Home>Sciences Po Students are Taking Part in Four Ambitious Cross-European Projects

07.03.2025

Sciences Po Students are Taking Part in Four Ambitious Cross-European Projects

The Student Engagement Fund (SEF) is a mini-grant funding scheme aimed at supporting student-led joint initiatives within our European university alliance, CIVICA.

It aims to foster cross-campus collaboration among students and student associations from different disciplines and backgrounds in tackling the important issues facing Europe today. To submit a project, students had to team up with participants from the other CIVICA universities.

Sciences Po students are taking part in four of the projects that were selected, and will be focusing on topics as diverse as women's rights, the impact of war on democracy, and the United Nations relevance.

Women’s Leadership Conference 2025

Students from Central European University (Austria), IE University (Spain) and Sciences Po (through the Sciences Po Women in Business Club) are organising a conference to showcase inspiring women who have forged their own paths in underrepresented industries and foster connections to help open doors and get more women a seat at the table.

Their goal is to empower the conference attendees with concrete tools that will allow them to advocate for their needs and support their professional and personal development.

Malika Mikou, Yara Dionisi, Cécile Pellerin, and Alix Contraire, students at Sciences Po School of Management and Impact and members of Sciences Po Women in Business Club, at the 9th Annual IE Women’s Leadership Conference, on 6 March 2025. (credits: DR)

How did you get in touch with peers from other CIVICA universities?

Last October, Felicitas Sander, President of the IE Women in Business Club, reached out to Malika Mikou, President of the Sciences Po Women in Business Club, to discuss their shared vision for promoting their clubs' values and to introduce this project. Since then, the IE Women in Business Club has organised multiple calls with the Sciences Po Women in Business Club to bring this initiative to life. Through these discussions and joint efforts, we worked together to make this event happen, culminating in our participation on 6 March 2025.

On that day, the Sciences Po Women in Business Club joined the IE Women in Business Club in Madrid for the 9th Annual IE Women’s Leadership Conference. This full-day event featured inspiring panels with fearless women who have redefined leadership throughout their careers, broken barriers, and shaped the future on their own terms.

In collaboration with the IE Women in Business Club and CIVICA, we worked diligently to secure our participation as delegates, allowing us to travel to Madrid to proudly represent Sciences Po, our association’s values, and our ongoing initiatives.

What does this event mean to you?

This panel was a chance for us to represent our university, but also to own our impact, amplify our voices, and network with industry leaders and university peers from all around the world who are all working to drive change. From entrepreneurship insights to negotiation tactics, this conference is designed to equip you with the tools to lead boldly.

Is Europe the right level to think and act on gender equality?

No matter where we are, gender equality remains a crucial issue. In Europe, significant progress has been made through legislation and policies promoting workplace equality as well as anti-discrimination measures. However, these advancements remain fragile, and resistance persists, reminding us that the fight is far from over.

We are proud that this issue continues to be addressed in Europe and thrilled to have been invited to Madrid to further the conversation. It is through these discussions and collective efforts that we can keep pushing for real, lasting change.

Women’s Rights and Femicides Awareness Campaign

By underscoring the pervasiveness of patriarchal structures and inaction facing inequalities, students from Bocconi University (Italy) and Sciences Po want to motivate accountability and spur action in their target audience while reminding them to take an inclusive stance on issues that may feel remote but in fact impact everyone.

Awareness campaign at Bocconi University, March 2025. (credits: Tomaso Eridani / Bocconi University)

Learn more about CIVICA Echoes.

The Democracy Divide: Understanding Europe’s Democratic Extremes

London School of Economics (United Kingdom) and Sciences Po students are working on a short documentary which will explore the impact of recent Russian aggression on neighbouring democracies, specifically Estonia.

The goal is to study how proximity to conflict impacts democratic institutions, civic engagement, and national unity using a contemporary case study.

Unveiling the United Nations

This initiative by students from the Hertie School (Germany) and Sciences Po aims to demystify the United Nations by offering an in-depth exploration of its operations, key challenges, and relevance to global governance.

Through panel discussions, career workshops, and networking sessions, the participants seek to empower students to pursue careers in international organisations, foster cross-campus collaboration between Sciences Po and Hertie School, and create a platform for intercultural exchange and professional connections.

> Learn about the nine other SEF projects.