The European Student Assembly (ESA) is a grassroots project that brings together more than 200 students from European University Alliances (EUA) each year to debate current issues, formulate political recommendations for the future of Europe and advocate them to stakeholders and decision-makers. One of the flagship projects of the European Universities Community (EUC), the ESA is entirely designed and run by a Steering Committee consisting of students and academic and non-academic staff from different higher education institutions.
The final selection of participants for the second edition of ESA received more than 1500 applications from 40 alliances!
This is the final selection of students from the UNITA alliance - congratulations to all of them!
- Muhammad Hanzla Alvi Università degli Studi di Torino
- Alessia Pascarella - Università degli Studi di Torino
- Elena Cisneros Universidad de Zaragoza
- Miguel Pacheco Universidade da Beira Interior
- Lancelot Forestier Université Savoie Mont-Blanc
- Sara Marovelli Università degli Studi di Torino
- Amandine Leporc Université de Pau et de Pays de l’Adour
- Yassine Jedir Université Savoie Mont Blanc
- Balan Diana West University of Timisoara
In Strasbourg, they will express their opinions and be asked for their commitment and motivation, as this is a unique opportunity for them to get involved in European politics at local, national and European level and to increase their participation in European democratic processes. ESA 2023 participants will draw up a set of recommendations on 10 debate topics:
- Panel 1 – Deliberative versus representative democracy? How to reduce the gap between citizens and policy-makers and create a more united Europe?
- Panel 2 – Lessons from the past? How could the French-German history of reconciliation serve as a model to overcome conflicts and build unity?
- Panel 3 – How to secure fair and sustainable access to energy in Europe at different levels?
- Panel 4 – From farm to fork. How can local food distribution channels contribute to a fairer and more sustainable European food system?
- Panel 5 – Taking better care of each other. What should be the European approach to mental health?
- Panel 6 – How to ensure a fair and sustainable digital transition in a context of exploding demand and raw material scarcity?
- Panel 7 – Is the EU in a position to develop an efficient foreign policy and an autonomous defence policy that would ensure the safety of its citizens?
- Panel 8 – Cities of the future. How could sustainable cities contribute to European autonomy and people welfare?
- Panel 9 – Excellence versus inclusion? How can European universities contribute to provide a more inclusive access to skills and knowledge?
- Panel 10 – European Year of Skills – What role can higher education institutions play in reducing the skills gap in Europe?
After ESA 2023, a series of dissemination events will be organised, bringing together stakeholders and decision-makers, where students will advocate and disseminate their recommendations to different actors, such as municipalities, companies, NGOs, active at different levels of European political life!
Watch the interview with the UNITA students representing UNITO's voices in the ESA2023 and follow their journey on the UNITA social media! #staytuned for more!