The EUSA Equal Opportunities Commission met online for a productive virtual meeting on Tuesday, November 17.

Present at the meeting were EUSA Executive Committee Member and Chair of the Commission Mr Bruno Barracosa, the Commission’s Secretary Ms Sara Rozman, members Ms Biscomb Kay and Ms Ines Lenze, as well as EUSA Volunteer Ms Valeria Leoci.

Following the opening remarks, Mr Barracosa presented the effects of COVID-19 on EUSA’s plans and activities in 2020 and what lies ahead for the organisation in 2021.

The next topic discussed was the EUSA Incident Policy, which was prepared by EUSA Office with the cooperation of Equal Opportunities Commission. The members were informed that the EUSA Executive Committee adopted the document in their last meeting in beginning of November. With the current Policy, EUSA clarifies the expectations, and consequences, regarding the behaviour of different stakeholders at EUSA’s events and reaffirms EUSA’s commitment to safe and enjoyable environment.

EUSA will hold their electoral General Assembly in the second half of 2021. Mr Barracosa presented the Statutory Changes approved in the EUSA General Assembly held in September 2019 where EUSA members confirmed the proposal to update the organisation’s Statutes and Internal Regulations, in order to increase representation and stability, as well as ensure and promote participation of the both genders within EUSA governing bodies. Based on the Statutory Changes and the commitment to increase the number of women on the Executive Committee, the members discussed the possible strategies and awareness campaigns to promote and nominate more women for the positions within EUSA Executive Committee.

In light of Statutory Changes and newly adopted Policy, there was a broader discussion on how to provide the needed visibility of EUSA’s initiatives. The Commission has defined a set of short-term and long-term goals that will be considered in the coming year.

Ms Rozman then presented EUSA’s events and projects, noting EUSA’s noteworthy achievement in being successful in the application for nine different social responsibility projects funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union. The commission members were also informed of the status of all currently running EU-funded projects and the main steps and activities connected to them until the end of the year.