Students' union

A students' union, student government, or student council is a student organization present at many colleges and universities, often with its own building on the campus, dedicated to social and organizational activities of the student body. At a few institutions, the students' union is a formally-organized group analogous to a labor union.

Many students' unions are run by students for students, independent of the university. The purpose of the union is to represent students' views within the university and sometimes on local and national issues. It is also responsible for providing a variety of services to students. Students can get involved in its management, through numerous and varied committees, councils and general meetings, or become one of its elected officers.

Many students' unions are highly politicised bodies, and often serve as a training ground for aspiring politicians. Campaigning and debate is often very vigorous, with the youthful enthusiasm of the various partisans, a student media that is itself often partisan, inexperienced, and under no financial pressure to slant coverage to please a broad readership, and a general lack of serious consequences for decision all encouraging political gamesmanship.

These groups also often officially recognise and allocate a yearly budget to other organisations on campus.

United Kingdom

In British universities, the students' union is often, but not always, affiliated with the National Union of Students. It generally runs some facilities attached to the university such as shops and nightclubs, and publishes information and sometimes student newspapers. It may also provides counselling and welfare/academic advice services. Most students' unions also operate the "student activities" such as sports clubs, societies and volunteering opportunities, though some rare arrangements see the university providing the competitive sport, with the union retaining participative sport.

Although the Conservative government under John Major attempted to severely reduce the influence of students' unions in Britain, the NUS and individual student unions, particularly at Oxford and Cambridge, managed to successfully lobby against the moves to restrict their political activities. The role of students' unions is now enshrined in the Education Act 1994. In 2004, lobbying by the NUS against the introduction of variable student fees in English and Welsh universities contributed towards the Labour government's majority being slashed to just 5. However, the passing of the Higher Education Act 2004 has led to some observers suggesting that students' unions in the UK have been "broken".

The oldest students' union in Scotland, is the purpose-built Teviot Row House at the University of Edinburgh, built in 1889. The Edinburgh University Students' Representative Council was founded in 1884. The oldest students' union in England is believed by many to be University College London Union, founded in 1893.

Membership of a students' union is generally the default, but not mandatory. That is, students may opt out of membership if they wish, for example on ideological grounds, although this is rare. Such students may still use the social facilities provided by the Union (often the main or only such facilities available) since they are for the benefit of the students of the institution, not just Union members.

Sweden

At Swedish universities, students' unions are responsible for representing the students in evaluation of the education, and membership is mandatory. Students' unions generally provide counselling services to its members and publishes their own magazines or newspapers. Large universities often have several students' unions, where the smaller students' unions only provide basic services. Larger students' unions often own and run their own facilities at the university such as shops, restaurants and night clubs. Which students' union a student belongs to is decided by the course of study, and competing for members is as such not possible. Many students' unions, but not all, are affiliated with the Swedish National Union of Students.

Australia

Virtually all Australian universities have one or more student organistions under various guises such as student guilds, student unions or student representative councils. These student-run bodies provide many services typically including refectories and bookshops, student media and publications, support for a variety of social, arts, political, recreational, special interest and sporting clubs and societies, and political advocacy for issues concerning students. Typically, they also operate specialised support services for women, queer, international and indigenous students. These last two roles, in particular, are often highly controversial and politicised. Membership of students' unions is usually compulsory, though many state governments and the current federal government are committed to a policy of Voluntary Student Unionism. The Australian National Union of Students is an association of most students' unions.

Particularly at the "Group of Eight" universites, students' union politics are divided down factional lines, and campaigning is often vicious.

Canada

In Canada, membership in a college or university students' union is mandatory. Most unions are members of the Canadian Federation of Students or the Canadian Alliance of Students Associations. The non-profit, student-run bodies provide services such as pubs, book stores, student newspapers, student radio, and political advocacy for issues concerning students.

A student body is self-government-organization, which organized by students in higher education, such as university and colleges.

Japan

In Japan, student body is called 学生自治会(gakusei-jiti-kai). The meaning of 学生自治会(gakusei-jiti-kai) is students' self-government-organizations.

The student body in Japan is promoting extracurricular activities. Usually, a cultural association, for example 文化会(bunka-kai), and sports association, for example 体育会(taiiku-kai), etc. is in the inside of a student body as autonomy organization. A student belongs to one or more students' organizations, and he or she does extracurricular activities through a students' organizations. However, the extracurricular activities of a university and colleges are declining after the 1990s.

United States

In the United States, these groups are often known as student government. Some schools extend this concept into names like "Undergraduate House of Representatives", with graduates or faculty being the Senate of a bicameral legislative body. These usually meet once every week or two during the quarter or semester.

At a high school level, the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) present in lower grades becomes the PTSA, adding students' voices to those heard at meetings.

ja:学生自治会