CY student testimonals - Innovation challenges for students Brussels 2025

Taking part in the EUTOPIA Innovation Challenge in Brussels was an incredibly enriching experience. I learned a lot about multilingualism and how it influences communication, identity and daily life in multilingual societies. One of the moments I enjoyed the most was creating our final poster for the project on multilingualism in tourism, as it really brought all our ideas together. 

Working with students from different countries was also a great experience. We communicated mainly in English but sometimes switched between other languages, which made the teamwork even more interesting. 

What I appreciated most was the atmosphere and the mix of cultures. I’m coming back with new knowledge, both about the topic and about the people I met. Overall, it was a very positive and inspiring experience. 

During this challenge, I learned so much about languages and the beauty of navigating between them.
For the first time, I felt genuinely understood when discussing code-switching, something I experienced my whole life as someone who speaks three languages and two dialects.
In addition, the programme was very well organised, and VUB was incredibly welcoming: the atmosphere felt truly warm, which made the experience even more enjoyable.
What surprised me most, however, is that as a law student, I expected to be far from my field, yet everything was unexpectedly connected. For example, when we explored translation issues, for instance from English to French, I immediately recognised how essential these nuances are within legal work, especially since one of my professors had recently discussed the challenges of translating EU legislation.
Furthermore, I was also fascinated by the plenary session with Joe Angouri on social languages. It was eye-opening to understand how language reflects identity, power, politics, and belonging. The idea that the way we speak can change depending on who we are with, what we want to express, or how society perceives us resonated deeply with me. It showed me that languages are not just tools of communication but living systems that shape relationships, access, and even opportunities.
If I had to mention one thing that was a bit challenging, it would simply be the schedule: a 9-5 rhythm might have helped maintain focus more easily than 9-6.
That said, working with students from different countries was an absolute highlight: we exchanged so much, learned from one another, grew together, and most importantly created genuine connections. I even made friends from all over Europe. I’m actually meeting one of them from Italy tonight, haha, she’s visiting Paris!
Overall, participating in this programme was extremely enriching. It builds bridges, removes barriers, and helps us understand each other better in a world that desperately needs more of that. I am truly grateful for the experience.

Participating in the EUTOPIA Innovation Challenges for Students at VUB was a truly transformative experience for me. It was my first time working so closely with students from across the EUTOPIA alliance, and their diverse perspectives gave our discussions on multilingualism a genuinely global dimension. One of the most amazing moments for me was the poem-writing workshop “Speak Your World!” by Marcella Menegale. Seeing everyone write in their native languages at the same time created a beautifully emotional and deeply multilingual poem. The “Language Portraits” workshop was equally impactful, revealing how profoundly our emotions, family histories, and sense of belonging are shaped by the languages we carry. 
Listening to experts speak on different dimensions of multilingualism and getting the chance to engage with them directly in discussions opened up perspectives I had never considered before. Their insights helped us connect theory with our own experiences and inspired many of the ideas we later developed in our project.  
Our project focused on promoting multilingualism in school education, and the programme introduced me to entirely new ways of understanding how language influences a child’s identity, confidence, and learning experience. It reshaped the way I think about inclusion and language practices in educational settings. 
Beyond the academic sessions, the programme was genuinely a lot of fun. Visiting the Belgian Parliament and wandering through Brussels on guided walks made me realise how multilingual the city truly is. But the best part was spending time with students from all over the world. We swapped stories and taught each other funny words in our languages. By the end of the week, it felt like we had created our own little international family. I left with new knowledge, but more importantly, new friends. 
On a personal note, I once dreamed of pursuing my master’s degree at VUB but was unable to. Being here through EUTOPIA felt like a second chance and a meaningful way of reconnecting with that dream, and I am deeply grateful for it. This programme strengthened my understanding of multilingual education and gave me new tools, confidence, and motivation to continue advocating for inclusive language practices in schools. 

I enjoyed taking part in the Student Innovation Challenge in Brussels from 17th  to 21st November  I feel we were lucky that the program covered our expenses,  train travel from Paris, 4 nights in a hotel**, daily meals and a city pass. 
It was a great opportunity to meet students from my own university as well from universities across the Eutopia alliance, going all the way to South Africa and Vietnam. 
Two elements stood out for me :
1.  Professor Kim Wallmach’s talk “Storytelling for cohesion in a multilingual society” and her various  South African examples. 
2. The poem-writing workshop “Speak Your World!” by Marcella Menegale – it was moving to see everyone open up and write in their native languages at once.
I personally found the ice-breaking coffee sessions and the smaller afternoon workshop groups were  much more productive and enjoyable than the larger plenary sessions, because they gave us space to talk, exchange ideas and quickly build closer personal rapport with fellow participants.