The European Student Assembly (ESA) is taking place each year in Strasbourg as part of the EUC Voices Erasmus+ project. It allows students from all backgrounds to actively engage in democratic processes. The experience blends months of online preparation with a three-day physical conference at the iconic European Parliament building in Strasbourg, France. Two Saxion UAS students, Lily Rijnberg (studying International Business) and Jarno Meul (studying Industrial Product Design), recently returned from the event. Alongside over 250 young changemakers from across Europe, they contributed to shaping policy recommendations on issues ranging from youth housing and sustainability to AI, democracy, and inclusion.
In our interview, they reveal their most memorable moments, and why you don't have to be a politics expert to join.
"You walk towards something bigger than yourself."
“The first morning, I walked toward the Parliament and watched it slowly come into view, step by step. Once inside, the energy was electric,” said Lily Rijnberg, 21, who represented Saxion and Panel 6: Living with Dignity, which focused on youth housing policy. Over several months leading up to the event, Lily and her panel developed 10 key recommendations to improve housing opportunities for younger generations in Europe. These efforts were supported by five preparatory workshops covering topics such as advocacy, communication, and negotiation, skills that came in handy during the intense interpanel debates and presentations.
“One quote from a speaker really stuck with me,” Lily shared. “The most common way people give up their power is by believing they have none.” That perfectly summed up why we were there, to be heard and to take ownership of Europe’s future.”
From participant to coach: Leading from the front
For Saxion’s Industrial Product Design student Jarno Meul, this was his second time joining the ESA, but his first as a coach. After a positive experience as a participant last year, he returned in a leadership role to guide other students through the policy-writing process. “As a coordinator, you’re no longer writing policies yourself, you’re coaching others. You’re constantly in the spotlight, but you gain a different perspective and more opportunities for networking,” he explained.
One of his highlights was witnessing the final day’s policy presentations, where each panel had just 10 minutes to present months of work before all participants voted on their adoption. “It was rapid and energizing, ten speeches, no slides, just well-written words and passion.” He emphasized that even students outside the political sphere should consider joining: “Engineers, designers, business students, we all need to understand how decisions are made. ESA gave me real-world knowledge about the political and sustainability issues that will affect our future industries.”
Shared moments and powerful connections
Both students spoke highly of the diversity and quality of fellow participants. “Only 10% of applicants were selected, so everyone really wanted to be there. The discussions were rich, but so were the friendships.” Lily said.
“The connections are real,” Jarno added. “Now, wherever I travel around Europe, I probably know someone from each country.” They also highlighted speakers who reshaped their perspectives, especially Frederik van der Meulen’s talk on AI and democracy, and Sophia Catsambis’ speech about civic empowerment.
So… why should YOU apply next year?
“Just do it,” Lily said. “You get to represent your university and alliance, and help shape a more resilient Europe.” “You don’t have to be a politics expert. You just need an opinion and an open mind,” added Jarno. “Start as a participant to get a feel for it, then grow into other roles. It really is once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Together, they described the ESA in three words:
Lily: Policies. Participate. Future.
Jarno: Exciting. Special. Unique.
Looking Forward
The EUC Voices organization is currently finalizing a comprehensive dissemination document, compiling the proposals adopted at ESA 2025. These student-driven recommendations will be made available to stakeholders across the European Union. For now, both students are back in the Netherlands, grateful for the experience, filled with inspiration, and ready to put what they learned into practice.
Links
➝ European Student Assembly
➝ Saxion UAS
Article created by: Saxion UAS
