© rtl.lu
The Association of Luxembourg Student Unions (ACEL) has expressed strong dissatisfaction with the current location of the Student Fair, which has been held on the Belval university campus for the past four years.
According to ACEL, the site is too scattered, lacks visibility, and is difficult to reach for many students, particularly those living in the east of the country.
Sophie Mangen, Vice-President of ACEL, explained that the number of stands has dropped significantly since the fair moved from Luxexpo in Kirchberg to Belval. She noted that many career-related exhibitors have stopped attending altogether, and students are struggling to navigate the event as it is spread across four separate buildings.
Some pupils, she added, need up to two hours to travel from the east of Luxembourg to Belval, making it impractical for many to attend in the afternoon once school is out. As a result, turnout is lower, and those who do attend often struggle to find their way due to a lack of clear signage, she said.
This is not a new issue, Mangen stressed. She stated that the student organisation has been voicing its concerns for several years and has suggested alternative venues and improvements, adding that they feel their concerns have been repeatedly ignored by Higher Education and Research Minister Stéphanie Obertin.
Mangen noted that they have attempted to engage in dialogue but have been consistently met with a lack of willingness to find compromise. She argued that a larger, centralised venue is needed, one that allows all relevant actors to participate.
Mangen explained that ACEL had conducted a survey last year with the different student associations. She added that the results reflect a high level of dissatisfaction among the student associations, which represent around 40 stands at the fair. Mangen said that, after a meeting with Obertin in September, it became clear that no real willingness to discuss the issues remained, prompting the group to go public with its concerns.
If no change is made, ACEL is prepared to reconsider its involvement, she said. The next step, Mangen explained, is for ACEL to consult with the student associations at its upcoming winter general assembly to evaluate whether it is still worthwhile for them to participate. She added that an increasing number of associations are pulling out of the event and that the team is having to work hard even to persuade them to attend. That kind of pressure, she said, goes against the spirit of what the fair is meant to be: something enjoyable and beneficial for all.
The current location at Belval replaced the Luxexpo site, where the fair once hosted around 250 stands. Since the move, the number has dropped to roughly 150. Mangen warns that if more student organisations withdraw, the event risks shrinking to just a handful of university stands and the Maison de l'Orientation.
Meanwhile, Minister Obertin has publicly stated her support for keeping the fair at Belval. Speaking to RTL at this year's edition of the fair in late October, she described the day's turnout as a success and emphasised the importance of holding the event on a university campus. She stated that it gives young people a valuable opportunity to experience what student life looks like, and for that reason she said the government intends to continue in that direction.
Official figures estimate 6,000 students attended the fair. However, ACEL disputes this number, pointing to the brochures it distributes as a more reliable indicator. Based on that metric, they believe actual attendance is less than half the official figure.
Have a look at the photos from the 2025 Student Fair here.
