On the 13th and 14th of June, ESN took part in the EYE 2025 at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. This event brought together thousands of young people from across Europe, and among them, many familiar ESN faces, ready to advocate for meaningful youth participation.
From the dynamic corridors of the Parliament to thought-provoking debates and panels, the event was alive with the spirit of youth-led transformation. As the largest student-led organisation in Europe, ESN came with a purpose, representing international students and Erasmus alumni from across the world.
A key moment in our presence was the panel “Students as changemakers: Strengthening Participation in Universities,” organised by the European Parliament’s Youth Outreach Unit. The session explored core questions:
- How can universities embed student voices in decision-making?
- What barriers still exist to meaningful participation?
- And how can students move from being consulted to becoming co-creators?
ESN’s Events & Training Officer, Tiago Nunes, spoke alongside a Policy Officer from the Network of Universities from the Capitals of Europe and a representative from the European Students’ Union, underlining our commitment to inclusive, student-driven internationalisation:
“We care about how student voices are heard, especially in the co-design of internationalisation processes. The frameworks we follow must empower students with real agency.”
The session served as a space for alignment, where diverse perspectives converged around a shared goal: more meaningful student engagement in academic decision-making. Moments like these quietly build the momentum behind the wave, shaping higher education from the inside out.
Outside of the panels, ESN took part in a joint session with the CULT and PETI Committees, where Members of the European Parliament responded to questions and concerns raised by young people in the room. Simone Lepore, ESN’s President-elect, was among those actively engaging with the MEPs, raising questions about student mobility and youth participation. It was a chance to bring our perspective directly into the conversation.
We also had the opportunity to speak on the European Parliament Radio, where we introduced listeners to the work of ESN and the role we play in supporting international students. The interview was a chance to highlight the importance of inclusive mobility, share insights from our ongoing research - like the ESNsurvey - and reflect on why youth voices need to be part of shaping EU policy.
One of the defining moments of ESN’s presence at EYE 2025 came when the current President of ESN, Rita Dias, stepped into the Hemicycle, the symbolic heart of European democracy, to speak during the high-level panel “Investing in Europe’s Future? The Next Multiannual Financial Framework.” Seated alongside Green MEP Nicolae Ștefănuță, Carl Mühlbach of Fiscal Future, and other key figures, she brought a student perspective to a debate typically dominated by national interests and financial projections.
Rita challenged the room to consider a simple but urgent question: Does the EU’s budget really reflect the priorities of young people or just the political comfort zones of the present? She urged policymakers to treat investment in youth not as a hopeful gesture, but as a necessary condition for a resilient and innovative Europe.
Rita made it clear: a budget that sidelines youth is a budget unfit for Europe’s future. If we want to talk seriously about that future, we need to invest in the people shaping it. That means placing youth, education, and mobility at the core of the EU budget. Erasmus is more than a programme, it's a foundation for a more united, resilient, and innovative Europe.
EYE 2025 was a clear reminder, even to the most sceptical: young people aren’t waiting for a seat at the table. We are already shaping the agenda.
And ESN is proud to be leading that wave.
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