From 20 to 22 April, the European Parliament in Strasbourg welcomed more than 200 students from across Europe for the 2026 European Student Assembly, including representatives of the ChallengeEU Alliance. During the event, participants worked together on shared proposals and developed policy recommendations addressing key issues shaping the future of Europe.
The European Student Assembly gives students from European University Alliances the opportunity to work together on policy proposals, share perspectives and engage in democratic debate. Participants joined several preparatory online meetings before the event and actively contributed to discussions in Strasbourg, bringing student perspectives on European politics, culture, society and the future of higher education.
Among the ChallengeEU representatives was Runa Ziegler from Mid Sweden University, a member of the Student Ambassadors Team. She worked in the panel “Educating without borders”, which focused on topics such as joint thesis projects, interdisciplinary skills labs and new ways of learning across institutional and national boundaries.
“I am so grateful to have had this opportunity to go to Strasbourg and meet so many inspiring people,” Runa said.
Sunil Hela, another ChallengeEU student representative, described ESA 2026 as a motivating and valuable experience. He emphasised the international atmosphere, the professionalism of the sessions and the opportunity to observe democratic processes in practice during policy proposal discussions and voting sessions.
One of the most meaningful moments for him was the acceptance of his own policy proposal.
“It was a great honour and a rewarding achievement to see my ideas appreciated and supported by the participants,” Sunil said.
For the students, the event was not only an opportunity to discuss important European issues, but also to experience teamwork, leadership and international cooperation inside the European Parliament. The programme encouraged active participation, dialogue and the exchange of ideas among young people from different backgrounds.
ChallengeEU was also represented at the Village of Alliances fair, where European University Alliances had the opportunity to present their communities, activities and ambitions. Sofia Hecker, ChallengeEU Secretary General, and Laura, Project Officer from Hochschule Offenburg, visited the students in Strasbourg and joined parts of the programme.
Participation in ESA 2026 showed how important student voices are in shaping the future of European higher education. For ChallengeEU, it was another step towards strengthening student engagement, supporting international cooperation and building a more connected European university community.higher education. For ChallengeEU, it was another step towards strengthening student engagement, supporting international cooperation and building a more connected European university community.
