More than 60 students had the opportunity to participate in academic gatherings funded by CIVICA over the last year, including the European Student Assembly in Strasbourg, European Week at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and a series of CIVICA Honors Seminars, one of which was hosted by CEU. These activities aim to foster formative student exchange across the CIVICA alliance and provide professional development for students through dialogue, workshops and networking.
Climate Change Policy at the European Student Assembly in Strasbourg
CEU master’s student, Natasa Powell, participated in the third edition of the European Student Assembly, an event structured to bolster student capacities for policymaking and support participants in developing recommendations that address contemporary challenges. The assembly, hosted by the European Universities Community (EUC), gathers student representatives from European university alliances annually to provide policy contributions to the Conference on the Future of Europe.
“The European Student Assembly was valuable to me because it provided an opportunity to learn about and work on my interests in a new setting outside the university while gaining first-hand insight into policymaking and the work of the European Union,” said Powell, who completed her BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics at CEU and is currently pursuing her MA in Economic Policy in Global Markets at the university. “I got to participate in interpanel debates, which were particularly enriching, fulfilling and educational, as they allowed me to engage directly with other committees' policies, offering feedback and suggestions."
In preparation for the assembly, students worked remotely to deepen their understanding of a policy topic and produce policy recommendations. Then, during the three days in Strasbourg, they discussed the complex challenges faced by the European Union and presented their recommendations. Powell focused on policy toward establishing responsible growth in the EU in the context of climate change. Her group’s proposal provided recommendations regarding individual change via a bottom-up approach, entailing aspects of air travel regulation, nuclear and other energy alternatives.
“Working with fellow students from other CIVICA universities contributed to this great experience. The international culture of the alliance and its strong academic standards facilitated the sharing of ideas and encouraged insightful and stimulating discussions,” said Powell, who is studying abroad through a CEU student exchange program this term at CIVICA member university Sciences Po in Paris, France.
Exploring Migration at European Week in London
In June, Ranea Amir, who is pursuing a BA in Culture, Politics and Society at CEU, traveled to London with five fellow CEU students to attend CIVICA’s European Week 2024. Hosted this year by LSE, the theme was “Migration in a Changing Europe”. The event brought together 80 bachelor students from across Europe to explore the complexities of migration through lectures, discussions, simulations and city walking tours.
“What I found to be most valuable was exploring the city and observing how the theoretical aspects we had learned about migration manifest in the real-world,” said Amir. Walking tours of migrant neighborhoods in London informed European Week students about how migration shapes urban landscapes.
Another prominent activity during European Week was a G20 simulation focused on climate-induced migration. The simulation, led by Angelo Martelli from the LSE European Institute, provided participants with a hands-on opportunity to understand the complexities and negotiations involved in addressing the topic at a global level. In addition to academic discourse, European Week featured cultural programming including a film screening of “Le Havre” (2011), a cooking demo by Migrateful, as well as site visits to the International Organization for Migration and Overseas Development Institute for Migration Research.
Reflecting on the week, Amir said: “I gained a deeper understanding of the importance of language in the context of migration, and I enjoyed the group work with fellow CIVICA university students. We were able to share our experiences with migration and combine different perspectives to learn more from each other.”
Focus on Roma Rights During Honors Seminar at CEU
Another student opportunity for learning and mobility occurs twice a year through the CIVICA Honors Seminars. From June 24-28, CEU hosted one of the seminars titled, "Roma Rights and Policies in Europe”. It brought together 20 master’s students from across the alliance – including eight from CEU – for a deep dive into institutional and legal approaches to Roma rights in Europe. The seminar was led by CEU faculty and researchers as well as affiliates of the CEU Democracy Institute including Angela Kocze, Mathias Moschel, Roland Ferkovics, Marek Hojsik and Violeta Zentai.
During the immersive days on the topic, which included lectures, student group projects and networking events, the CEU instructors were joined by representatives from the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Vienna (OSCE) Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights and the European Roma Rights Center.
Simultaneous to CEU’s seminar, and as part of the June suite of CIVICA Honors Seminars, three CEU students also traveled to each of the following seminars: “New Era of Europe” at SGH Warsaw School of Economics; “Strategic Integration: Managing Organizational Sustainability and Digital Transformation” at the National School of Political and Administrative Studies in Bucharest; and “Changing the World through Negotiations and Leadership” at the Stockholm School of Economics.
The next CIVICA learning opportunities for CEU master’s students are the joint and multicampus courses currently open for enrollment. Among the CIVICA course offerings this academic year, are the “Future of Europe” multicampus course and the “Policy Evaluation” joint course, the latter of which will be taught by faculty from CEU, the European University Institute and Sciences Po.
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