"The best part of the week was meeting all the other students, professors and researchers from the other CIVICA schools. We had many conversations about thoughts regarding migration and also our diverse cultural backgrounds. It is quite fascinating how much one can learn by just listening to other people and what they have been through", says Maria.

She also appreciated the variety of activities during the week. The students had several written assignments, seminars and panel discussions which Maria found very interesting, and the classroom activities were well combined with more creative tasks.

"We had a cooking class, went on field studies, did a G20 simulation and had some nice dinners together. This balanced agenda of the European week made it interactive and gave space to discuss the more theoretical things we did during the week, and these discussions I believe were very valuable as it gave us the opportunity to learn from each other and share our different perspectives", she says.

Gustav was surprised by the value students from other universities brought to the program.

"Given this year's theme of migration, having students there who could give their interpretations, experiences, and history, made the subject more applicable", says Gustav. 

CIVICA's flagship event

There were not only students from SSE who were taking part in the European Week, CIVICA Project Manager Joanna Ziolkowska also joined the faculty and staff in London. She believes that the European Week event has become one of the flagships and most cherished elements of the CIVICA undergraduate education program and was happy to experience it on site and give the students guidance.

"This year, around 100 undergraduate students from CIVICA schools and Ukrainian partner universities gathered in London to jointly explore and discuss the vital theme of migration. This unique learning experience allowed them to understand the complexity of the phenomenon from an academic point of view, and actively engage with local migrant organizations and communities in a city that has been a destination and home to diverse waves of migrants", says Joanna.

So, does the students have any recommendations for students who are thinking about joining the European Week next year?

"I would say that the key thing is to be open to meeting new people from all over Europe, using each other's strengths to get an even more holistic view and really deep dive into the specific topic. Be prepared to get new perspectives and insights into some of the most pressing civic issues in Europe", Gustav concludes.