BeEUTOPIAn Conference 2023 Concludes in Paris

On Friday 12 October 2023, CY Cergy Paris University witnessed the coming together of students from all partner universities for the third edition of the BeEUTOPIAn conference. The student-led conference served as a platform for students, professors and staff from EUTOPIA universities to share and exchange ideas, engage in debates and learn from the most valuable characteristic of EUTOPIA, diversity. This conference is dynamic and interactive and includes lectures, mind mapping, working groups, brainstorming sessions, and debates. In addition, the sessions also present an educational component that deals with methodology, and the publication and distribution of the research materials.

According to Iqra Mumtaz, who is a member of the EUSTT and a student at CY Cergy Paris University in the Department of Language and Literature, her takeaway from the BeEUTOPIAn Conference is embracing identities. "Learning and having the capacity to understand others and their points of view and their cultural traditions. One should develop the capacity of open-mindedness and an open heart to understand others. The acceptance and empathy one should always have is the takeaway from this conference." Bettina Buckbee from the University of Gothenburg added that she is taking away the connections she made at the conference and hopes to continue discussions with them on the topics that they dealt with, learn with them and create a worldwide community. Natasha Litherland from CY Tech emphasised the value of different cultures and the importance of exchanging various cultural values and identities with people who have vast lived experiences. The students testified that the representation of students in the conference and the debates from around the globe beyond the EUTOPIAn borders was so enriching. 

The food platter with items from various countries, representing the diversity of EUTOPIA was also an interesting aspect of this conference.