Student-run and professional – this is how we work! 

Stockholm University Student Union (SUS) is Sweden’s largest student union, with around 10,000 members per semester. We work to improve education and study conditions at Stockholm University.

On this page you will find information about our work, current issues, and how SUS is governed.

Want to know more? Contact SUS’s Cheif Operating Officer or SUS’s Presidium.

SUS’s presidium 2024/2025, President Hermela Embaye and Vice President Victor Nygren.

The Representative Assembly

The Representative Assembly is the highest decision-making body within SUS and consists of student representatives who are elected annually through the student union elections and of selected councils and associations. These representatives are responsible for making decisions about the student union’s budget, the operative plan and long-term goals. Here, as a student, you have a direct opportunity to influence which issues we should prioritize. 

As a member of SUS, you have several ways to make an impact:

  1. Vote in the Student Union Election – By voting in the election, members can influence who will represent them in the Representative Assembly.

  2. Run as a Candidate – Members can run for a seat in the Representative Assembly themselves.

  3. Submit a Motion – Members have the right to submit motions to propose ideas to the Representative Assembly. A motion must be supported by at least 10 members to be submitted.

The Representative Assembly meets four times a year, two in the fall and two in the spring.

  • 1.

    Held in May. Decisions are made on the Chairman for the term, the Student Union Board, the Election Committee, the Nomination Committee, auditors, the operational plan, the framework budget, and membership fees

  • 2.

    Held in September. This is an opportunity to influence decisions through motions and interpellations.

    How to write a motion (in Swedish).

  • 3.

    Held no later than November 30. Decisions are made on the annual report, approval of the income statement and balance sheet, discharge of liability for the Student Union Board, and the student union election period.

  • 4.

    Held in February. This is an opportunity to influence decisions through motions and interpellations.

    How to write a motion (in Swedish).

SUS’s other building blocks

  • The Student Union Board implements decisions made by the Representative Assembly and is responsible for driving the union’s work forward. The board is led by the Union President and Vice President, who form the SUS Presidium and focus on issues affecting education, student rights, and study conditions. They also engage in continuous discussions with the university’s leadership to represent student interests.

    As a SUS member, you can influence the board’s work by:

    • Nominating Board Members – You can nominate yourself or another member for a position on the board.

    • Submitting an Interpellation – Members have the right to submit an interpellation to raise questions to the board, which will then be addressed during a Representative Assembly meeting.

  • The Student Union Office ensures the daily operations of SUS run smoothly. Staff and elected student representatives work here on everything from student influence and supporting student councils to membership services and event planning. The office also manages communication with the University and external partners and supports the Student Union Board in its work.

  • Student councils exist at every department, faculty, and on a central level within Stockholm University (SU). These councils serve as platforms where students and PhD students can discuss and work to improve their education and study environment.

    The councils also appoint student representatives who advocate for students’ voices in around 366 groups at SU, where educational matters are discussed or decided. Within their respective councils, students identify issues, influence the university, and raise concerns that matter to them.

  • SUS’s partner associations are student-run and offer a wide range of activities and events, from social and cultural gatherings to academic and professional networking opportunities. Joining a partner association gives you the chance to get involved, participate in social activities, and expand your network.

SUS’s prioritized Advocacy Issues 2025–2026

After the student union election, the parties in SUS’s representative assembly accept the strategic operating plan, which establishes the directions and goals for SUS’s work during the next three years. They also agree on a number of prioritized advocacy issues that will be part of the organization’s work in the coming year.

  • Insecurity in our world leads to insecurity on campus. Sweden's first large-scale school shooting has led to questions about preparedness that the student union has reason to monitor. Information about safety and preparedness must be available to students. While security threats characterize debates about security, we protect an open university where everyone can study and work regardless of political opinion and where debate must be prioritized over repressive measures.

  • The university and higher education sector is seriously underfunded and high rental costs are one of the reasons. Akademiska Hus' mission must be changed and the profit requirement abolished in order to increase the quality of education and the number of teacher-led hours, examination rooms must be available and the physical working environment for students and PhD students must be improved. It is important to have a functioning student and PhD student influence on issues relating to the working environment, not least in the ongoing premises optimization project in Södra Huset. The student union and our partner associations are also affected by high rents. That must be addressed to ensure the continuance of student life.

  • Students and PhD students are in worse health than working adults of the same age, and neither preventive measures nor support for mental health reach enough people. Student health resources are insufficient and students have to turn for care elsewhere. PhD students receive insufficient information about occupational health care and limited support upon return from sick leave. Mental health is a prerequisite for studies and must be prioritized at the university. Student health needs more resources and PhD students' rights in this matter must be implemented.