On 8 April 2025, partners of the ESC-tension 2 project gathered in Caen, France, for their third Transnational Project Meeting. This gathering marked a pivotal moment in the project, as it coincided with the near-completion of Work Package 3—dedicated to the development of the “Student Toolbox”—and the official launch of Work Package 4, which focuses on integrating the toolbox into the project’s digital platform.

The Student Toolbox is a collection of resources designed to raise student awareness about the European Student Card (ESC) and the benefits it offers. Each tool delves into a specific aspect relevant to the different phases of a student’s academic journey: access, participation, and completion.

The meeting provided an opportunity for partners to explore the Student Toolbox model in depth. This model outlines the structure, content, and intended functionality of the tools, offering a clear framework for implementation. Once completed, the Student Toolbox will be featured as a dedicated section on the ESC-tension website.

Core partners will continue to meet online regularly to ensure continued collaboration and alignment. The next and final in-person meeting will take place in April 2026 in Italy, hosted by the project coordinator.

The ESC-tension 2 Project, funded by the European Union, is dedicated to accelerating the adoption of the European Student Card (ESC) within the European Economic Area (EEA), with a strong focus on student engagement. The project aligns with the European Commission’s vision for a European Education Area by 2025, ensuring that students across Europe can fully benefit from the ESC Initiative.

The project is driven by a consortium of key partners, including Fondazione ENDISU (Italy), Normandie Université (France), Universidade de Aveiro (Portugal), ECCA – European Campus Card Association (Ireland), ESN – European Student Network (Belgium) and ISIC Association.