On Wednesday, January 29, the Senate of the European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder) elected Ira Helten as a student member of the Presidential College. This makes the 24-year-old student the first representative of the student body in this newly created position. She will take office on April 1, 2025.
Ira Helten wants to use her one-year term of office to establish the position of student member of the Presidential College:
"This office is a great asset for the Viadrina student body. I would like to take the opportunity to incorporate the student perspective into central decisions and to strengthen communication between the university management and the student body in the long term. As the first student in this position, my focus is on formulating areas of responsibility and laying the foundations for future generations of student members."
Currently, it is important to her to further expand student involvement at local and European level - for example within the European Reform University Alliance (ERUA) - by strengthening the student perspective, as well as to promote student participation in internal university processes, such as the current reforms in studies and teaching.
Ira Helten is studying in the Master's program Digital Entrepreneurship at the European New School of Digital Studies (ENS) at Viadrina.
The President of the European University Viadrina, Prof. Dr. Eduard Mühle, welcomes the strengthening of student interests in the university management:
"I am very pleased that the Presidential College has been strengthened with Ira Helten, a committed and competent student voice. Especially in the context of our ambitious reform program, it is important to integrate the students' perspective directly into the university management."
The election is based on an amendment to the Brandenburg Higher Education Act and the basic regulations of the European University Viadrina, which provides for institutional student participation in the university management.
Helten was elected at the suggestion of Viadrina President Prof. Dr. Eduard Mühle, who in turn had asked the student parliament for nominations.
About the person
Ira Helten has known Viadrina for six years as a student, employee and committee member. From 2020 to 2022, she was a member of Viadrina's General Student Committee (AStA), which she chaired from August 2021 to 2022. She began her Bachelor's degree in Cultural Studies at Viadrina in 2019, was already employed as a student assistant in various positions during her Bachelor's degree and has also been involved in numerous initiatives in the twin city, including the student theater festival Unithea.