Ca' Foscari University of Venice - Connected Community Portrait

1. Our Story

Origins and Development

This Connected Community emerges from the need to address several pressing issues of our time. Its added value lies not only in its inter-university nature but also in its interdisciplinary composition, bringing together scholars and students from diverse academic fields.

At the heart of it are the concepts of European citizenship, democratic participation, inclusion, and solidarity within the EU. The CC invites students and members of civil society to reflect on issues that academic partners have explored through political, legal, linguistic, and historical research, as well as through artistic and audiovisual representations—or the lack thereof—of these notions.

The Connected Community seeks to explore two broad sets of questions through a range of online and in-person activities, including workshops, guest lectures, Model United Nations simulations, and student-led debates. These activities will engage participants across all levels: students, researchers, experts, NGOs, EU officials, and Members of the European Parliament.

The first set of questions concerns the involvement of European citizens in EU political debates. What do we mean by democratic participation, and how can it be measured? How has it evolved over time? What mechanisms exist to involve citizens in EU political life, and how effectively do they enable active participation? How do European citizens exercise their political rights, and what obstacles do they encounter when trying to use these mechanisms?

The second set of questions concerns the inclusion of non-European citizens and the notion of solidarity. Solidarity has become especially salient during the recent “polycrises” faced by the EU—economic and financial instability, the “refugee crisis,” the health crisis, and more. What does solidarity mean in the EU context? Is it primarily understood as solidarity among Member States, as exemplified by initiatives such as relocation programmes? How does the EU approach solidarity with non-European citizens, particularly in areas such as support for Ukraine or migration and asylum policies? How do EU institutions frame solidarity, and how is it integrated into public policies? Finally, what impact do these policies have on inclusion and sustainability?

Where We Are Today

The CC has now reached its halfway point with strong momentum, marked by active participation from numerous students not only from CC partner universities but from across the entire alliance. A notable example is the Ideas Club “Asylum Policy, Migration, Inclusion and Solidarity in the European Union”, held at the University of Ljubljana on 9–10 October 2025 in collaboration with our Connected Community.

Prof. Stéphanie Novak (UNIVE), Prof. Sara De Vido (UNIVE), and Prof. Maša Kovič Dine (UL) played a key role in designing the programme and facilitating the activities.
In addition to a student-led debate, the programme included a negotiation simulation on EU migration and asylum policy, as well as a Research-Based Learning Workshop focused on access to information in the EU decision-making process.

Our Ambitions & Future Directions

We are on track to fully implement the planned activities for Spring 2026. A key component of this phase is the testing of a new educational methodology that will offer shared open lessons, seminars, and workshops. The activities will be delivered in hybrid format from Ca’ Foscari and attended online by students from all CC partner universities.

• Workshop: The European Citizens’ Initiative
  • This online workshop offers a unique opportunity to explore citizen participation in shaping EU policies. With contributions from experts in law, history, political science, and media studies, the event will examine both the achievements and challenges of past initiatives through first-hand testimonies and interdisciplinary discussions. Participants will be invited to reflect on questions related to trans-European cooperation and collective civic engagement: How can a trans-European political debate be fostered? How has political cooperation across Europe emerged and evolved? What is the role of the media in this process? What forms of collective participation do media environments encourage—and what obstacles remain?
• Lecture: The Artistic Exploration of Forensic Architecture
  • This hybrid session will introduce the work of the collective Forensic Architecture, whose artistic investigations merge research-based practice with concrete acts of solidarity. Their production of visual and audiovisual evidence has, for example, played a significant role in supporting asylum seekers in court proceedings.

2. What We've Accomplished Together

The surveys we distributed following the cross-campus activities implemented so far have strongly encouraged us to continue developing inter-university and participatory initiatives. The positive feedback confirms that these formats effectively engage students and foster meaningful interaction across partner institutions.
 

3. The Impact We're Making

The CC and its team are steadily establishing themselves as a key point of reference at Ca’ Foscari on these topics. This growing recognition has substantial generative potential, as it stimulates new forms of collaboration, strengthens ties across departments and initiatives, and encourages the creation of further activities. By serving as a visible and trusted hub within the university, the CC helps to amplify interest in these themes and supports the development of an environment where innovative ideas and partnerships can emerge.
 

 4. Voices from the Community

Opinions from the students who took part in the Ideas Club at UL:

“There were many interesting debates raised during the event, which I plan on researching more on. Academically, listening to the careers of professors and post-docs proved useful in guiding my own path.”

“The European Commission negotiation simulation was such an immersive experience. We were deep into negotiations and discussions both formal and informal and I was especially captivated by how interdisciplinarity can work in practice, as we exchanged concepts and perspectives. This was a profound experience for me, not only as my first trip for academic reasons but also to participate in a simulation of a real process I did not know the workings of, has made me aware of the importance of this event in general and EU interconnectedness specifically. My biggest take away, besides learning of important decision making processes, was no doubt, Professor Novak's lesson on transparency and access to information that simultaneously situated and empowered us as citizens.”

“I learned more about research which will help me in pursuing a PhD in the future. I also connected to like-minded young professionals in my field and I am looking forward to working with them in the future.”