Debating European democracy in the European Parliament, collaborating with students from different countries and transforming academic knowledge in Psychology into policy proposals were some of the challenges experienced by Ana Raquel Oliveira, a 3rd-year undergraduate student in Psychology at the Faculty of Education and Psychology of the Universidade Católica Portuguesa (FEP-UCP), during the European Student Assembly (ESA) 2026, which took place in Strasbourg.
The student was selected to join the panel “Strengthening Democracy and Engaging Citizens”, whose aim was to identify ways of enhancing democratic participation in the European Union.
The student’s contribution to strengthening democracy and citizen engagement
Over three days of work, Ana Raquel Oliveira joined students from different countries, scientific fields and cultural backgrounds. In the initial phase of the assembly, students were challenged to formulate a policy recommendation. The FEP-UCP student developed a proposal focused on education for European citizenship and the principles of democracy.
“I created [a policy recommendation] that involved the creation of a school subject (replacing Citizenship Education), aimed at people aged 16 and over, to help them better understand how the EU works, how they can contribute and learn more about democracy itself.”
Although only ten recommendations were selected for the final presentation, Ana Raquel Oliveira remained actively involved in the panel’s work, contributing to the refinement of the group’s proposals and ensuring compliance with the required parameters.
Working on democracy in a European context
For the student, one of the most striking moments of her experience in Strasbourg was entering the European Parliament, as “I had never done anything like it before and I really felt a great sense of responsibility in the trust that had been placed in me”.
Another impactful moment was the “Meet and Greet”, where she met her panel colleagues in person, whom she had previously only known online.
The teamwork proved particularly enriching, given the cultural diversity of the participants. Ana Raquel explains that “some ideas worked well in certain countries and not so well in others”. Thanks to this diversity, she had the opportunity to learn a great deal about other cultures while simultaneously sharing Portuguese culture.
Psychology, critical thinking and transversal skills
The knowledge acquired throughout the undergraduate degree in Psychology, particularly in the areas of development and social psychology, was applied during the policy proposal design phase.
At the same time, the participation in ESA 2026 contributed to the development of several transversal skills, especially critical thinking.
“The stage that most allowed me to [put critical thinking] into practice was the debate we held with other panels, as I had to reflect more deeply in order to understand and position myself in relation to the recommendations presented,” she explains.
The student also highlights the support of the Faculty of Education and Psychology, particularly that of the lecturer Patrícia Oliveira-Silva, throughout the entire process, as well as the contribution of the Transform4Europe Alliance (T4EU). T4EU played a key role in the logistical component in Portugal and in facilitating contact with other participants and European projects during the stay in Strasbourg.
The future of a European citizen
The participation in ESA 2026 had a significant impact on the way Ana Raquel Oliveira views her role as a European citizen, as she realised that “we all have a voice within the European Union and that there are many ways to participate, namely through this type of project”.
The experience also contributed to a strong sense of personal fulfilment: “I am really proud to have managed to take part and to be able to say that I have already experienced something of this importance in the European Parliament.”
From ESA 2026, Ana Raquel takes away a central lesson: “There are so many more opportunities than we imagine.” Over the course of three days, she was able to expand her network of contacts and learn about several future projects, including the EUC Voices project.
To students who may consider applying for European initiatives such as this one, Ana Raquel leaves an encouraging message: “Apply for as many opportunities as possible outside the university! Many times, we don’t take part because of fear or uncertainty, but speaking from my own experience, it is precisely these experiences that help us grow the most and broaden our horizons! How will we know if we don’t try?”
From the perspective of Patrícia Oliveira-Silva, Vice-Dean for Global Positioning at FEP-UCP: “There is something very special about hearing our students describe the moment they enter the European Parliament and realise that they truly belong in that space. Very often, these are stages they never imagined reaching, and that is exactly what we want, to help them understand that their voice also belongs in decision-making contexts. This is one of the most transformative dimensions of internationalisation.”
The European Student Assembly 2026 took place between 20 and 22 April 2026, in Strasbourg.