Unite! students shape Europe's future at ESA 2025
From 26–28 May, over 220 students from across Europe met at the EU Parliament in Strasbourg for the 4th European Student Assembly, EUC Voices’ flagship event.
This high-level event marked the culmination of several months of collaborative work conducted online. It provided students with a unique opportunity to take their place in the official seats of Members of the European Parliament, engaging in structured debates and formulating policy recommendations on a wide range of issues facing Europe today. In the iconic hemicycle, participants finalised the proposals developed during the preparatory phase and had the opportunity to vote on them using the official electronic voting system, mirroring the experience of real Members of the European Parliament (MEPs). An immersive and empowering experience for Europe’s next generation of engaged citizens.
Taking part in this event and spending time in Parliament truly motivated me for what's ahead. It makes you want to get more involved and keep making your voice heard — especially on crucial topics like artificial intelligence, where the input of scientists is essential. Even if it doesn't always come naturally to engineers or researchers, it's also important for them to engage in public debate. And on a European level, it's even more vital: Europe allows these discussions to be brought to the highest level and to influence decisions that affect all of us.
I feel that we don’t have enough student interaction on a pan-European level, so any chance to get a more global perspective during one’s studies is worth taking! The ability to do all of this in person at Strasbourg was the cherry on top - you get so much more perspective for the parliamentary decision-making process when you’re actually in the parliament surrounded by people from 27 member states.
Bringing together students from 31 countries and 189 universities, the Assembly reflected the richness of Europe’s diversity. Collaborating in multicultural teams and leveraging diverse academic backgrounds, each panel presented innovative solutions and underscored the power and relevance of youth voices in shaping the future.
More than just a one-time event, ESA fosters a lasting community. Students become part of an expanding Alumni Network, several members of which returned to Strasbourg to share inspiring testimonies about how they continue to drive positive change within their fields and local communities. Unite! was represented by six selected students, in addition to two students from the SURE! initiative.
Caption: Representing Unite!, the student delegation. From left to right: Maciej Kisielewicz (Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Poland), Niklas Hamberg (Aalto University, Finland), Elisabeth Gnadlinger (Graz University of Technology, Austria), Francesco Picarelli (Politecnico di Torino, Italy), Eda Ceren Tuncer (Technical University of Darmstadt, Germany), Yann Salvignol (Grenoble INP – UGA, France).
Each student made a valuable contribution to their panel’s recommendations and benefitted from the unique professional and personal experience offered by ESA. The Village of Alliances provided an opportunity not only to showcase the work and initiatives of the Unite! Alliance to students, but also to engage with and exchange perspectives with representatives from other European University Alliances. This setting fostered meaningful dialogue, comparison of best practices and potential future collaboration.
The role of the alliances is a central pillar of the EUC Voices project, as cross-university collaboration is essential to breaking down borders and fostering a sense of European unity. ESA is a proudly inclusive initiative, with Alliances covering travel and accommodation costs to ensure that every student, regardless of background, has an equal opportunity to make their voice heard.
The 76 policy recommendations will be published soon, and we invite you to explore them for a glimpse into the students’ more optimistic vision for the future of Europe. If you would like to take part in next year’s event, stay tuned for the opening of applications and seize the opportunity to sit at the decision-making table and join a vibrant, open-minded community of Europeans.
Caption: Prof. Constance Chevallier-Govers, Erasmus+ Project Coordinator for EUC VOICES and Deputy KLO at Grenoble INP-UGA for Unite!
*PHOTO CREDITS: @fusingphoenix and @celment.producties