The European Student Assembly (ESA) is one of the prime projects of the European Universities Community (EUC), a grassroot initiative which brings together students and staff of the European University Alliances. Co-funded by the European Union, ESA involves 220 students who deliberate on topical issues the European Union is confronted with now.
The third edition of this annual affair, scheduled to take place from April 10 to 12, will be attended by three second-year students: Alicja Zielińska (Business and Technology, IFE), Eliza Podsiadła (Business Studies, IFE), and Wioletta Wielakowska (Mathematical Methods in Data Analysis, IFE).
Each one is assigned to a different panel, out of the 11 that have been assembled. Discussed will be a broad range of issues, from this year's European Parliament elections to regulating the ways artificial intelligence is used, and the outlook for university education.
Alicja Zielińska explained: ‘We will be working in groups of 20. We are expected to develop a set of policy recommendations on the topic specified for the panel. Following that, a three-day conference will be held at the European Parliament where proposals developed by each panel will be presented and discussed. In conclusion, policy recommendations will be formulated, which should make our voices heard.’
The three students from TUL will contribute to the following panels:
- Wioletta Wielakowska: Panel 1 - European election year. How to tackle the lack of (and dis-) information and encourage citizens’ engagement in the upcoming elections?
- Eliza Podsiadła: Panel 7 - European heritage. How can the EU effectively coordinate with
- institutions the promotion of its heritage and ensure access to culture to all?
- Alicja Zielińska: Panel 11 - Addressing euroscepticism. How to build a stronger and more united EU in the face of the rise of euroscepticism?
Alicja Zielińska added: ‘The conference in Strasbourg will be followed by the dissemination phase, which will feature a slew of publicity events to disseminate the output of the European Students' Assembly among the nationals of the European Union and institutions across the decision-making spectrum.’
The three TUL students attending the European Student Assembly have sound experience in similar activities. They serve as TUL ambassadors for the European Consortium of Innovative Universities (Lodz University of Technology is a member) and are active members of ESN-EYE, part of the Erasmus Student Network.