Fleur-Nicole Riskin has been an active student member of Una Europa since 2022. Most notable was her engagement as an Una Europa Student Board member and student representative of Freie Universität Berlin within the alliance. Fleur finished her time as Student Board member together with Lukas Hofmann this summer. Our current Una Europa trainee Zeynep Cekinmez* sat down with Fleur to interview her about her time in our alliance. You can read their conversation here: 

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What is Una Europa?
Una Europa is a collaboration between 11 universities across Europe. It’s an ambitious alliance focused on shaping core areas of university life—research, teaching and learning, and the university’s role in society. The goal? To create meaningful opportunities for students, staff, and academics to collaborate, innovate, and build something beyond national and disciplinary borders.

Why is international collaboration in higher education more urgent than ever?
Because we’re living in a time of growing nationalism and regressiveness. Una Europa stands as a counterforce by actively fostering connection, progress, and solidarity across borders. It’s not just about talking, but doing: creating real opportunities for people from different countries and backgrounds to work and learn together.

How do you engage other students in Una Europa?
That’s actually one of the biggest challenges. We try to reach students from different departments to ensure diverse perspectives through class discussions, student parliament, open calls for projects and trips, and by creating opportunities that genuinely appeal to student interests. But it’s a big concept to explain, and we’re always working on making it more accessible for everyone.

What do students bring to the table in shaping European education?
Everything. Students are literally the future, but more than that, they bring creativity, fresh thinking, and first-hand insight into the challenges of today’s education systems. Their perspective is invaluable for shaping universities that truly serve diverse needs.

Una Europa is often called “the university of the future.” What does that mean in practice?
It means openness. Not just to people, but to new forms of learning, new study programs that span multiple institutions, new mobility schemes beyond Erasmus, and constant reflection. The “Future Uni Lab,” for example, rethinks how universities function and asks: Are our current structures really working for everyone?

Where do you see Una Europa in 10 years?
I hope it grows with more EU and non-EU members, and more global collaboration. But more importantly, I hope it stays student-centred, inclusive, and equitable, offering real opportunities for learning and research, not just to the privileged few, but to all.

What are you most proud of contributing?
Two things: The student & research project, which I initiated and hope will be implemented soon. And just showing up, getting involved without knowing exactly what I was stepping into, but believing in its potential. Helping with the organization of the Student Congress 2024 at FUB was a beautiful, tangible outcome of that involvement.

How has Una Europa shaped your personal and professional goals?
It deepened my desire to work internationally and sparked an unexpected interest in education policy and international collaboration. Before, I imagined working in academia or publishing. Now, I can also see myself shaping the future of education in a more structural way. For instance, by developing research opportunities, designing inclusive programs, maybe even at a project like this one.

Concluding thoughts or remarks?
Just this: Get involved, even if you’re unsure. You don’t have to have it all figured out to start making a difference.

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*Zeynep Cekinmez is a trainee with the Una Europa team at Freie Universität Berlin from June to August 2025. At FU Berlin, Zeynep is pursuing a master's degree in English Studies. Her research focuses on immigration, motherhood, and trauma studies. In addition to her academic work, she writes poetry and has previously published a non-fiction book. As part of Una Europa, she hopes to help create pedagogical environments that support students from diverse backgrounds and marginalized identities—especially through the use of art and psychology.