Students play an active role in decision-making for matters in which they are directly concerned. They sit with teaching and administrative staff on the different committees.

There are several types of elections :

Departments, Faculties or Institutes
Depending on the size and type of establishment, 2-10 students sit on the Administration Committee, which is responsible for managing and organising the section in question.

Universities
Elections take place every two years and all students are called upon to vote. The last elections took place in 1998. The duty of the students whose names appear on the voting form is to represent all students at the various committees (“Conseils”) :
- Conseil d’Administration (CA) : about 15 students sit on this committee, which deals with such matters as general policy and the budget.
- Conseil d’Etudes et de la Vie Universitaire (CEVU) : about 15 students sit on this committee which deals with the organisation of studies as well as material and pedagogical management.
- Conseil Scientifique (CS) : 3 or 4 students sit on this committee, which deals with research policy and orientation. 2 or 3 student Vice-Presidents sit on all university committees.


Regional level
The CROUS runs the restaurants and university accommodation, as well as providing both direct and indirect help for students.
Seven students sit on the Conseil d’Administration. They are elected by all students of the Academy of Lyon.

National level
Eleven students sit on the Conseil National d’Enseignement Supérieur et de la Recherche (CNESER), which deals with general higher education policy. They are elected by members of the various committees (CA, CEVU and CS) from all over France.

For Lyon : Eric Lecoq (Promotion et Défense des Etudiants, PDE).

Eight students sit on the Conseil National des Oeuvres Universitaires et Scolaires (CNOUS), elected by members of the CROUS.

Ten students sit on the Observatoire de la Vie Etudiante (OVE), which studies the conditions of student life.