An SDU with room for diversity

Creating space for everyone at SDU – a personal mission 

When I started at SDU, I was the youngest student on my course. I came straight from high school without a gap year, which already felt like a challenge. As a first-generation academic from a working-class family with an ethnic minority background, I found it difficult to find my place. The expectations were high – both from myself and from the outside world – and I often felt that I faced the pressure alone. Luckily, I found a small group of friends with whom I had a lot in common, which made a world of difference. 

But what about the students who do not find such a group? What about the students who struggle with invisible disabilities, or the students who feel trapped in a spiral of stress and expectations? We must not let anyone feel alone. SDU already offers support, but how many students actually know where they can get help? And even more importantly – how many have the courage to reach out? 

I believe that SDU can and must be a place where everyone feels welcome – regardless of background, religion or challenges. Small, targeted measures can make a big difference. Imagine if we were automatically registered for the re-exam, like at CBS – where it is an active opt-out rather than an active opt-in. This would remove an extra burden from our shoulders. Or if we ensured a minimum of 24 hours between exams, so that no one was stressed about overlapping midterm and portfolio exams. What if students with dyslexia were trained in the use of generative AI as an aid? Or if we created better environments for immersion in studying – both time and places – so that students could take the necessary breaks and find peace to recharge amidst the pressure? Small changes indeed, but changes that may be critical steps towards better well-being.   

And then there are the associations – the heart of SDU’s student life. The small associations, which create safe and inclusive spaces, all too often struggle to make do with limited financial resources. If we really want an inclusive SDU, we must give the small associations more resources. Not only for organising activities, but also for premises and promotion, so that they can recruit new members and create inclusive communities. 

We know that not everyone wishes to be part of a large association. Many thrive better in smaller communities, in which it is easier to form stronger bonds – in the same way that we have often have a smaller group of friends on our study programme that we talk to the most. SDU must support this. 

When I was elected for Frit Forum, it showed that the students want change. They want an SDU with more diversity, better well-being and greater focus on those who are facing the greatest challenges. I will work hard to fulfil their wish. 

As a member of SDU’s Board, I will fight to ensure that no one feels overlooked. We must ensure diversity and well-being – not as abstract ideals, but as specific actions. There must be room for everyone at SDU – even for the students facing the greatest challenges. An SDU with room for everyone is not just a vision, it is a necessity.