Federal Student Council Conference 2025: History meets Bielefeld!

Federal Student Council Conference 2025: History meets Bielefeld!

Bielefeld University is preparing for the Federal History Department Conference (BuFaTa), which will take place from September 22nd to 24th, 2025. The event is organized by the Department of History/Image and Art History, which is responsible for recruiting around 70 students from 18 universities across Germany. This conference represents an important forum for networking and exchanging experiences with other students from history and related courses.

A central goal of BuFaTa is to promote discussion about university policy and subject-related topics. This form of networking is important not only for the exchange of ideas and views, but also for strengthening the student participation process. Student councils play an important role in this context, as they represent the interests of students in university committees and serve as a platform for support and political participation.

Program and excursions

The history department at Bielefeld University has prepared a varied program for the participants. It includes daily plenary sessions that serve to exchange important topics, as well as workshops that deal, for example, with the discrimination-sensitive design of student engagement and the organization of excursions. The latter are an integral part of the program and include visits to the Wewelsburg Memorial, tours of the Bielefeld Historical Museum and two post-colonial city tours.

These excursions are not only educational, but also give students direct access to the history and culture of the region. The cooperation with the contemporary history department at Bielefeld University is also an important part of bringing historical perspectives into the discussion.

The role of student councils

Federal student council conferences, such as BuFaTa, are nationwide associations of student councils. These local student interest groups are crucial for co-designing study programs and political education within universities. Some BuFaTas have existed for decades, while others have become more important in recent years. Despite the differences in the way these events are conducted, the focus remains on active student involvement.

In principle, every student is entitled to take part in the BuFaTas without having to actively participate in their own student council. If a student council does not exist, students can also set up one independently, although support can be offered by other BuFaTa organizers.

Overall, the upcoming BuFaTa in Bielefeld shows once again how important student council work is for student participation and commitment at universities. The event will not only promote exchange between students, but also provide important inspiration for future student council work. Further information can be found on the Bielefeld University website via the link aktuell.uni-bielefeld.de is reachable.