The EU GREEN Student Experience: Five things that I would never have experienced without EU GREEN

When I first heard about EU GREEN, I’ll be honest: a “European University Alliance” sounded like an abstract higher-education buzzword. But as Dr. Anne Herbik and I got deeper in conversation about the possibilities for students and our university, I actually got chills.

What I definitely didn’t picture during that first conversation was co-organizing a major international conference in Italy, pitching sustainable food in our university canteen, traveling across borders for governance summits, or even helping secure millions in EU funding.

Looking back at my experience with EU GREEN, getting involved has completely redefined my university journey. Although I have experienced so much, here are just five of the many things I genuinely never would have experienced without EU GREEN.

1.     Having a real seat at the table with university leaders

There’s a similar feeling among students that big university decisions happen behind closed doors, far away from everyday campus life. EU GREEN completely flipped that script for me. Serving on the EU GREEN Student Council and having been elected twice to the alliance’s strategic organ, the Senate, meant packing my bags for summit meetings in places like Angers, France (where I also did my Erasmus+ semester abroad), Wroclaw, Poland; Evora, Portugal; Parma, Italy, among other cities and countries, sitting in the same room with university rectors, vice-rectors, researchers, alliance coordinators and university upper management. The best part of it was that it wasn’t just token representation. We debated alliance strategy, sustainability, advocated for student mobility and opportunity, and pushed forward what students actually care about. And we were heard. Realizing that student voices are not just welcome, but actively encouraged and much needed to shape European higher education, was an eye-opener and tremendously rewarding.

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2.     Bringing sustainability to life on our campus

Sustainability is easy to preach, but not always easy to put into practice. One of the most rewarding initiatives was co-organizing a two-week international sustainable canteen campaign at our university. Instead of writing theoretical essays onthe green transition, we worked directly with the Studentenwerk to highlight sustainable, primarily vegan and vegetarian, regional recipes and spark conversations, not only about the Alliance, but also about the foods we consume here on campus. Seeing hundreds of fellow students and university staff try regional dishes submitted by students from the 9 partner universities, learn more about the alliance, and rethink campus dining proved that even small, concrete actions can build serious momentum when you have an alliance backing you.

3.     Co-creating an international student conference in Parma, Italy

If you’ve ever tried scheduling a group project with three classmates, you know it can be a logistical puzzle. Now imagine co-organizing the very first EU GREEN Student Conference with many students studying at nine universities in nine countries.

For months, we met in weekly virtual sessions: brainstorming panel formats, curating tracks on various topics such as sustainability and innovation, mobility and opportunity, and of course, coordinating the logistics of it all. When we finally landed in Parma in March 2026, the energy was palpable. Although we honestly weren’t 100% sure how everything would turn out, it was a tremendous success. Standing on stage, facilitating panel discussions, and watching peers from across Europe exchange ideas face-to-face made every single late-night planning call worth it. It taught me so much about project management and intercultural teamwork, and I look forward to our drafted EU GREEN Student Declaration coming to life in the next phase of the Alliance.

P.S.The next EU GREEN Student Conference will take place in Wroclaw, Poland, in 2028!

4. Helping secure €7.2 million for EU GREEN 2.0

How many students get to say they contributed to a grant application that secured €7.2 million?

Joining the task force for the EU GREEN 2.0 application gave me an inside look at how large-scale European education initiatives are built from scratch. We weren’t just reviewing drafts; we were actively co-designing the roadmap for so many things, including future joint degrees, blended intensive programmes, funding for green mobility, and an alliance-wide EU GREEN student engagement and recognition framework. Celebrating the official announcement that our application was successful and knowing that our work will continue to open doors of opportunity for thousands of incoming students for years to come is a feeling that is truly hard to beat.

5. Finding a true Pan-European family

Above all of the meetings, workshops and milestones, the most memorable part has been the people that make EU GREEN happen.

Before EU GREEN, studying in Europe meant my local campus and perhaps a semester abroad. Today, Europe feels like a close-knit neighborhood. Whether it was grabbing an espresso between sessions in Parma, Italy, debating policy with hors d’oeuvres in Angers, France, discussing future joint degrees in Évora, Portugal, hosting the annual Board of Rectors meeting here in Magdeburg, or continuing late-night conversations across different time zones, you quickly realize how much we have in common. We share the same hopes, the same concerns about the future, and the same drive to make our universities more connected and sustainable.

The Takeaway: Just Get Involved!

EU GREEN isn’t just another alliance of universities; it’s a sandbox for students who want to get more out of their degree than just passing exams and going home. Whether you want to travel, lead a local green initiative, join a workshop hosted across Europe, or simply make friends from Sweden to Spain, the opportunities are endless.

Step up, get involved, apply to be an EU GREEN Ambassador, and see where Europe takes you!

click here to apply for the EU GREEN Student Ambassador Programme

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