What does it feel like to represent your university alliance at a European forum? In this personal report, Carolina Gironés Fraile, University of Potsdam student and EDUC Alliance ambassador, shares her first-hand experiences from the European University Students Ambassadors’ Forum (EUSAF) 2025 in Warsaw. From fears of not fitting in, to surprising moments of recognition, to the collective inspiration of 45 peers from across Europe — her testimony offers a vivid glimpse into how students are shaping the future of European higher education.
What was your biggest fear before going to EUSAF? How did it turn out?
Before EUSAF, my biggest fear was that I wouldn’t fit in. As a master’s student already working nearly full time in a political organisation, I assumed there might be a gap between me and younger students still in their bachelor’s programmes. I worried that I had already left that phase of student life behind me, and that it would be difficult to find common ground.
But the reality could not have been more different. From the very first day, I was struck by how open, diverse, and welcoming the community was. Instead of feeling out of place, I found myself drawn into inspiring conversations with students from all backgrounds. To my surprise, I actually spent more time engaging with the youngest participants — and those discussions turned out to be the most eye-opening. Their fresh perspectives and enthusiasm challenged me to think differently and reminded me why youth voices are so vital in shaping Europe’s future.
What started as a fear of not belonging became one of the best surprises of the whole event. The networking was genuine, the discussions thought-provoking, and the experience left me not only feeling connected but also optimistic about the future of European student networks — and about the important role that alumni can play in strengthening them.
Tell us about a moment during EUSAF that completely surprised you.
One of the most surprising moments for me was during the poster voting session. Just three minutes after the process had started, I looked over and realised that my poster was already covered with four stickers. I honestly hadn’t expected that at all. Since I had been open about the fact that my poster was created by a professional marketing and communications manager — full credit to David from the EDUC Alliance — I assumed it wouldn’t stand a real chance. Most of the other posters had been designed entirely by students themselves, and I thought this difference might work against me.
Seeing it receive that level of recognition so quickly was both humbling and encouraging. It showed me that what mattered most was not who designed the poster, but the clarity and resonance of the ideas it represented. That moment made me feel truly seen and reminded me how open and supportive the EUSAF community can be when it comes to celebrating substance over form.
When did you feel most out of your comfort zone, and what did you learn from it?
It was during Workshop 1, when we had to come up with a concept for our alliance and make it as concrete as possible, that I felt most out of my comfort zone. Every student in our group represented a different alliance, and I was responsible for designing the poster and writing everything down. This pushed me outside my comfort zone because I had to synthesise all the information and present it clearly, while we simultaneously worked on creating an event and developing a concrete action plan under a strict time limit. The group brought together people with very different experiences and ways of thinking, which made collaboration more challenging than I had anticipated. Coming from a work environment where organising project events is part of my professional role, I initially thought this would be straightforward — but coordinating diverse perspectives in such a fast-paced setting proved far more complex.
What I learned was invaluable: the key is not to try to do everything at once, but to divide tasks clearly into smaller groups and to rely on strong facilitators and leaders to keep things moving in the right direction. In our case, the ESN participants were excellent at guiding and steering the process. That experience taught me that successful collaboration, especially under pressure, depends on trust, structure, and the ability to let different people take the lead where their strengths lie.
The Journey
Who was the most inspiring person you met — and what did they say or do?
There were so many, I really could not name just a single person. For a start, my roommate, Rebecca Guilia Conte- who is co-chair of FOREU4ALL and promised to add any student whose alliance was not part to the telegram group; , Alexander Peter who highlighted that real empowerment for students is more than just taking part in a meeting, the other panelist Marcel Sobecki as I gained insights into his alliance, the EUSAF Erasmus coordinator- It was really a collective of inspiration for me, I cannot pin point it to a single person- I came out with the collective feeling of inspiration from the group.
If you had to explain EUSAF to a friend using just one story – what would you tell them?
I arrived at Warsaw Chopin Airport at 09:30, feeling a mix of excitement and nerves. I first dropped off my bags at the dorm and received my key. After that, I made a quick stop to see the beautiful Old Town before heading to the SHG campus. There, I met 45 other students from different alliances, and we were warmly welcomed by the team. Stepping onto the campus, I was immediately struck by the energy — students from all over Europe, each carrying their own perspectives and experiences, chatting, laughing, and ready to dive into this shared adventure. I felt, in that moment, part of something bigger.
Over the next two days, the pace was relentless but exhilarating. We toured the campus, attended inspiring keynote lectures, and participated in workshops on student representation and management. We also presented our alliance posters and took part in a panel discussion that challenged how we think about youth engagement and European networks. And before I knew it, the Uber was waiting for me outside the campus. After taking many pictures, preparing a report, and hugging my two new Polish friends, it was time to leave — carrying with me a large baggage of newly fostered memories.
Impact
How has your understanding of Europe changed after EUSAF?
After participating in EUSAF, I have gained a deeper understanding of both the opportunities and the challenges surrounding youth engagement in Europe. I have come to recognise the importance of ensuring accuracy and completeness in the way facts are communicated to students, and how crucial this is for building trust.
What struck me most was the gap between institutional intentions and young people’s perceptions. Recent surveys show that while 78% of EU institutions report having youth engagement strategies, only 34% of young people aged 15–29 feel that their opinions are genuinely taken into account in policymaking (Eurobarometer, 2024). In addition, despite numerous initiatives aimed at integrating youth perspectives into the European agenda, over 60% of students remain unaware of these opportunities (European Youth Forum, 2023).
Through EUSAF, I realised that Europe is not only about institutions making decisions but also about the responsibility we share as young people to bridge this information gap. My understanding of Europe has shifted from seeing it as a distant policymaking structure to recognising it as a collaborative space that needs stronger, clearer, and more accessible channels of communication with its youth. Europe’s future will depend not only on strategies designed in Brussels but also on whether these strategies reach and empower students across the continent.
What will you do differently now, back in your university or community?
I will be more critical about how I engage in dissemination practices and experiment more with ways to boost student engagement. I want to actively listen to students and ensure their voices are genuinely heard — beyond superficial participation — while also thinking more critically about student representation and event conceptualisation. I also plan to continue strengthening the networks I built at EUSAF, sharing ideas and inspiration with fellow students and exploring opportunities for future collaborative projects, because real impact comes from working together.
Encouragement to Others
What do you wish you knew before starting this journey?
I wish I had known just how many different alliances would be represented at ESA and how much I would benefit from engaging with them. I didn’t realise beforehand that I would have the chance to dive into conversations with students from so many different backgrounds and perspectives, and that these exchanges would be so inspiring and enriching. The workshops, keynotes, and social events were fast-paced and pushed me outside my comfort zone, but in the best way. Most importantly, I hadn’t realised the depth of the connections and networking opportunities — every conversation could spark ideas, inspire collaboration, or even lead to future projects.
What’s one thing you packed that turned out to be unexpectedly essential?
Suncream and sunglasses! I hadn’t realised how warm and sunny it would be in Warsaw, and they quickly became lifesavers every time the sun shone — which was pretty much every day.
When did you realise that what you are doing at ESA actually mattered to you or to others?
I realised it during the panel discussion when other students asked me questions about my alliance. Seeing them look to me for guidance and best practices showed me that my contributions were not just noticed, but genuinely useful — and it made me feel proud of the impact I could have.