The numbers are in! 365 AEGEE members applied for the 300 EBM Valletta places. This means, most people will get a place. The Golden Times analysed the application figures.
Yesterday alone 108 people applied for AEGEE’s third biggest event, which will take place from 28th of February till 3rd of March 2013. However, the total number of 365 applicants is far lower than for Agora Budapest, for which nearly five times as many people applied. Of course, Malta is much harder to reach, but taking into account that the EBM is AEGEE’s central thematic conference, which offers the great chance to shape AEGEE’s agenda, the event deserves much bigger attention.
The EBM offers another great opportunity: to get to know many other hyperactive AEGEE members. A Golden Times survey showed that many of the most active AEGEE members just went to four or five events last year. That’s not much to get to know each other and to develop great plans, which works much better when people meet than via e-mail or chat. In 2014, the EBM needs more promotion so that it gets the attention it deserves.
Back to the EBM numbers: already in the past years we saw a shift from an AEGEE, which was dominated by Dutch, Germany and Central and Eastern Europeans to a more balanced AEGEE – with Spain suddenly being the hotspot of AEGEE. The regional distribution of EBM applicants shows that it will be a Southern-dominated event: 21.4 percent of applicants are from Italy, 14.2 percent from Turkey, 8.5 percent from Spain – this means that 44 percent of all applicants are from these three Southern countries only.
The EBM might also be a slightly predominantly male event. 54 percent of all applicants are male, 46 percent female. At the Agoras the ratio is vice-versa, which also reflects the female dominance in AEGEE – 60 percent of all members are female. Since the Summer Universities of AEGEE-Valletta have been famous in the past for generating AEGEE couples, let’s see what will happen at the EBM in Malta… the weather will be spring-like and there are plenty of romantic beaches…
One thing will be missing in Valletta though: experience. 118 applicants have never been to an Agora, 103 only to one and 53 to two Agoras. This means: more than 75 percent of all applicants have been to two or less Agoras. At least 51 percent are board members of their local. The EBM was originally called Presidents’ Meeting, where the most experienced member were coming together to prepare AEGEE’s future. The EBM Valletta will be different. That doesn’t need to be bad – it can also mean that a fresh and new generation of members is eager to present and discuss their ideas and to put them into practice. The 23 applicants, who have been to more than five Agoras, will have the task to weigh in their practical experience and knowledge of the organisation so that all participants together can prepare AEGEE’s future.
The list of selected participants will be published next week. Even if you cannot attend the event, you will be informed – the Golden Times will report from Malta!
More info:
- The EBM statistics: https://www.zeus.aegee.org/statutory/ebm1302/statistics.php
- Interview with AEGEE-Valletta: https://www.aegeegoldentimes.eu/?p=4455
- Check the EBM website: http://www.ebmvalletta.eu/
- EBM Valletta on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ebmvalletta2013
