CIVICA European Week – An LSE student’s perspective
06-07-2021
Ronit Anand, bachelor's student at LSE, discusses the best bits and benefits of CIVICA’s European Week in June 2021.
“It should be at the top of the agenda for any student who wants to tackle the big questions in society.” Ronit Anand, BA Social Anthropology at LSE, discusses the best bits and benefits of CIVICA’s European Week in June 2021.
Why did you decide to take part in European Week?
The initial appeal of European Week was that it was explicitly political. We often talk a lot about wanting our work to mean something, to make a difference in the world. But this soon becomes clouded in theory and other things far off from the real world. So, by centralising its focus on solving key societal problems, the CIVICA European Week was the perfect match for my desire to use academic knowledge to transform the world.
What was your favourite part of the programme?
Though there were numerous aspects of this programme that were brilliant - presenting to a company with a 7.17 billion USD revenue, receiving lectures from top academics and meeting some fantastic people from fantastic countries, the best part of this programme was undoubtedly the group work. Through hearing multiple perspectives from different countries and different disciplines, I was constantly inspired with new ideas. At the same time, it forced me to refine my previous ideas in search of clarity and precision.
What did you personally take from the experience?
Although Britain has just left the European Union, I have never felt more European after this experience. The week stands for everything that the European alliance is about: citizens of different European nations helping each other to help society. This approach to solving problems was incredibly impactful, since I learnt the importance of cultural collaboration, innovation and openness to even begin tackling the serious questions in society.
What would you say to future students who are wondering if European Week is for them?
The European Week is quite rightly one of the best of things I have done in my whole academic life so far. It should be at the top of the agenda for any student who wants to tackle the big questions in society, pitch to the big players and work alongside some of the brightest minds in Europe.
Interview conducted by Hayley Reed (LSE)