SR is a student association for students from RSM’s BSc Bedrijfskunde (BA) and BSc International Business Administration (IBA) programmes. Its original purpose was finding feedback to improve the quality of education at RSM, but it has evolved to be much more than that, says SR’s chair Patrick de Koning. “We have become the bridge between students and faculty members. Students come to us first so we can ease their worries, and answer questions or redirect them to the right contact points within the faculty.” De Koning says SR has a unique position as students to “build a real community with entire cohorts and represent each other.”
Guidance and support
Vice-chair Meryem Abayli agrees. “Our core mission is to provide guidance and support needed to succeed, and to guide the BA and IBA representatives to deliver high-value evaluations to guard the quality of RSM’s bachelor programmes.” BA and IBA co-ordinators train these representatives to gather information from students through surveys, use the insights to write reports for the faculty, and hold meetings with professors to improve courses where needed.
Students in SR’s board and its co-ordinators, representatives and committees are all SR members. SR organises internal and external events where SR members and other students can connect and interact in a positive environment, including SR’s anniversary birthday, the SR trip, and the annual Professor Awards for the most outstanding faculty members, courses and support staff at RSM.
New study year, new student board
Plans for this academic year include to expand the IBA WhatsApp community further, to manage group chats to answer questions about courses and practical issues. The student support committee’s main responsibility will be to maintain a student hotline and to create a centralised touchpoint where students can ask their questions and share feedback.
“We will also continue to build valuable relationships with more faculty members and professional services staff at RSM. As the bridge we have two sides and it can collapse if one of them is not correctly built,” says chair Patrick de Koning.
The members of the 39th board of RSM Student Representation are: Patrick de Koning (chair), Meryem Abayli (vice-chair, and marketing and events co-ordinator), Moritz Jaeger (secretary and treasurer, Lieke van Tol (BA co-ordinator), Martyna Siejek (IBA co-ordinator), Lucía Muñiz González (third-year co-ordinator), and Pepijn Vlaanderen (stakeholder relations co-ordinator).
The board is currently recruiting for new members to help influence the quality of education and student life at RSM. Students interested in joining this diverse community and developing leadership, communication and problem-solving skills, can apply for the following roles within Student Representation: BA and IBA representatives, student support committee, third-year representatives, marketing committee, and events committee. The application deadline is Sunday 8 September 2024.
RSM Student Representation
RSM Student Representation (SR) represents the voices of around 4,500 bachelor students at RSM to advocate for the diverse needs and aspirations of the student body. SR’s board consists of bachelor students, aiming to transform SR into a dynamic support system and a link for students and faculty members. Committees include student support, marketing and events – all contributing SR in various ways, enhancing the organisation’s impact and operations. SR’s strategic oversight and dedicated management ensures strong student representation, supports academic improvements, and maintains a positive and engaging atmosphere. www.rsmsr.nl
