In January of this year, I had the honor of being selected as a representative of the EURECA-PRO alliance (the European University on Responsible Consumption and Production) from the University of León. Of the 11 panels present at ESA24 this year, I had the pleasure of working on Panel 3 – Cohesion through budgetary policies: How can the EU’s budgetary policy participate in strengthening cohesion among its Member States? This role was not easily granted to me, as I had to go through a rigorous selection process.
Applications were open to students of all nationalities, fields, and levels of study, as long as they were registered in a higher education institution participating in one of the 50 Erasmus+ European University Alliances. I was not asked for a full CV, but I had to specify elements in three categories: education, work experience, and leisure activities/volunteering/skills. I had to provide concise and relevant experiences for each category.
In addition, I was asked to answer a series of questions that covered various areas. These included reflecting on what it means to participate in a deliberative assembly with other European students, the potential impact of the ESA on my ability to effect change in Europe, and how my knowledge and experience could contribute to the panels I chose. I was also asked about any action or project I had previously participated in that had a positive impact on my community.
