May 16th: Rectorate Occupied
at the University of Belgrade

Reported by Miodrag on the global ISM fb page:

On May 16th students occupied the headship of the University of Belgrade (main administration building / rector's office) and brought it under student control.

Short-term demands by the protesters:

1. Stopping increases in tuition fees now;
2. Stopping the ongoing abolition of university autonomy;
3. Public support by the academic community (teachers).

Long-term demands by the protesters:

1. Free (publicly funded) education for all;
2. Stopping the implementation of the Bologna declaration;
3. Replacing student parliaments with direct democratic bodies.

The occupation peaked in a press conference, which was held at the occupied building during the next day (May 17). After that the students left the building again.

This was the first in a series of actions planned for this season. During an assembly it was decided that this occupation was just a warning so it was held for one night only this time. Further protests and a set of actions are already scheduled for the next week.

When asked what the protesters mean by demanding to see "the abolition of university autonomy" constrained a fellow activist on the ground said:

We demand autonomy of the university because state institutions (and private interests) in coordination with official representative student bodies, are trying to control the political situation at the university. They are threatening with police and already hired private forces (security agencies) to fight students which stood up for their rights. Autonomy primarily means that the police have no business being inside the university, students have the right to directly and democratically decide on university issues and to organize freely within the territory of the university. All these rights are consistently and persistently violated. In the shorter term autonomy also means a strategic requirement that faculties maintain their present right to regulate the tuition themselves, to stop announced increase of prices, and to join us in the fight for free education against higher government authorities. This is important because state is trying to take these rights away using the excuse that it does not have any power to regulate prices and blaming the university, and all this is just a cover for further commercialization of education and the transformation of education into a privilege.

Students of all universities unite! Knowledge is not a commodity! One world, one struggle!

~ italiano ~

March 26th:
Students Occupy Space at Bucharest University and Babeș-Bolyai University

In the evening of March 26 students began to occupy the History Faculty of Bucharest University as well as an amphitheatre at Babeș-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca (both in Romania) indefinately. With this action they aim to create an open space for everyone to discuss, reflection and to articulate common interests. Issues like precariousness/poverty, the Bologna Process, university autonomy, as well as economic and social conditions of both students and teachers and others are not discussed inside universities. That's what the occupiers will be addressing and debating freely and without restrictions. Anyone interested is welcome to propose other interesting subjects to be discussed.

It's an act against the increasing commercialisation of education; an act of resistance against universities being factories producing human capital for the labour market, while at the same time students are turned into customers.

The following press release was published by the students involved in the occupation at Babeș-Bolyai University:

Manila, March 18-22nd:
Week of 'Black Protest' after Student Suicide triggered by inability to Pay for Tuition Fees

A week of 'Black Protest' at public and private colleges and universities across the Philippines takes place between March 18 and 22. It commemorates the death of Kristel Tejada who committed suicide, because she couldn't pay for tuition fees in time. The 'Black Protest' is marked by walk-outs and is also directed against another possible increase in tuition fees.

“Education is a right and it shouldn’t be sold,” said Mariz Zubiri, chair of the student council of UP branch in Manila, as hundreds of students rushed to UP (University of the Philippines) Manila to begin protest rallies. Police deployed a so-called security forces on campus.

Morocco, February 24th:
Day of Action to Commemorate the Killing of Mohamed Fizazi and Protest Police presence on Campus

In various cities across Morocco students came together to commemorate the killing of Mohamed El Fizazi who sadly died of his injuries on January 26th 2013.

Mohamed, a 22 year old radical leftist student, passed away after he had been beaten up when the police broke into the campus of Mohamed Ibn Abdellah University in Fès. He was one of several students who were badly beaten by the so called Quick Response Forces. Mohamed was then taken to the hospital where he died as a result of serious head injuries.
He was a member of the National Union of Students in Morocco in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at Mohamed Ibn Abdellah University. Mohamed was enrolled in the Department of English Literature, and he was expected to graduate this year.

Mohamed Ibn Abdellah University in Fès is a traditional stronghold of leftist students in Morocco. Many of them were killed on its campuses before. The most famous incident dates back to 1988 when police shot dead the students Souad El Saidi, Zoubida Khalifa, and Adil El Ajroumi.

source: @SamiNezar

Fellow student activists on the ground shared the following messages in this regard on the global ISM mailing list as well as global ISM fb page:

24/02/2013 Morocco UX artistic Sit-In

The Union of students to change the educational system organized on February 24th a sit-in against the murder of the student FIZAZI in FEZ and to say "NO" to the tripartite agreement between the ministry of higher education, interior and justice that allows the police forces to intervene at any moment on campus and stop student activities. Program: Flashmob, Freeze, a play, a sit-in with slogans, speaking participants. #1world1struggle

 
source: fb album on global ISM page

Union of students for the change of the educational system (also known as UECSE or UX) have recently (24 February) demonstrated artistically to show their rage about the death of Mohamed Fizazi. This student died a few days after being beaten up by the police on campus. What allowed this to happen is the Tripartite Memorandum. It combines three ministries: justice, education and interior and gives them the authority on students campus, it also gives the police the right to interfere at any time they want and for no legitimate reason.

sources: fr.lakome.com [II] (french) + morocconewstribune.com [II] (english)

 On 7th February, following a demonstration against the privatisation of 235 jobs, students at Sussex University occupied a conference centre on their campus. The university management plans to sell off many of the services they provide, despite opposition from staff and students. As the Sussex Against Privatisation blog states: