This panel will offer an interdisciplinary reflection on student agency in both contemporary and historical contexts of higher education. The discussion will draw on theoretical frameworks of student engagement and development, alongside empirical research and case studies. We will explore when and how students become genuine agents of change within academic and social spaces, and examine the ways in which higher education institutions either support or constrain their agency. The panel seeks to bring together historical, sociological, pedagogical, and political perspectives, and to create a space for collective reflection on the role students can—and should—play in shaping democratic and inclusive universities.
