The event involved the governance of the EC2U alliance, Professors, administrative staff and students, project partners of the seven Universities (in particular, STEP ESN Pavia, Polo Tecnologico, Comune di Pavia, CUS, CIMEA) and local associations active in the pavesian area (in particular Plastic Free, UILDM, Coming Aut Community Centre, CSV, Pavia Asti Senegal, OSA, Ayamè, Banca del tempo, Bridgenet/Universitiamo)
At the opening of the forum, the Aula magna was filled with emotions thanks to the contribution of the President of the Ukrainian Parliament Ruslan Stefancuk, who spoke in video-conference to sanction the entrance into the seven European Universities alliance of the historic Ukrainian University Ivan Franko of Lviv. That was not only a symbolic invitation by the Universities allied to internationalization, because the history and importance of the University Ivan Franko place it fully within the perimeter of the Alliance. The ‘An important step towards peace’ – Stefancuk said – sparking a long and emotional standing ovation among the participants in the classroom.
In parallel to the Forum took place the first EC2U Entrepreneurial Week that saw the meeting between the EC2U community and the world of entrepreneurship through interactive sessions with entrepreneurs and stakeholders of the circular economy and the event organized by the Municipality of Pavia “Cultural Cities Twinning“, associate partner of University of Pavia. This last event saw the participation of the 7 Municipalities of EC2U plus the two twinned with Pavia and ended with the signing of a friendship Memorandum to continue to collaborate on the theme of the enhancement of cultural heritage.
Right below the testimony from the students who participated in the EC2U Forum:
They were four intense days, full of activities, but certainly enriching for us as people before as students. The event began with networking activities at Castello Visconteo to continue the next day with the rafting activity. We must admit that many of us were a bit thoughtful about it, we had never practiced it before: actually it completely surprised us, it was easier and more fun than we thought! We then had the opportunity to get in touch with Olympic and Paralympic champions Tokyo 2021, their testimony had a very strong resonance in us. Their stories talk about sport but above they are about real life, tell the daily fatigue that every challenge – sporting, academic, historical – inevitably calls us to face.
In the following days, we were involved in several activities, such as the preparation of a podcast, training to become EC2U ambassador, workshops on foundamental issues that will dominate the future such as innovation, sustainability or the circular economy. It was interesting to organize the entire session within the Forum “The voice of students” in which we spoke to the large audience in the Aula Magna about the issues we would like to be taken into account and presented our own ideas.
The synthesis between recreational activities such as sports and the richness of the content in workshops and conferences generated a unique formula, balanced between transversal skills benefits and a high educational impact, in which we could really feel ourselves as protagonists.
We strongly believe that occasions like these, animated by the structural multiculturality of the context, enable us young people to think differently, systemically and orient us to the future, putting us in the position to be able to actively build it. The first great news is that we can do it together. |
Curious to know the student’s ideas about EC2U and discovering its values and opportunities? Listen the podcast realised by them during the Forum.
You coud not attend or follow the event ? Find out the replay of all the conferences on the EC2U Youtube Channel.