European Cooperation: Meet Our New CIVICA Students Ambassadors

Sciences Po is a founding member of CIVICA - the European University of Social Sciences, created in March 2019. CIVICA brings together today ten leading European higher education institutions in the social sciences, humanities, business management and public policy, with a total of 72,000 students and 13,000 faculty members.

CIVICA members strive to find solutions to complex societal challenges through a series of integrated activities focused on four thematic priorities: Societies in Transition and Crises of Earth; Challenges to Democracy in the XXIst Century; Europe Revisited; and Data Driven Technologies for the Social Sciences. 

Every year, any Sciences Po student can apply to become CIVICA ambassadors: to promote CIVICA's initiatives and values among their peers and network with ambassadors from the other partner universities. As such, they can also contribute to the CIVICA Ambassadors Instagram account and take part in the CIVICA ambassadors meetings (the next one will be held in 2024 at Sciences Po).

Meet Alix Coeudevez, a master's student interested in the Europeanisation process

Hello! I'm the master level CIVICA ambassador for year 2023/24.

Let me tell you a little bit about myself: I did my bachelor at Strasbourg's Institut d’Études Politiques, where I developed a strong interest for the European Union and political science. After this bachelor, I applied for a master at Sciences Po's School of Research in Paris, since their programme in political science is very attractive to aspiring researchers: renowned teachers, the pluridisciplinarity of the curricula and its connections to European universities and research institutes.

So here I am, enrolled in the Master's in Political Science, Public policies major. My master thesis focuses on the training of national civil servants to European affairs, given that my topics of interests are public organisations and the process of Europeanisation. That is also why I am thrilled to be a CIVICA ambassador: it allows me to be part of and to promote this network that strengthen our bounds as European university students and facilitate research by bridging disciplines and practices with projects such as the common library or the joint courses. 

I believe that horizontal student-led projects like the CIVICA initiative are what can best make us feel as European students. When we learn from each other, when we collaborate on ambitious projects, when we build a critical mind using collective reasoning in a transnational context, when we wave our values to think about how things can be changed: it all makes us European. In a world where geographical boundaries are challenged and attacked, CIVICA acts for opening intellectual boundaries and research cooperation, and I am proud to promote this important project. 

Meet Ethan Gray, a master's student that believes in the value of European cooperation

Hi, I'm Ethan Gray, a French British student in the School of Public Affairs' Master in European Affairs. I'm also a Research Assistant to Arancha Gonzalez, the Dean of the Paris School of International Affairs (PSIA).

As a student of European Affairs, I strongly believe in the value of European cooperation and am excited to embark on this role with CIVICA to promote it within Sciences Po and to work together with our partners across the continent on transnational projects.

Sciences Po has a long-standing commitment on European issues and its participation in CIVICA has opened a new chapter which will enable us to create a common academic identity rooted in the social sciences and a community of students and scholars on a continental scale. I look forward to engaging with fellow students and scholars from across the continent and furthering our task of weaving CIVICA into the fabric of our respective academic institutions.

Meet Oleksandra Pashkina, a bachelor's student that believes in cooperation against eurosepticism

Hey! My name is Oleksandra and I’m a CIVICA Ambassador at the bachelor’s level at Sciences Po's Undergraduate College.

As a student majoring in Politics and Government, I believe that cooperation between various European universities is a necessary step toward a more united European Union, especially in times of the rise of euroscepticism.

Last year, I had a great experience of participating in various CIVICA events (such as the European Student Assembly, or futurEU), and I have enjoyed it so much that I want more students to benefit from this unique opportunity Sciences Po is part of. As a CIVICA Ambassador, I want to let as many students as possible know about our student alliance, our projects, and our work.

CIVICA means a community of students who want to create a better future together!

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