student Organisation of University of Maribor are: (1) to fulfill the criteria for diplomas comparable on European level which will be a highly respected document and a proof of knowledge and experiences of students in Slovenia as well as in the world; (2) to fulfill political, economical, cultural and social conditions that will lead to better recognition of knowledge and experiences of individuals in the society, and will improve living conditions of the individuals and society as such; (3) to fulfill the system of student social security which will be based on equal opportunities and solidarity, and will ensure total assertion of students' social rights; (4) to fulfill the students' interests and strenghten our role on university, local, national and international level for the benefits of all students of Univerity of Maribor.

Organisation

Student Parliament

The Student Parliament of the Student Organisation of University of Maribor (ŠOUM) is the highest body of students that are associated in ŠOUM. It consists of 24 students (all members of parliament) that are elected at the direct secret elections. The Student Parliament of ŠOUM fullfils the needs of students of the University of Maribor, monitors the work of the Presidency of ŠOUM, and carries out other tasks defined by the Statute of ŠOUM. This Student Parliament was elected in November 2005. It has a two year mandate which will end up on the constitutive meeting of the new composition of the Student Parliament which will be carried out after the elections in October or November 2007.

Control Commission

The Control Commission of the Student Organisation of University of Maribor (ŠOUM) is responsible for the professional work of ŠOUM. It monitors the work and is in charge of successful development of ŠOUM. The Control Commission consitst of four representatives of students, two representatives of workers and co-workers, and one representative of students in general.

Student Presidency

The Student Presidency of the Student Organisation of University of Maribor (ŠOUM) implements some student extra curicullum activities and delivers student policy. It deals with different issues and areas of student lives, and carries out other activities defined by the Student Parliament of ŠOUM and the Statute of ŠOUM. The Presidency consists of the president, the secretary for education and university policy, the secretary for social issues, the secretary of international affairs and the secretary for student extra curicullumactivities.

Professional Services

The Student Organisation of University of Maribor (ŠOUM) has different professional services under the leadership of the director. The professional services are responsible for the implementation of professional tasks and they also support the work of the Student Parliament and the Presidency of ŠOUM.

Organisational Units

The Organisational units are internal units of ŠOUM with their own activities and autonomous internal structure. These units are: School Student Community of Maribor; student multimedia centres; Erasmus Student Network Maribor (ESN); Student Multimedia Centre Cyber.Student, Student University Magazine Spekter, Student organisation of Faculty of organisational sciences and Board of European Students of Technology.

Funding

The Student Organisation of University of Maribor (ŠOUM) funds itself from the concession contributions that employers pay to authorised employment agencies for the part-time work of students and high school students. This kind of funding is in accordance with the resolution of the European Association of National Student Organisations (ESIB) which determines autonomous student organisations without any external interventions.

Membership in other Associations

The Student Organisation of University of Maribor (ŠOUM) is a member of Slovene Student Union (ŠOS) and through ŠOS an indirect member of the European Students’ Union (ESU). It is also a member of Erasmus Student Network Inernational (ESN), Central European Student Network (CSN), Student Organising Conventions Everywhere (SORCE), Student Conference Alpe Adria (SCAA), International Student Association for Information Exchange (Informa) and Board of European Students of Technical Sciences (BEST). ŠOUM also co-operates with other international student associations (AIESEC, IAESTE, AEGEE) and their national and local branches.

Brochure SOUM 19.8 MB