5 questions to the new student representatives:
“Quiet learning spaces are becoming scarcer”
Benedikt, Paul and Franziska – Who are you, and what courses of study did you enroll for at TUM?
Benedikt: I am 21 years old, and I am in my 5th semester of Management & Technology. In the last year of office, I was Deputy Chairman.
Paul: I’m 23 years old and a Master’s student of Robotics, Cognition and Intelligence – after having completed my Bachelor’s studies of Mechanical Engineering. Alongside my studies and my voluntary commitment, I enjoy spending my free time outdoors; hiking, paddling, or cycling.
Franziska: I’m 23 as well – and I’m a Master’s student of Mechanical Engineering. In recent years, I represented the students of my faculty in the Faculty Council, and was involved in other activities focusing on better study conditions. Since last year, I have been representing the students on university level as well. I like to spend my free time in the mountains, especially in winter.
What are your motives to show commitment in the scope of university politics alongside your studies?
Benedikt: Bachelor’s courses, especially, are mostly about learning basics. It’s nice to be able to be involved in something more practical at the same time. In my opinion, there are more possibilities in university politics than, for example, in taking on a working student position, where you have less creative freedom.
Paul: TUM is a large university. It enjoys a good international reputation and offers a wide range of courses of study. It is fun and important to represent the largest membership group versus the university management – and it feels good to be able to make achievements for future generations of students.
Franziska: Like my course of studies, university politics repeatedly offer topics that you have to work your way into in order to find a suitable long-term solution. Here, it is necessary to keep up a close dialogue with the professors who are involved. If you look back on what you achieved for the current or future students, the work is very satisfying.
From your point of view, what are the most important topics for the students at TUM / in Munich at the moment?
Benedikt: As the Semesterticket is now safe for the next 5 years, the aspect of living space – a permanent issue – is increasingly coming into focus again. Living in a metropolis with a tense housing market like in Munich is, and will remain, difficult. In addition, of course, the topic of learning spaces at the universities plays a major role, and particularly at TUM. Between the lectures, the situation is especially problematic. I really hope that the situation will get significantly better when the StudiTUM houses (Note: houses with study and recreation rooms at the three main TUM-sites) are completed next year.
Paul: The increasing number of students at TUM is not only fueling the competition for living space and pushing up the prices – the students are also forced to compete for learning and recreation spaces at the university. Other common issues are unmotivated lecturers and outdated methods of teaching.
Franziska: Another important prerequisite for successful studies is to be able to get healthy and tasty meals. We are hoping for a significant increase in quality due to the ongoing renovation of the canteen in the Arcisstraße and due to the new building in Garching. The kitchens will be better equipped. In addition, the refectories are supposed to be used as learning spaces outside the meal times. This could serve to kill two birds with one stone.
What are your plans for your terms in office?
Benedikt: For us, the biggest goal is always to recruit the next generation. Our courses of study are limited in time, so one can naturally only be involved for a while. There are, however, always issues that are of importance over longer periods of time – and because they are also important to us personally, we are always happy if someone takes over or brings new impetus.
Paul: The issue of learning and recreation spaces is very important to me, personally. Due to the rapidly increasing number of students, quiet spaces for learning and for exchange with fellow students are becoming increasingly scarce. For my term in office, I thus decided to push along and extend the plans for the StudiTUM-houses and the IRIS project, which is a study space management system.
Franziska: One of my goals is to improve the student representation’s cooperations on various levels. Especially in the scope of interdisciplinary or cross-faculty programs, close cooperation is indispensable. As a second major area of responsibility, I focused on student housing.
What aspects will be challenging – and what are you most looking forward to?
Benedikt: To be able to live up to the many tasks and to the expectations placed on us. At the same time, I am looking forward to the individual tasks and their diversity. 2018, the anniversary year, will be especially exciting for the students and for the student representation.
Paul: I am really looking forward to the moment when the first StudiTUM-house can be opened. Hopefully, five years of work from my predecessors and my own work will come to a successful end. At the same time, it will be a challenge to ensure that the building will meet all expectations.
Franziska: Especially in the field of student housing, I will probably have to be content with small steps, which might not be very motivating. However, even though the issue is tedious, it is now on us to set the course for the next few years in order to pave the way for new affordable housing. Of course, there are also many other topics that are fun. I am particularly looking forward to the next discussion with the professors and the other staff – focusing on possible measures to modernize the study conditions.
More information:
Student Council of TUM