A student society, student association, university society, student club, university club, or student organization is a
society
A society is a Social group, group of individuals involved in persistent Social relation, social interaction, or a large social group sharing the same spatial or social territory, typically subject to the same Politics, political authority an ...
or an
organization
An organization or organisation (Commonwealth English; see spelling differences), is an entity—such as a company, an institution, or an association—comprising one or more people and having a particular purpose.
The word is derived fro ...
, operated by
students
A student is a person enrolled in a school or other educational institution.
In the United Kingdom and most commonwealth countries, a "student" attends a secondary school or higher (e.g., college or university); those in primary or elementary ...
at a
university
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase ''universitas magistrorum et scholarium'', which ...
or a
college
A college ( Latin: ''collegium'') is an educational institution or a constituent part of one. A college may be a degree-awarding tertiary educational institution, a part of a collegiate or federal university, an institution offering ...
institution, whose membership typically consists only of students and/or
alumni
Alumni (singular: alumnus (masculine) or alumna (feminine)) are former students of a school, college, or university who have either attended or graduated in some fashion from the institution. The feminine plural alumnae is sometimes used for grou ...
.
Early notable types of student societies include the
medieval
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
so-called
nation
A nation is a community of people formed on the basis of a combination of shared features such as language, history, ethnicity, culture and/or society. A nation is thus the collective identity of a group of people understood as defined by those ...
s of the
University of Bologna
The University of Bologna ( it, Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna, UNIBO) is a public research university in Bologna, Italy. Founded in 1088 by an organised guild of students (''studiorum''), it is the oldest university in continuo ...
and the
University of Paris
The University of Paris (french: link=no, Université de Paris), Metonymy, metonymically known as the Sorbonne (), was the leading university in Paris, France, active from 1150 to 1970, with the exception between 1793 and 1806 under the French Revo ...
. Later
Modern era
The term modern period or modern era (sometimes also called modern history or modern times) is the period of history that succeeds the Middle Ages (which ended approximately 1500 AD). This terminology is a historical periodization that is appli ...
examples include the
Studentenverbindung
(; often referred to as Verbindung) is the umbrella term for many different kinds of fraternity-type associations in German-speaking countries, including Corps, , , , and Catholic fraternities. Worldwide, there are over 1,600 , about a thousa ...
in the
German speaking world, as well as the evolvement of
fraternal orders for students and
Greek-letter student fraternities and sororities internationally.
Aims may involve practice and propagation of a certain
professional
A professional is a member of a profession or any person who works in a specified professional activity. The term also describes the standards of education and training that prepare members of the profession with the particular knowledge and ski ...
hobby
A hobby is considered to be a regular activity that is done for enjoyment, typically during one's leisure time. Hobbies include collecting themed items and objects, engaging in creative and artistic pursuits, playing sports, or pursuing ...
or to promote
professional development
Professional development is learning to earn or maintain professional credentials such as academic degrees to formal coursework, attending conferences, and informal learning opportunities situated in practice. It has been described as intensiv ...
or
philanthropic
Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives, for the public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private good, focusing on material ...
causes. Examples of common societies found in most universities are a
debate society
Debate is a process that involves formal discourse on a particular topic, often including a Discussion moderator, moderator and audience. In a debate, arguments are put forward for often opposing viewpoints. Debates have historically occurred ...
, an international student society, a
rock society, and student chapters of professional societies (e.g. the
American Chemical Society
The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a scientific society based in the United States that supports scientific inquiry in the field of chemistry. Founded in 1876 at New York University, the ACS currently has more than 155,000 members at all ...
). Not all societies are based around such a large area of interest and many universities also find themselves home to societies for many obscure hobbies such as a
Neighbours society.
Student societies typically have open membership, thus differing from most
honor societies
In the United States, an honor society is a rank organization that recognizes excellence among peers. Numerous societies recognize various fields and circumstances. The Order of the Arrow, for example, is the National Honor Society of the Boy Sc ...
,
secret societies
A secret society is a club or an organization whose activities, events, inner functioning, or membership are concealed. The society may or may not attempt to conceal its existence. The term usually excludes covert groups, such as intelligence ...
, and certain
traditional fraternities that admit members by invitation only. Students typically join societies at the beginning of the school year when many societies present themselves in a societies fair and campaign to attract new members. The students may pay a membership fee to the society, while some may not. Since the societies are
non-profit organization
A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...
s this fee is often nominal and purely exists to cover insurance or to fund society events.
Student societies may or may not be affiliated with a university's
students' union
A students' union, also known by many other names, is a student organization present in many colleges, universities, and high schools. In higher education, the students' union is often accorded its own building on the campus, dedicated to soci ...
. Student societies often aim to facilitate a particular activity or promote a belief system, although some explicitly require nothing more than that a member is a present or former student. Additionally, some are not affiliated with a specific university or accept non-university students. Moreover, most student run organizations tend to depend heavily on collaborations with externals for their credibility and their success.
Examples
Typical examples are:
*
Civil Societies - encourage polite behaviour among people.
*
Debating
Debate is a process that involves formal discourse on a particular topic, often including a moderator and audience. In a debate, arguments are put forward for often opposing viewpoints. Debates have historically occurred in public meetings, a ...
societies - organise and promote debates and/or
oratory.
*
Ethnic
An ethnic group or an ethnicity is a grouping of people who identify with each other on the basis of shared attributes that distinguish them from other groups. Those attributes can include common sets of traditions, ancestry, language, history, ...
,
national origin
National origin is the nation where a person was born, or where that person's ancestors came from. It also includes the diaspora of multi-ethnic states and societies that have a shared sense of common identity identical to that of a nation while ...
, or
cultural
Culture () is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals in these groups.Tylor ...
organizations
*
Faculty
Faculty may refer to:
* Faculty (academic staff), the academic staff of a university (North American usage)
* Faculty (division), a division within a university (usage outside of the United States)
* Faculty (instrument)
A faculty is a legal in ...
societies or
Academic discipline
An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary education, secondary or tertiary education, tertiary higher education, higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membershi ...
societies - unite students from one university faculty, constituent college, or interrelated academic disciplines.
*
Film societies - display and discuss films.
*
Hiking
Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A His ...
clubs - organise hiking trips.
*
International student
International students, or foreign students, are students who undertake all or part of their tertiary education in a country other than their own and move to that country for the purpose of studying.
In 2019, there were over 6 million internati ...
societies - introduce international students to one another and promote international cooperation.
*
Martial arts societies, such as
Taekwondo
''Taekwondo'', ''Tae Kwon Do'' or ''Taekwon-Do'' (; ko, 태권도/跆拳道 ) is a Korean form of martial arts involving punching and kicking techniques, with emphasis on head-height kicks, spinning jump kicks, and fast kicking techniques. ...
and
Karate
(; ; Okinawan pronunciation: ) is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom. It developed from the indigenous Ryukyuan martial arts (called , "hand"; ''tii'' in Okinawan) under the influence of Chinese martial arts, particularly Fuj ...
*
Music
Music is generally defined as the The arts, art of arranging sound to create some combination of Musical form, form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise Musical expression, expressive content. Exact definition of music, definitions of mu ...
societies
*
Regional societies - unite students from the same region or hometown; a
student nation
Student nations or simply nations ( la, natio meaning "being born") are regional corporations of students at a university. Once widespread across Europe in medieval times, they are now largely restricted to the oldest universities of Sweden and Fi ...
.
*
Religious Organizations and Communities
*
Science fiction
Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imagination, imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, Paral ...
societies
*
Student wing
A student wing is a subsidiary, autonomous, or independently allied front of a larger organization that is formed in order to rally support from students and focus on student specific issues, typically of those attending college or university. Stu ...
- a subsidiary, autonomous, or independently allied front of a larger organization that is formed in order to rally support from students and focus on student specific issues.
*
Political organizations
A political organization is any organization that involves itself in the political process, including political parties, non-governmental organizations, and special interest advocacy groups. Political organizations are those engaged in polit ...
and
Political parties
*
Labour and Trade unions
*
Advocacy groups
Advocacy groups, also known as interest groups, special interest groups, lobbying groups or pressure groups use various forms of advocacy in order to influence public opinion and ultimately policy. They play an important role in the developm ...
*
Social clubs
A social club may be a group of people or the place where they meet, generally formed around a common interest, occupation, or activity. Examples include: book discussion clubs, chess clubs, anime clubs, country clubs, charity work, crimi ...
*
Professional association
A professional association (also called a professional body, professional organization, or professional society) usually seeks to further a particular profession, the interests of individuals and organisations engaged in that profession, and t ...
*
Greek-letter student fraternities and sororities
*
Service organizations
Student societies by location
Australia
In Australia, student societies play an important role in university life by bringing together like-minded students to engage in activities the society seeks to promote.
Belgium
Flanders
In
Flanders
Flanders (, ; Dutch: ''Vlaanderen'' ) is the Flemish-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to cultu ...
, student societies play a unique role in student life. Student societies there have traditionally been
politically active, and they played a significant part in the 1960s division of the
Catholic University of Leuven into separate
Flemish
Flemish (''Vlaams'') is a Low Franconian dialect cluster of the Dutch language. It is sometimes referred to as Flemish Dutch (), Belgian Dutch ( ), or Southern Dutch (). Flemish is native to Flanders, a historical region in northern Belgium ...
and
Walloon universities.
A student society in Flanders is led by a ''praesidium''. The head of the praesidium (and the society) is the ''
praeses
''Praeses'' (Latin ''praesides'') is a Latin word meaning "placed before" or "at the head". In antiquity, notably under the Roman Dominate, it was used to refer to Roman governors; it continues to see some use for various modern positions.
...
''. Alternative spellings are ''presidium'' and ''preses''. For most positions, Dutch names are used nowadays.
Other positions include:
* ''
vice
A vice is a practice, behaviour, or Habit (psychology), habit generally considered immorality, immoral, sinful, crime, criminal, rude, taboo, depraved, degrading, deviant or perverted in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refe ...
-praeses'': assists the praeses where needed.
* ''
Quaestor
A ( , , ; "investigator") was a public official in Ancient Rome. There were various types of quaestors, with the title used to describe greatly different offices at different times.
In the Roman Republic, quaestors were elected officials who ...
'': takes care of the money.
* ': the secretary of the student organisation.
* ''Cantor'': Leads the
cantus.
* ''Vertor'': Organises cultural activities.
* ''Scriptor'': Is responsible for creating a
Magazine.
* ''Bacchus'': Is responsible for
alcoholic beverage
An alcoholic beverage (also called an alcoholic drink, adult beverage, or a drink) is a drink that contains ethanol, a type of alcohol that acts as a drug and is produced by fermentation of grains, fruits, or other sources of sugar. The c ...
s. (Title taken from the Roman name for
Dionysus
In ancient Greek religion and myth, Dionysus (; grc, Διόνυσος ) is the god of the grape-harvest, winemaking, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, festivity, and theatre. The Romans ...
)
* ''
Dominus morum
Dominus or domini may refer to:
* Dominus (title), a title of sovereignty, clergy and other uses
Art, entertainment, and media
* Dominus (band), a Danish death metal band
* Dominus (DC Comics), an alien character in DC Comics
* Dominus (Marv ...
'': Is responsible for keeping order at a
cantus.
Positions are flexible, and change to meet the needs of the student organisation.
Student societies used to be politically engaged, but are now more focused on organizing
parties,
cantus, and
cultural
Culture () is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals in these groups.Tylor ...
activities.
Student societies also exist at
polytechnic
Polytechnic is most commonly used to refer to schools, colleges, or universities that qualify as an institute of technology or vocational university also sometimes called universities of applied sciences.
Polytechnic may also refer to:
Educat ...
s.
New members go through an initiation ritual before becoming full members of a Flemish student society. A new member is called ''schacht'' and has to undergo a ''baptism''. The baptism is the first step to integration in the student society. The next (and last) step to becoming a full-fledged member is the ''ontgroening''. After the ''ontgroening'', one becomes a normal member or ''commilito'' of the organization, and can join the praesidium if one so chooses. Normal members are also referred to as ''anciens''.
Francophone Belgians
In
Wallonia
Wallonia (; french: Wallonie ), or ; nl, Wallonië ; wa, Waloneye or officially the Walloon Region (french: link=no, Région wallonne),; nl, link=no, Waals gewest; wa, link=no, Redjon walone is one of the three regions of Belgium—al ...
and
Brussels
Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...
, several types of
francophone
French became an international language in the Middle Ages, when the power of the Kingdom of France made it the second international language, alongside Latin. This status continued to grow into the 18th century, by which time French was the ...
student societies exist:
* A ''cercle'' regroup students from the same faculty
* A ''regionale'' regroup students coming from the same location
* An ''ordre'' regroup students around some aspects of the student
folklore
Folklore is shared by a particular group of people; it encompasses the traditions common to that culture, subculture or group. This includes oral traditions such as Narrative, tales, legends, proverbs and jokes. They include material culture, r ...
or
traditions
A tradition is a belief or behavior (folk custom) passed down within a group or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common examples include holidays or ...
. The most famous is arguably
ANLO.
These societies sometimes have traditions dating back a hundred years, such as wearing one of the two traditional student hats: the
Penne
Penne () is an extruded type of pasta with cylinder-shaped pieces, their ends cut at an angle. ''Penne'' is the plural form of the Italian ''penna'' (meaning ''feather'' but ''pen'' as well), deriving from Latin ''penna'' (meaning " feather" or ...
or the
Calotte
Calotte may refer to:
* Calotte (architecture), a round cavity or depression in architecture
* Calotte or zucchetto, a plain skull cap, specifically those worn by ecclesiastics
** Calotte (Belgium), used among students at Belgian catholic universi ...
. Their main activity is organising and attending
parties or
festivals
A festival is an event ordinarily celebrated by a community and centering on some characteristic aspect or aspects of that community and its religion or cultures. It is often marked as a local or national holiday, Melā, mela, or Muslim holida ...
(for example, the
24 hours bike ride of Louvain-la-Neuve or the
St V).
Canada
The
Alma Mater Society at
Queen's University Queen's or Queens University may refer to:
*Queen's University at Kingston, Ontario, Canada
*Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
**Queen's University of Belfast (UK Parliament constituency) (1918–1950)
**Queen's University of Belfast ...
is the oldest such organization in
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tota ...
, and currently the most extensive in regard to student involvement. It is currently a multi-million corporation employing over 500 students. The day-to-day operations of the AMS are overseen by the AMS Council which includes an annually elected three-person executive (the President, Vice-President (Operations) and Vice-President (University Affairs), selected as a slate), five commissioners who are each responsible for a specific aspect of student life, and three directors who are responsible for overseeing the AMS’ 14 corporate services.
Denmark
Student organizations in
Denmark
)
, song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast")
, song_type = National and royal anthem
, image_map = EU-Denmark.svg
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark
, establishe ...
are often interchangeable with the
students' unions, as the local organizations at the universities are concerned about matters related to political interest and social activities. The political interests of the students are nationally represented by
The National Union of Students in Denmark, which mandate is democratically given by the local organizations.
Estonia
Estonian Students' Society
The Estonian Students' Society ( et, Eesti Üliõpilaste Selts; commonly used acronym: EÜS) is the largest and oldest all-male academical student society in Estonia, and is similar to the Baltic German student organizations known as corporat ...
(Estonian: Eesti Üliõpilaste Selts commonly used acronym: EÜS) is the largest and oldest all-male academical student society in
Estonia
Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and t ...
, which is similar to
Baltic German
Baltic Germans (german: Deutsch-Balten or , later ) were ethnic German inhabitants of the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea, in what today are Estonia and Latvia. Since their coerced resettlement in 1939, Baltic Germans have markedly declined ...
student corporations (should not be confused with American college fraternities). It was founded in 1870 at the
University of Tartu
The University of Tartu (UT; et, Tartu Ülikool; la, Universitas Tartuensis) is a university in the city of Tartu in Estonia. It is the national university of Estonia. It is the only classical university in the country, and also its biggest ...
. It has over 900 members in Estonia and abroad.
In Estonia are 10 academical male student corporations. They are joined in
League of Estonian Corporations
League of Estonian Corporations (Estonian: Eesti Korporatsioonide Liit, Estonian acronym: EKL) is an organisation that unites all-male academic corporations in Estonia. It was founded on March 28, 1915 by Vironia, Fraternitas Estica, Sakala, Ugal ...
, which was founded on March 28, 1915 by
Vironia
Virumaa ( la, Vironia; Low German: ''Wierland''; Old Norse: ''Virland'') is a former independent county in Ancient Estonia. Now it is divided into Ida-Viru County or Eastern Vironia and Lääne-Viru County or Western Vironia. Vironians built m ...
,
Fraternitas Estica
Fraternitas Estica is an all-male academic corporation at the University of Tartu, Estonia. It was founded in 1907.
History
1900. In August vil! dr. Aleksander Paldrok makes a proposal at Estonian Students' Society's general assembly to prop ...
,
Sakala,
Ugala
Ugala is a theatre in Viljandi, Estonia.
The theatre was founded in 1920 opening on January 10 of that year. The first production was Oscar Wilde's "Salome".
Ugala's Artistic Directors
*1925 - 1926: Andres Särev
*1926 – 1928: Eduard Lemb ...
and
Rotalia. Estonian student corporations have hundreds of members and alumni worldwide, because after the
Soviet annexation of Estonia
The Estonian SSR,, russian: Эстонская ССР officially the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic,, russian: Эстонская Советская Социалистическая Республика was an ethnically based adminis ...
many members fled to Western countries.
Added to them there are one female student society:
Estonian Women Students' Society
Estonian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Estonia, a country in the Baltic region in northern Europe
* Estonians, people from Estonia, or of Estonian descent
* Estonian language
* Estonian cuisine
* Estonian culture
See also ...
, five female student corporations:
Filiae Patriae, Indla, Lembela, Amicitia, Sororitas Estoniae.
European-wide
In Europe, there are several continent-wide student organisations fostering exchange among students of different
nationalities and
Culture
Culture () is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals in these grou ...
, such as
*
ESU (European Students' Union), the umbrella organisation of 44 national unions of students from 38 countries, representing over 15 million students
*
AEGEE (European Students Forum), trying to spread the
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located enti ...
an idea
*
BEST (Board of European Students of Technology)
*
Bonding
*
EESTEC (Electrical Engineering Students' European Association)
*
EFPSA (European Federation of Psychology Students' Associations)
*
ELSA (European Law Students' Association)
*
EMSA (European Medical Students' Association)
* ESN (
Erasmus Student Network), promoting student mobility in Europe and beyond
*
ESTIEM
ESTIEM (European Students of Industrial Engineering and Management) is a non-profit, non-governmental and non-political student organisation that connects European students that combine technological understanding with management skills. The goal ...
(European Students of Industrial Engineering & Management)
*
EUROAVIA
The European Association of Aerospace Students (EUROAVIA) is a European-based students' initiative, whose main fields of activity are aerospace, engineering and adjacent fields. EUROAVIA was founded in 1959 and is governed by Dutch law.
This assoc ...
(European Association of Aerospace Students)
*
EUGEN (European Geology Students Network)
*
OBESSU
The Organising Bureau of European School Student Unions (OBESSU) is the umbrella organization of 32 national school student unions from 24 European countries. An interlocutor with the European Commission, European Parliament, Council of Europe a ...
(Organising Bureau of European School Student Unions)
*
JEF (Young European Federalists), a pan-European network promoting the idea of European integration
There is also the
National Unions of Students in Europe
The European Students' Union (ESU) is the umbrella organisation of 45 national unions of students from 40 countries, representing almost 20 million students. A consultative member of the Bologna Process, ESU is also a full member of the Europe ...
, a representative student organisation at European level, notably within the
Bologna process.
France
*
AMGE-Caravane, (French: ''Association des Marocains aux
Grandes Ecoles Grandes may refer to:
*Agustín Muñoz Grandes, Spanish general and politician
*Banksia ser. Grandes, a series of plant species native to Australia
* Grandes y San Martín, a municipality located in the province of Ávila, Castile and León, Spain
...
et aux
Universités''), dedicated to Moroccan students and alumni
Germany
In
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG),, is a country in Central Europe. It is the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany lies between the Baltic and North Sea to the north and the Alps to the sou ...
, student societies are widespread and various, though by lack of support from the universities (and by force of variety), generally do not boast many members. The most popular are the
Studentenverbindung
(; often referred to as Verbindung) is the umbrella term for many different kinds of fraternity-type associations in German-speaking countries, including Corps, , , , and Catholic fraternities. Worldwide, there are over 1,600 , about a thousa ...
en; most of them are moderate and tolerant, although many are restricted to male or Christian members.
On many universities - although in many states not officially recognised - there are student representations, called AStA (Allgemeiner Studenten-Ausschuss), StuVe (Studentische Vertretung) or StuRa (Studentenrat).
Other organisations include
European Student Associations
European, or Europeans, or Europeneans, may refer to:
In general
* ''European'', an adjective referring to something of, from, or related to Europe
** Ethnic groups in Europe
** Demographics of Europe
** European cuisine, the cuisines of Europe a ...
and the student organisations of the
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
political parties
Yet, there are also politically and confessionally independent, interdisciplinary and not-for-profit student organisations. One of, if not the leading one in Germany is the
Studentenforum im Tönissteiner Kreis e. V. (Student Forum within the Tönissteiner Kreis e. V.) that is part of a European and worldwide network of student organizations, the Politeia Community.
See also:
*
Fraternities and sororities
Fraternities and sororities are social organizations at colleges and universities in North America.
Generally, membership in a fraternity or sorority is obtained as an undergraduate student, but continues thereafter for life. Some accept gra ...
*
Studentenverbindung
(; often referred to as Verbindung) is the umbrella term for many different kinds of fraternity-type associations in German-speaking countries, including Corps, , , , and Catholic fraternities. Worldwide, there are over 1,600 , about a thousa ...
Indonesia
Student societies in Indonesia, such as
Budi Oetomo, have existed since before the
Indonesian National Revolution of 1945. Afterwards, other associations, such as the
Islamic Students of Indonesia
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God (or ''Allah'') as it was revealed to Muhammad, the main ...
(PII) and
Muhammadiyah Student Association
Muhammadiyah ( ar, محمدية; 'followers of Muhammad'); also known as the Muhammadiyah Society ( id, Persyarikatan Muhammadiyah) is a major Islamic non-governmental organization in Indonesia.A. Jalil HamidTackle the rising cost of living lon ...
(IPM) were founded.
Iran
The Student Organization of Iran is a public and non-governmental organization affiliated to the Ministry of Education of Iran, which is a supplement to public education in the form of social education and started its activities on May 10, 1999. This organization is under the control of the Board of Trustees of the Student Organization, which consists of the officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the students of this country.
Ireland
Student societies are widespread in Ireland's universities, with a wide range of activities catered for, including debating, performing arts, role-play, faculty-based activities, gaming, political activity etc. The range of support for societies varies from university to university, though all universities provide funding and facilities to some extent for societies.
Student societies are usually governed by Officers and a Committee with an "Auditor" at its head. The
Biological Society,
RCSI's main student society, is purportedly the oldest student medical society in the world. However, it is
Trinity College, Dublin
, name_Latin = Collegium Sanctae et Individuae Trinitatis Reginae Elizabethae juxta Dublin
, motto = ''Perpetuis futuris temporibus duraturam'' (Latin)
, motto_lang = la
, motto_English = It will last i ...
which is the location of
College Historical Society
The College Historical Society (CHS) – popularly referred to as The Hist – is a debating society at Trinity College Dublin. It was established within the college in 1770 and was inspired by the club formed by the philosopher Edmund Bu ...
(1770), the oldest student society in the world. The
Literary and Debating Society (NUI Galway)
The Literary & Debating Society is located at the University of Galway. The society was founded as the ''Literary and Scientific Society'' in 1846, and incorporated into the then Queen's College, Galway, in 1852. It has as its objective "the pr ...
also has the distinction for being the first known student society in the world to elect a female leader, with the election of Clare F. Fitzgerald as "Auditor" in 1942.
Examples include:
*
College Historical Society
The College Historical Society (CHS) – popularly referred to as The Hist – is a debating society at Trinity College Dublin. It was established within the college in 1770 and was inspired by the club formed by the philosopher Edmund Bu ...
*
Literary and Historical Society
*
RCSI Biological Society
*
The Law Society (University College Dublin)
The UCD Law Society is one of the largest student societies in Europe. Established in 1911 as 'The Legal and Economic Society', as of 2009 it had approximately 4100 members drawn from the various faculties of the university. Weekly Tuesday nigh ...
*
Literary and Debating Society (NUI Galway)
The Literary & Debating Society is located at the University of Galway. The society was founded as the ''Literary and Scientific Society'' in 1846, and incorporated into the then Queen's College, Galway, in 1852. It has as its objective "the pr ...
*
UCC Philosophical Society
The UCC Philosophical Society, commonly known as ''the Philosoph'', is the largest debating society at University College Cork, Ireland. The Philosoph was founded in 1850, making it the oldest society at UCC. The society carries out a number of ...
*
UCD Dramsoc UCD can refer to:
Education
*University College Dublin, Irish university
**University College Dublin A.F.C., the university's association football club
**University College Dublin RFC, the university's rugby union club
**UCD GAA, the university G ...
*
University College Dublin Symphony Orchestra
*
University Philosophical Society
The University Philosophical Society (UPS; ), commonly known as The Phil, is a student paper-reading and debating society in Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland. Founded in 1683 it is the oldest student, collegial and paper-reading society in ...
Netherlands
In the
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
, there are different forms of student societies. Originally there was just the ''Corps'' (for corpus studiosorum), student bodies, starting with the Groninger Studenten Corps ''
Vindicat atque Polit
The Groninger Studenten Corps Vindicat atque Polit (Latin for ''Uphold and Refine'' (lit. ''(The sword) avenges and (the file) scrapes'')) is the oldest Dutch student association and was founded on February the 4th, 1815 as a reaction to attacks ...
'' in the city of Groningen on 4 February 1815, as a part of the governing of the
education
Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty. ...
on the
universities
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase ''universitas magistrorum et scholarium'', which ...
and to give students the opportunity to develop themselves in all fields of life. On the wave of
catholic emancipation
Catholic emancipation or Catholic relief was a process in the kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland, and later the combined United Kingdom in the late 18th century and early 19th century, that involved reducing and removing many of the restrict ...
starting in the 1890s, small groups of students, gathered around local
priests
A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particu ...
, split off from the
liberal,
secular
Secularity, also the secular or secularness (from Latin ''saeculum'', "worldly" or "of a generation"), is the state of being unrelated or neutral in regards to religion. Anything that does not have an explicit reference to religion, either negativ ...
(in name anyway) corps fraternities to form their own societies focused on the
catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwide . It is am ...
religion
Religion is usually defined as a social- cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relates humanity to supernatural ...
. This started the formation of many other religious societies in the different university cities. In the second half of the 20th century the Catholic split-offs formed an intercity-connection; the and the focus on the religion was lost or abandoned.
These societies are now known as ''student associations'' in the Netherlands, aimed mostly at social relations and
gezelligheid. Most of the corpora now reside in older buildings in the city center, retaining mostly a rather traditional and conservative image. These organizations offer students a wide range of sports, cultural activities ranging from all levels of sports like
field hockey
Field hockey is a team sport structured in standard hockey format, in which each team plays with ten outfield players and a goalkeeper. Teams must drive a round hockey ball by hitting it with a hockey stick towards the rival team's shootin ...
,
rowing
Rowing is the act of propelling a human-powered watercraft using the sweeping motions of oars to displace water and generate reactional propulsion. Rowing is functionally similar to paddling, but rowing requires oars to be mechanically at ...
and
rugby to extremes like
kitesurfing
Kiteboarding or kitesurfing is a sport that involves using wind power with a large power kite to pull a rider across a water, land, or snow surface. It combines aspects of paragliding, surfing, windsurfing, skateboarding, snowboarding, and wa ...
,
glider-flying, all for student-friendly prices and development aid organisations and encouragement to start a new club of some sort at all times.
The 20th century also saw, especially in the 1960s, the formation of more independent societies at the universities itself, partly as a reaction against the elite status of the corps, abolishing
hazing
Hazing (American English), initiation, beasting (British English), bastardisation ( Australian English), ragging ( South Asian English) or deposition refers to any activity expected of someone in joining or participating in a group that humiliat ...
and religious links and some even opening up to non-students. These non-Corps student societies are known as ''study associations'' (aimed at extracurricular activities for students, such as study trips, lectures, parties or drinks) or are general associations, for sports, literature, arts, etc., founded at the university itself.
Norway
The tradition with student societies in Norway reaches back to 1813, when
Norwegian Students' Society
Norwegian Students' Society ( no, Det Norske Studentersamfund) is Norway's oldest student society.
The Norwegian Students' Society was established during 1813 in Oslo, Norway. Two years after the Royal Frederick University (today named the Univer ...
in Oslo was founded. The major student societies in Norway are those in
Oslo
Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of ...
,
Trondheim
Trondheim ( , , ; sma, Tråante), historically Kaupangen, Nidaros and Trondhjem (), is a city and municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. As of 2020, it had a population of 205,332, was the third most populous municipality in Norway, an ...
and
Bergen
Bergen (), historically Bjørgvin, is a city and municipality in Vestland county on the west coast of Norway. , its population is roughly 285,900. Bergen is the second-largest city in Norway. The municipality covers and is on the peninsula o ...
. The societies in Oslo and Trondheim operates the student houses, and do also have subgroups who are engaged in theatre, political debates, radio, TV and newspaper.
Bergen Student Society are not in charge of the city's student house, but are arranging political debates, lectures and cultural discussions at
Det Akademiske Kvarter
Det Akademiske Kvarter, more commonly known as Kvarteret, is a student cultural center in Bergen, Norway. It is situated on Olav Kyrres gate in the center of Bergen, within walking distance of both the main shopping areas and the University of ...
.
A Norwegian tradition is to appoint an animal as the high protector or majesty of the student societies, such as ''His Majesty the Golden Pig'' (Oslo), ''The Black Sheep'' (Trondheim) and
His Majesty the Hedgehog (Bergen). The zoological Majesties have their own order of honours, awarded to members of the student societies and member of the academic staff at the institutions, as well as visiting members of the Norwegian royal family.
Sweden
Student leisure activities in Sweden are usually organised by the
students' union
A students' union, also known by many other names, is a student organization present in many colleges, universities, and high schools. In higher education, the students' union is often accorded its own building on the campus, dedicated to soci ...
s (''studentkårer'', ''studentkår'' in singular). Swedish student unions cover the whole area from arranging most of the big parties, cultural activities and sports event, to acting as an equivalent of
trade union
A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits (s ...
for the students so their voices can be heard regarding the content and forms of education. The union is usually divided in smaller parts called sections, ''sektioner'', according to what subjects of programs the students study. Generally all kinds of smaller societies, political, religious or just dealing with different kinds of hobbies, are organised within the students' union rather than as separate units.
An exception to this are the two ancient universities in
Uppsala
Uppsala (, or all ending in , ; archaically spelled ''Upsala'') is the county seat of Uppsala County and the List of urban areas in Sweden by population, fourth-largest city in Sweden, after Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Malmö. It had 177,074 inha ...
and
Lund. There, most activities except "trade union" issues are organised by the
student nations
Student nations or simply nations ( la, natio meaning "being born") are regional corporations of students at a university. Once widespread across Europe in medieval times, they are now largely restricted to the oldest universities of Sweden and Fi ...
, the oldest student societies in Sweden, now thirteen at each university. The Uppsala nations have a history stretching back to ca 1630–1640, and were likely formed under the influence of the ''
Landsmannschaften'' in existence at the northern German universities frequented by Swedish students. The nations in Lund were formed at the time of the foundation of the university (1666) or shortly thereafter. The nations take the names from the
Swedish provinces
The provinces of Sweden ( sv, Sveriges landskap) are historical, geographical and cultural regions. Sweden has 25 provinces; they have no administrative function (except for in some cases as sport districts), but remain historical legacies and ...
from which they traditionally recruited their members, but do not always adhere to the strict practice of limiting membership according to those principles.
Taiwan
The curriculum guidelines of 12-year basic educationmandates that Taiwanese high school students must receive at least 24 credits o
group activities(社團活動)n one academic year. Most General senior high school students participate in two hours of group activities(社課)each week. This has encouraged the formation of well-supported rock societies(熱音社)and street dance societies(熱舞社). These student societies run themselves with minimal funds, traditionally hosting activities that require large amounts of labor and dedication; in return, committee members(幹部)are rewarded with academic commendations(嘉獎)or even minor merits(小功)from the school.
Uzbekistan
As a former
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
state,
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan (, ; uz, Ozbekiston, italic=yes / , ; russian: Узбекистан), officially the Republic of Uzbekistan ( uz, Ozbekiston Respublikasi, italic=yes / ; russian: Республика Узбекистан), is a doubly landlocked co ...
holds some of the best Universities in Central Asia. First universities were established back in the 1920s in the Turkestan Socialist Republic. Today many of these universities have their own student societies. These societies provide information and support for students who want to study in
Tashkent
Tashkent (, uz, Toshkent, Тошкент/, ) (from russian: Ташкент), or Toshkent (; ), also historically known as Chach is the capital and largest city of Uzbekistan. It is the most populous city in Central Asia, with a population of ...
.
United Kingdom
The UK universities boast many notable societies, most of them organised through the universities' Student Unions. These societies encompass a wide range of topics, from course-specific societies, sport societies, film or TV show societies and business societies.
United States
Many student societies in the US are focused on the interests of the student members, whether it involves
community service
Community service is unpaid work performed by a person or group of people for the benefit and betterment of their community without any form of compensation. Community service can be distinct from volunteering, since it is not always perform ...
(such as the Feed The Families Club), the ethnicity of the members (such as a Black Student Union or
Hillel
Hillel ( he, links=no, הלל, lit=praise) is a Jewish masculine given name and a surname. It may refer to:
Given name
* Hillel the Elder (110 BC–10 AD), Babylonian sage, scholar, and Jewish leader
* Hillel, son of Gamaliel III (3rd century), ...
), their religion (such as
Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship
Chi Alpha , (sometimes XA, χα, xa, or SfC - Students for Christ, officially known as Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship), is an international and interdenominational coeducational Christian fellowship, social club, student society, and serv ...
) or
lack of religion (such as the
Secular Student Alliance
The Secular Student Alliance (SSA) is an American educational nonprofit organization whose purpose is to educate high school and college students about the value of scientific reason and the intellectual basis of secularism in its atheistic an ...
), or their political interests (such as
College Republicans
College Republicans are college and university students who support the Republican Party of the United States. Many members belong to the organization College Republican National Committee (CRNC), College Republicans United (CRU), or various inde ...
or
College Democrats). Others focus on a specific social cause (such as the Real Estate Club), whether by topic or specific to an area (even international). For example,
Refresh Bolivia is a student-run nonprofit community which originated at
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of high ...
; it is dedicated to constructing a "maternal & child care oriented community health center" in
Cochabamba
Cochabamba ( ay, Quchapampa; qu, Quchapampa) is a city and municipality in central Bolivia in a valley in the Andes mountain range. It is the capital of the Cochabamba Department and the fourth largest city in Bolivia, with a population of 6 ...
,
Bolivia
, image_flag = Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg
, flag_alt = Horizontal tricolor (red, yellow, and green from top to bottom) with the coat of arms of Bolivia in the center
, flag_alt2 = 7 × 7 square p ...
.
Africa
Student
A student is a person enrolled in a school or other educational institution.
In the United Kingdom and most commonwealth countries, a "student" attends a secondary school or higher (e.g., college or university); those in primary or elementa ...
societies in Africa focus on assisting students from junior high through senior high and universities. High Schools Society in
Ghana
Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in Ghana–Ivory Coast border, the west, Burkina ...
focuses on establishing a student community for students through careers, networking and community service.
International organizations
*
AIESEC
AIESEC is an international youth-run, non-governmental and not-for-profit organization that provides young people with leadership development, cross-cultural internships, and global volunteer exchange experiences. The organization focuses on emp ...
- The International Platform for Young People to Explore and Develop their Potential
*
European Horizons
European Horizonsis a youth-led atlanticist policy incubator whose stated mission is “to foster a stronger transatlantic bond and a more united Europe,” which the organization sees as cornerstones of a future underpinned by democracy, equality ...
- Transatlantic student-run think tank
*
IAAS - International Association of Students in Agricultural and Related Sciences
*
IADS
The International Association of Department Stores (IADS) is a retail trade association founded in 1928 by a group of department stores with the goal of introducing modern management methods derived from the scientific management movement to thei ...
- International Association of Dental Students
*
IAESTE - The International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience
*
IAPS International Association of Physics Students
*
IAPSS International Association of Political Science Students
*
IFMSA - International Federation of Medical Students' Associations
*
IFSA - International Forestry Students' Association
*
IPSF - International Pharmaceutical Students' Federation
*
IVSA - International Veterinary Students Association
*
ISHA - International Students of History Association
*
NACURH
The National Association of College and University Residence Halls Incorporated (NACURH) is an international organization made up of eight regions. The eight regions cover the entire United States and parts of Canada. Previously it has also covere ...
- National Association of College and University Residence Halls
*
oikos International - International Student-driven Organization for Sustainable Economics and Management
*
SEDS - Students for the Exploration and Development of Space
*
WOSY
The World Organisation of Students and Youth (WOSY) is an international student and youth organisation with India as headquarters. It was founded in Delhi on 29 October 1985.
History
The World Organisation of Students and Youth was launched in ...
- World Organisation of Students and Youth
*
MOSA
Mosa may refer to:
* Mosa Meat, Dutch food technology company
* Mosa (surname), multiple people
See also
* Moza (disambiguation)
* Mossa (disambiguation) Mossa may refer to:
People
* Gustav-Adolf Mossa (1883-1971), French illustrator and writ ...
- My Opinion Student Association
*HSS - High Schools Society
*AMSA International - Asian Medical Students' Association International
See also
*
Fraternities and sororities in North America
Fraternities and sororities are social organizations at colleges and universities in North America.
Generally, membership in a fraternity or sorority is obtained as an undergraduate student, but continues thereafter for life. Some accept gradua ...
*
Honor society
In the United States, an honor society is a rank organization that recognizes excellence among peers. Numerous societies recognize various fields and circumstances. The Order of the Arrow, for example, is the National Honor Society of the Boy Sc ...
*
Student accommodation
*
Studentenverbindung
(; often referred to as Verbindung) is the umbrella term for many different kinds of fraternity-type associations in German-speaking countries, including Corps, , , , and Catholic fraternities. Worldwide, there are over 1,600 , about a thousa ...
References
External link
*{{Commonscatinline