Together with 250 students from all over Europe I took part at the European Student Assembly in the European Parliament in Strasbourg. We discussed the most pressing issues facing students and drew up recommendations for the EU parliament. Exchanging ideas with my colleagues from the ENHANCE Alliance, with whom I collaborate through the Student Forum, was very helpful in this regard.

My journey at ETH Zurich began more than ten years ago with an apprenticeship as a biology laboratory technician. Today, I am studying agricultural sciences. Alongside my studies, I have been active for many years in the board of the departmental student association (VIAL). It was this experience that motivated me to join the VSETH board, where I was responsible for infrastructure and university politics. Through this engagement, I had the opportunity to represent ETH as a student delegate at the Student Forum of the ENHANCE Alliance, of which ETH Zurich is a member.

The Student Forum gives students a voice in the decision-making processes of the Alliance. In addition to monthly online meetings, the Student Forum gathers in person once a year. This year, it took place at Politecnico di Milano. We discussed several important topics, such as developing innovative learning opportunities and defining the criteria for the ENHANCE label, which is awarded to students who take part in ENHANCE activities. We also reflected on what truly matters to us as students – what shapes our education, and what influences our choices before, during, and after our studies.

These reflections prepared me for the second highlight of my year: the European Student Assembly (ESA). I was honoured to represent both the ENHANCE Alliance and ETH Zurich at ESA, which took place at the European Parliament in Strasbourg from 26 to 28 May 2025. Leading up to the event, we held several online subgroup meetings to prepare discussions for the various panel sessions. These included topics such as education beyond graduation, student housing, mental health and equal opportunities. In addition, online workshops were offered on science communication, critical thinking, and collaborative working.

The ESA began with inspiring presentations from scientific experts, members of the European Parliament, and student alumni setting the stage for the following panel discussions. I took part in the discussion about education beyond graduation, sharing insights from my own educational journey to demonstrate the importance of permeable education systems and lifelong learning.

On the second day, we moved from exploring individual topics to bringing the discussions together, summarising them into shared positions to be included in a joint position paper. The final day was dedicated to voting. All student representatives gathered in the large plenary hall to vote on the policy statements. These statements are passed on to key stakeholders at the European and national levels to advocate for students’ perspectives in upcoming political debates. I was especially proud when the policy paper, on which I had contributed substantially and which focused on inclusivity and lifelong learning, was adopted by a strong majority.

In the afternoon, after the intense days of work, we were rewarded with a guided tour of the impressive parliament building and the beautiful city of Strasbourg.

I returned home with wonderful memories and the deep satisfaction of knowing that we had contributed to improving students’ lives. But our work does not end with the assembly. Together with my colleagues, I am still in contact with stakeholders and actively promoting our claims to ensure they gain visibility and have a real impact.