SöderS continues as the student union at Södertörn University, the university board decided this on 20 February 2025.

Student union status, or kårstatus as it is sometimes called, can be awarded to student associations at Sweden's higher education institutions and universities and is granted for a three-year period. The new decision therefore means that SöderS will continue as a student union until 2028. At the university's staff meeting in February, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Nils Ekedahl informed the employees about the news:

“We are pleased and look forward to continued collaboration with SöderS, which naturally plays a vitally important role at the university; not only for the students, but for the university as a whole, in receiving assistance with the work for effective student influence and a good student environment with many student activities.”

The mission of student unions is regulated primarily by the Higher Education Act, the Higher Education Ordinance and the Ordinance on Student Unions, which state that the main mission is to monitor and participate in the development of education. This means that SöderS is responsible for student influence at Södertörn University and works, amongst other things, to ensure that students are represented and involved in issues concerning education and study conditions.

”We are very pleased with the continued trust. We look forward to continuing to channel the issues that are important to and affect our students both with and towards the university.”

Julia Runnelid, President of SöderS

In connection with the renewal of its status as a student union, a new operations agreement between SöderS and the university is to be drawn up. For the upcoming negotiations, the parties' commitments regarding student welfare issues are important to SöderS. 

”Much of the operational support and the tools we can provide to our student associations groups to help them create an inclusive and vibrant campus is based on the agreement with the university. It is therefore important that we have a good understanding of and insight into the societies” needs, and I hope that we can take steps forward in this regard to foster an even more vibrant student and society life.”

Malin Helldorff, Secretary General