EI co-funds student to attend European Student Conference at Yale

The European Student Conference is the global student organisation European Horizon’s flagship event, held annually at Yale University. It brings together young leaders and decision-makers from politics, business, and academia to discuss new approaches to the critical challenges in transatlantic affairs today.

The European Institute provided financial support to one UCL student to attend this year’s iteration in April. Lorenzo Donatelli is one the European Institute's Student Ambassadors. He is a 3^rd year UCL student reading Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) with Social Data Analysis.

Lorenzo shared these thoughts on his experience:

“One of the most exciting parts of the conference was the impressive list of speakers. We had the privilege of listening to Josè Barroso, previous president of the European Commission, Dita Charanzová, Vice President of the European Parliament, and Burce Warlick, Deputy Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, among many other distinguished individuals. It was an incredible experience to hear directly from professionals who have made such a significant impact in the world of politics, and to have the opportunity to get to know them a bit on a more personal level.

I was particularly interested in the topic of democratic technology, which was one of the major themes of the conference. I had the opportunity to attend several workshops and panels that focused on this issue, where we discussed how transatlantic affairs can foster technology, but also how it can be misused and become a tool for authoritarianism. We also talked about the role of tech companies in promoting democratic values and how they can (and should) be legally held accountable for their actions.

Aside from the intellectual stimulation, the conference was also a fantastic opportunity to meet and network with other students from Europe and the US. We had the chance to exchange ideas and perspectives on a wide range of issues, and I made several new friends and connections with whom I hope to stay in touch in the future.

I would like to thank the European Institute for the financial support, allowing me to attend the conference and learn more about transatlantic and European politics. 

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Links:

• Read more about European Horizons here.
• Find out about the European Student conferences here.