ERUA Student Board Representative Michalina Lorych (German-Polish Law, European University Viadrina) reflects on the ESU 3rd Conference of the Student Bodies of the Alliances, held in Malta from 1 to 5 May 2026.
In May 2026, together with another Student Board Representative, Alexandra Petrova from NBU, I had the opportunity to take part in the 3rd Conference of the Student Bodies of the Alliances, organised by the European Students’ Union (ESU). ESU is the umbrella organisation of 43 national unions of students from 40 countries, representing almost 20 million students in Europe, and a long-standing partner of ERUA. The conference brought together student representatives from different European University Alliances.
During the conference, we discussed the opportunities and limitations within our alliances and reflected on how students can be more actively involved in their development. A particularly valuable part of the programme was the meeting with Marcela Iglesias, General Coordinator of SEA-EU (the European University of the Seas, an alliance of nine coastal universities and, like ERUA, part of the EU’s European Universities Initiative), which gave us insight into how other alliances organise cooperation, support students and improve internal processes.
“Seeing how other alliances handle the same challenges we face gave us a really fresh perspective. I’m coming back with the realization that student representation isn’t just about being a passenger on this journey, it’s about actually having a hand on the steering wheel. Learning from the practical solutions used by other universities has given us some solid ideas to make student participation in our own alliance way stronger and more impactful.” (Michalina Lorych)
The programme also included intensive workshops, debates on complex and sometimes controversial topics, as well as exchanges with other student organisations. These sessions allowed us to compare different approaches to student representation and to learn from practical solutions used in other alliances.
Alongside the official programme, we also took part in tours and cultural activities. The conference ended with an Intercultural Night, where participants shared local food, music and dancing.
The event was an inspiring opportunity to exchange experiences, strengthen cooperation between student representatives and bring back new ideas for supporting student participation within our own alliance.
© Michalina Lorych
