UU student is the new chair of national student association ISO

Mylou Miché (25) studied journalism at the Utrecht University of Applied Sciences for a year, before switching to a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration and Organisational Science at Utrecht University. She is currently pursuing a Master’s in International Development Studies at UU. Last year, she served for ISO as a policy officer. 

“Politicians need to pay more attention to the needs and opinions of students”, says Miché. As ISO's chair, she will be the spokesperson for 800,000 students. “We will vigorously and resolutely advocate for their interests.” 

Not on the losing end
Gijs Grimbergen, Master's student in Urban Geography and former vice-president of Utrecht's student union Vidius, has been announced as the new secretary of the National Student Union (LSVb). UU graduate Yason Sinout is also joining LSVb's board. He is both a historian and an economist, as well as a former Vidius chair.

Sinout says in a press release: "Together, we will organise the biggest student protest of the 21st century. The government has made a mess out of study financing and we're not going to swallow it."

LSVb's new chair Abdelkader Karbache (23) is currently following two Master’s programmes at TU Delft (Mechanical Engineering and Sustainable Energy Technology). He was already a board member of Delft's student union VSSD and a member of TUDelft's Central Student Council.

In a press release, he says he is concerned about student housing, student debt and student financing. “Time and again, the current generation of students are the ones that bear the brunt. If it’s up to us, students will no longer be on the losing end. We will spare no effort in achieving lasting improvements for students.” 

LSVb's will also include Ocke Siertsema (21, studying public management at the Hague University of Applied Sciences) and Boutaina Chami (24, studying psychology at the University of Twente).

From left to right: Gijs Grimbergen, Ocke Siertsema, Abdelkader Karbache, Boutaina Chami, Yason Sinout. Photo: LSVb.

Aside from Miché, ISO's board will comprised of the following members from June 22 onwards: Gwendolyn Hermans (24, studying psychology at Radboud University in Nijmegen), Jorrit Berendsen (22, studying public management at NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences), William Duke (25, taking American Studies in Nijmegen) and Stijn van Hussen (24, studying International Relations at the University of Groningen).

ISO was founded as a national umbrella organisation for university student councils and later expanded to include student councils of universities of applied sciences. ISO and LSVb often work together. Lately, for example, they have been focusing considerable attention on students’ mental health.

Each of these two organisations has their own character, as illustrated in March when ISO sent a letter to the informateur (someone who, in the context of a cabinet formation, investigates the possibilities for forming said cabinet, Ed.) detailing students' wishes for a new government. LSVb refused to undersign the letter over objections to PVV’s presence in the coalition. PVV is the far-right party that obtained the most votes in the latest parliamentary elections. Given the letter to the informateur failed to address certain fundamental obstacles, LSVb preferred to distance itself from it.