Student Voices Shaping ChallengeEU: Meet Our Student Council
As the calendar year is coming to an end, we will soon say goodbye to the first composition of the Student Council (SCS). We would like to introduce the people who, over the past several months, have supported our Alliance and helped ensure that the student voice was clearly heard. With their student experience and positive energy, they have added one brick after another to the shared project we are building together: ChallengeEU. We are taking this opportunity to thank them for all their work so far. ChallengeEU Student Council (CSC) is the body where students will have the opportunity to shape the Alliance. In particular, the CSC will elaborate and represent students’ ideas, perspectives and feedback about the Alliance’s future development. Each partner university appoints two student representatives. Members are elected for one-year terms through the student associations of their home institutions and may be re-elected for a maximum of two terms. By simple majority, the members elect a President and a Vice-President for the duration of one term. The ChallengeEU Student Council (CSC) meets four times per year. In its decision-making, the Council strives to reach consensus. Where consensus cannot be achieved, decisions are taken by simple majority. The CSC also elects its representatives to the Alliance governance bodies: three representatives to the Strategy Board, two to the Management Board, and two to the ChallengeEU Academic Council. Rebecca Fernandes Paes Pinto Rocha, President CSC As an international PhD student that has studied in 3 different european universities up to my masters degree, ChallengeEU resonates with me and my experiences. That’s why getting involved in the Alliance was an obvious decision for me, specially as a student representative. As the president of the Student Council for the year 2025, I was challenged and able to grow alongside all students representatives. Together we set the base and started shaping the Student Council while working with boards, councils and staff of the Alliance to make the voice of students heard in all spheres. Iwona Pająk, Vice-President CSC I am a 5th-year psychology student at the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn. I have been actively involved in university life for many years, and I am currently the president of my student council – and I’m happy about it. In my free time, I enjoy reading books and traveling. Alketa Mustafi, representative SCS on the Management Board I’m a first-semester Master’s student in Finance, and I’ve always been curious about how things work – from numbers and strategies to people and ideas. Within ChallengeEU, I’m one of the two student representatives from the Student Council on the Management Board, which means I get to bring the student perspective into big decisions and make sure our voices actually shape the alliance. Beyond titles and roles, I’m someone who learns by doing, asking questions, and turning ideas into something real. I get energized by collaboration, new challenges, and being around people who think differently than me. ChallengeEU gives me the chance to do all of that – connect with amazing people, experiment, and see how far we can actually take an idea. And honestly? I’m here to push boundaries, make student voices matter, and have a little fun while doing it. Fabian Grönvik, Member of CSC I’m in my third year of social sciences studies, focusing on sociology. I believe ChallengeEU is a very impressive project of European integration with huge potential. We have a lot to learn from each other, both as academic knowledge and through cultural exchange. I’m proud to be part of the CSC to along with the others ensure that the student perspective is constantly present. Linda Priede, representative SCS on the Board Academic Council I have been actively involved in student life and the LBTU Student Council since the first year of my bachelor’s degree. Currently, I am studying for my second master’s degree in Project Management. With over six years of experience representing students’ opinions, I am still passionate about sharing the student perspective. That is why I continue to participate in student representation — this time as part of the ChallengeEU Student Council, serving on the Academic Council. It is a great experience to engage in discussions not only with students from different universities and countries but also with other university staff members. Gustav Månsson, Member of CSC I’m 21 years old, study business & economics and my inrest for party is almost as big as my intrest for educational policy. Keshini Nistar, representative SCS on the Strategy Board I’m a 4th-year Mechatronics Engineering student at ECAM LaSalle in Lyon France (Energy & Environmental Engineering track). I have joined the ChallengeEU alliance with the keen interest of contributing to cultural and international exchange in higher education. Being part of the student council and the Strategy Board, I am grateful and delighted to represent our students’ voices, ensuring they are at the heart of this alliance. I am indeed proud to represent ECAM LaSalle and to work with an amazing team of reps as well, ensuring that everyone has an opportunity to grow thanks to this wonderful initiative. I look forward to further participating and engaging with everyone is this alliance. Marija Kosovljanovic, Member of CSC I’m a full-time Business Administration student in my third semester, studying in Olten, Switzerland. I’m part of the Student Council and also a ChallengeEU Student Ambassador. I joined the Student Council because I wanted to get more involved in student life and help represent the voices of my fellow students. I enjoy working with others, supporting new ideas, and helping make our study environment a bit better for everyone. ChallengeEU is important to me because it connects students from different countries and backgrounds to work on real and meaningful challenges. I love the international exchange, the creative teamwork, and the chance to learn new perspectives. For me, it’s an opportunity to grow personally and academically while contributing to something that matters. Tina Adili, representative SCS on the Academic Council The internal
