SNSPA students at Sciences Po CIVICA Cultural Event
03-11-2022
On 15-18 September 2022, ten SNSPA students participated in the CIVICA Cultural Event hosted in Paris by one of the ten world-renowned CIVICA universities, Sciences Po. We asked students to comment on their experiences and envision how such an event would influence their personal, academic and professional lives.
Why did you decide to participate in the CIVICA Cultural Event? What were your motivations for joining?
Irene Mihai, a second-year master's student at the Department of International Relations and European Integration:
CIVICA first came to my attention in 2019, when it was chosen as a pilot initiative by the European Commission. I decided to participate in the event because the European University of Social Sciences idea appeals to me. I wanted to experience the opportunities of this transnational alliance.
Elena-Alexandra Glonț, a second-year student at the Faculty of Public Administration:
I am a person eager for knowledge and experience. I believe that cultural diversity and various interactions are essential in shaping any young person's career.
How did you find the programme? What did you enjoy the most?
Cristi Coman, a student in the third year at the Faculty of Public Administration:
The daily program was highly varied and full of content from multiple areas of academic activity. The public speaking workshop was the one I liked the most due to the information presented and the interactivity of the course.
Alexandra-Bianca Marica, a student in the second year at the Faculty of Public Administration:
What I liked most was that I could feel like a student at Sciences Po. Participating in the workshop related to photography, I also had the pleasure of getting to know the personality of Professor Loïc Bartolini, by whom I was deeply impressed.
What is your main takeaway from this experience?
Sergiu Alexandru Ene, a second-year student at the Faculty of Public Administration:
Everything was beautiful! The event was educational and practical; Paris is a fabulous city with many tourist attractions. I am very excited about this experience.
Ana-Maria Ghican, a third-year student at the Faculty of Management:
The public speaking techniques I learnt from the workshop stayed with me. Also, I've made many friends from SNSPA and will probably keep in touch with them.
How do you think this experience will have an influence going forward in your personal, academic and professional life?
Radu Georgescu, a second-year master's student at the Faculty of Public Administration:
It made me look forward to emigrating to another western country, thus allowing me a better career and access to better study programs. Previously, I didn't think this was a viable option.
Cristi Coman: Contacts with students from other countries could represent opportunities for personal and professional development in the future. At the same time, there are ideas that we can also apply within the faculty, and I will pass these ideas on when the opportunity arises.
Alexandra-Bianca Marica: I believe any experience of this kind brings you closer to a better life. After that event, I gained confidence, one of the most critical ingredients in the recipe for success, friends from all over the world, and fascinating new information.
If you had the opportunity, would you participate again? Why should future students apply and participate in the next CIVICA cultural event?
Radu Georgescu: 100% yes, this short intercultural exchange benefits anybody attending them and is not too demanding. Future students should apply to this type of event so they will stretch their horizons and make new connections.
Cristi Coman: Yes, I would participate again because, in this way, I would have the opportunity to see the evolution of the academic world, and I think that any student concerned with personal and, why not, professional development should at least participate in such an event.
Alexandra-Bianca Marica: I would participate again whenever I have the opportunity. I encourage all students who get this opportunity not to miss it because it will change them quite a lot for the better. You learn to work in a team, trust yourself and talk more easily with people from another country than your own. The two days represented moments I will have in my heart for the rest of my life, being a dream come true.
Sergiu Alexandru Ene: Of course, I would participate again. Everything was terrific, unforgettable. Prospective students should apply and join the next CIVICA Cultural Event, as it is a unique and beneficial experience. I want to thank you for the opportunity to participate in the event. I would be very honoured to have the chance to participate again in the future; it was beautiful!
Ana-Maria Ghican: I will participate in the next CIVICA Cultural Event. I would recommend it to other students because it's an excellent way to broaden their horizons academically and socially.
Irene Mihai: Definitely! It was a fantastic experience. I recommend it for future students to help them decide on their next educational steps.
Elena-Alexandra Glonț: I would go again whenever I had the opportunity. Future students need to participate in CIVICA events because it will give them a complete view of academic life and how to prepare themselves to become accomplished professionals.
Watch the video of the CIVICA Cultural Event >>
Written by Cătălin Mosoia (SNSPA Editorial Team)
Photo credits (banner): Radu Georgescu