ESC ACADEMY PRO Policy Event titled “European Student Card (ESC): Where are we and where we want to be?” took place at Mundo Madou in Brussels, Belgium, on September 8, 2023.
The event gathered education policymakers, university representatives, and stakeholders and provided a platform to evaluate the progress of the European Student Card Initiative (ESCI) and discuss the current state and future prospects, in an effort to shape the future of European higher education.
Opening remarks provided context, highlighted key themes, engaged the audience, and were brought by distinguished and knowledgeable speakers, including:
- Tanguy Guibert, Vice-President, European Students Union (ESU);
- Marko Paunović, Out of the Box Europe;
- Vito Borrelli, Team Leader of the Erasmus+ Programme Team in the Higher Education Unit, DG EAC;
- Jeroen Van Lent, NTT DATA;
- António Soeiro, NTT DATA;
- Katrīna Sproģe, Policy and Research Officer, European University Foundation;
- Milos Milenković, Chairman of the ISIC Association’s Board of Directors;
Findings of a draft report prepared between March and August 2023 were presented, with a specific focus on the ESC initiative’s current status. The discussion was held on how smaller initiatives could contribute to the successful implementation of ESC digitalization of Erasmus+, including the “ESC ACADEMY PRO project”. This project is jointly implemented by 6 partners: European Students’ Union, International Student Identity Card, Global Youth and Student Community, Federation of Estonian Student Unions, Agency of the Council of Higher Education Institutions, and Out of The Box Europe.
The event concluded with a networking session and a celebration marking the 70th anniversary of the International Student Identity Card (ISIC), while also highlighting ISIC’s pivotal role in supporting student mobility and access to educational opportunities.
