From April 20-22, five UNINOVIS students travelled to Strasbourg to take part in the 5th edition of the European Student Assembly (ESA), one of the most ambitious student engagement events at the European level.
Over three days of conferences, workshops, working groups and debates, they immersed themselves in the heart of European higher education policy and brought back valuable insights for our community.
What is the European Student Assembly?
The ESA is a flagship initiative of EUC Voices, an Erasmus+ project, bringing together this year over 240 students from 54 European University Alliances. It is a unique space where students debate, co-create policy proposals and vote on concrete recommendations to be submitted to EU institutions.
5 UNINOVIS students
Representing the alliance in Strasbourg
240+ students
From 54 European University Alliances
8 thematic panels
From digital literacy to circular economy and EU strategic autonomy
84 adopted proposals
Out of 85 proposals voted on by participants
What did our students do there?
Over three days, our five UNINOVIS representatives participated in the development of policy proposals across eight thematic panels, covering topics from digital literacy and circular economy to generational solidarity and EU strategic autonomy. They also voted on the adoption of these proposals.
This year, 84 out of 85 proposals were adopted by the participants, a remarkable level of consensus across a highly diverse group. The single rejected proposal concerned the localisation of EU democracy through a temporary multi-level citizens' panel system.
Beyond the formal sessions, the ESA was an opportunity for our students to expand their horizons: connecting with peers from diverse backgrounds, learning about career opportunities in European institutions, and gaining a concrete understanding of how student voices can shape EU policy.
The event was also an opportunity to discover EUSAF (European Universities Student Ambassadors' Forum) and the EUC Voices Alumni Network, two programmes offering continued engagement and professional development beyond the Assembly itself.
A word from UNINOVIS
We are proud that five of our students had the opportunity to represent UNINOVIS at this edition of the ESA.
For them, the event was far more than a conference: it was a chance to discover career paths in European institutions, exchange good practices with engaged peers from across the continent, and experience first-hand what it means to be an active European citizen.