ENHANCE Students Shape the Future of Europe at ESA 2025
Strasbourg, May 2025 – From May 26–28, five students from the ENHANCE Alliance joined over 230 peers from more than 50 European University Alliances at the European Student Assembly (ESA 2025), held at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. Over three days, students came together to discuss, draft, and vote on policy recommendations aimed at addressing some of Europe’s most pressing societal challenges.
Representing ENHANCE were:
- Dennis Matoshi Bekkelund – NTNU (Norwegian University of Science and Technology)
- Veronique Sahni – TU Delft
- Vivienne Hahnke – ETH Zurich
- Domitille Grand Jean – RWTH Aachen
- Alfonso Maria Senatore – Politecnico di Milano
This immersive experience in European policymaking is a prime example of how ENHANCE fulfills its mission to expand and multiply student voices on local, regional, and international levels. Through ESA, students not only gain a deeper understanding of European governance and civic engagement, but also take an active role in shaping the continent’s future.
Policy Innovation Meets Democratic Practice
Students were divided into thematic panels where they collaborated over several months in preparation for the Assembly. The final days in Strasbourg involved lively debate, proposal refinement, and formal voting sessions at the Parliament.
ENHANCE student Dennis Matoshi Bekkelund served on Panel 3: AI, European Democracy & Civic Engagement, working closely with coordinators and fellow students to address the question: “How can the EU benefit from Artificial Intelligence in its mission of promoting democracy?”
Dennis co-authored two policy recommendations that were adopted by the Assembly:
- Aligning cybersecurity frameworks with GDPR to enable secure cross-border threat intelligence while maintaining privacy and rights protections.
- Training and certifying EU citizens to respond to AI-driven cyber threats, with support from the Digital Europe Programme, and revising gaps in the NIS2 directive.
Reflecting on the experience, Dennis shared:
“Strasbourg was a beautiful backdrop to a powerful experience. I return home with a deeper understanding of digital democracy — and a reminder of how diverse and beautiful the people of Europe truly are.”
A Diverse and Collaborative Community
ESA 2025 brought together students from across Europe, representing a wide range of disciplines, backgrounds, and cultures. TU Delft student Veronique Sahni highlighted the importance of this diversity:
“It was inspiring to see such a motivated and diverse group of students collaborating, learning from each other, and striving to make a real impact. I truly believe that bringing together so many different perspectives is essential to finding innovative solutions for the future of Europe.”
The event also fostered meaningful friendships and long-term connections, as students engaged in cultural exchange, informal dialogue, and cross-border networking.
Inside the Assembly: Reflections from Our Student Delegates
As part of their experience, two of our delegates shared deeper reflections on the Assembly’s impact — both personally and academically.
Veronique Sahni, studying Systems Engineering, Policy Analysis, and Management at TU Delft, applied her policy knowledge in a real-world setting at ESA:
“Participating in ESA gave me the opportunity to apply what I’ve learned about policy-making in a real European setting. I met students from all over Europe, bringing diverse views into our panel work. We debated everything from mental health to climate displacement, and I found it especially meaningful to work on policies like reducing wealth inequality and increasing parental leave.”
Her panel, Unveiling Inequalities, tackled wide-ranging social issues and proposed inclusive, measurable policies with European-wide implications. “These proposals matter for ENHANCE too, especially around lifelong learning, inclusive innovation, and the role of environmental policy in higher education.”
Dennis Matoshi Bekkelund, a Political Science student at NTNU, emphasized the power of combining high-level policy dialogue with cultural exchange:
“Representing NTNU, ENHANCE, and Norway at ESA25 strengthened my resolve to work with technology, democratic innovation, and policymaking. Discussing AI, ethics, and digital governance with brilliant peers reminded me how diverse and beautiful Europe really is. I now see myself not just as a student of policy—but as a co-creator of it.”
His panel focused on how the EU can harness artificial intelligence to support democracy. Dennis helped draft two proposals, both adopted by a strong majority, covering cross-border cybersecurity coordination and AI literacy training under the Digital Europe Programme.
“This experience proves that students from research-driven universities aren’t just academically prepared—they’re politically relevant. ESA25 empowered us to take ideas from theory into action.”
Looking Ahead: From Assembly to Action
Having contributed to shaping actionable policy recommendations, all five ENHANCE students are now part of the ESA Alumni community. This next phase encourages them to continue advocating for their proposals, engaging with stakeholders, and exploring further opportunities for impact—both within the ENHANCE Alliance and through wider European channels. The ENHANCE Alliance is proud of our student delegates and their dedication to democratic engagement, policy innovation, and European collaboration. Their participation in ESA 2025 exemplifies our commitment to empowering students to become active change-makers in Europe.
About the European Student Assembly
The European Student Assembly (ESA) is a flagship initiative of the European University Community (EUC Voices). It brings together students from across European University Alliances to deliberate and develop policy proposals addressing real-world challenges. These proposals are shared with EU institutions and policymakers, creating a unique channel for student-driven input in shaping European policy.
For more on the European Student Assembly, visit euvoice.eu.