EUCI Student Portfolios
What is the EUCI?
The EUTOPIA Certificate of Internationalisation (EUCI) gives students a space in which they can discuss and reflect upon international experiences with fellow students from across the alliance.
Students also have the option to compile a reflective portfolio – which can include creative and multimedia elements – along with a ‘cover letter’ summarising how they have fulfilled the EUCI learning outcomes to obtain the certificate.
Here, we showcase a selection of recently submitted portfolios, with the kind permission of the students.
This page features student portfolios from the 2021-2022 cohort, as well as the 2024 cohort. Portfolios from 2024 onwards are part of EUTOPIA MORE, while those from earlier cohorts were developed under EUTOPIA 2050.
How can you get involved?
To learn more about the EUCI and find out how to enrol, please visit the programme homepage.
Members' Student Portfolios
- Babeș-Bolyai University
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2024:
Marvis Idemudia Ehigiator
Through different styles and unique cultural lenses, artists across continents, like Fela Kuti, tapped into music’s ability to challenge the status quo, amplify marginalized voices, and inspire social change in their respective societies.
Check out their portfolio here. - Vrije Universiteit Brussel
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2021-2022:
Alexander Sorodoc
What I feel after a decade of international experience, in Slovenia and Belgium, is not a loss of my own Romanian culture within me, but rather an enhanced understanding of the importance and uniqueness of my own culture on a global scale.
Check out their portfolio here.
Johanna Dametz
In Brussels you hear different languages from so many people, if it is in restaurants or at university or just in the street. This motivates me to not stop learning languages and continue being curious about cultures. In the future I plan on being continuously in contact with people from all over the world to explore new cultures and most importantly to learn from them. That is why I also chose to do an internship in Brussels, even though I am not fluent in French.
Check out their portfolio here.
Kapitalina Kirillina
I upended my life in Belgium to move to South Korea alone for five months. I was in a completely new environment with a distinctive culture. This step out of my comfort zone was, without a doubt, the single most emancipatory act I’ve done (so far).
Seyedeh Hiva Houshyar Yazdian
Through my international experiences, I have made very good friends who have now become my family. I call them my family because like members of a family, we spend most of our time together, we watch movies, we talk about our interests and beliefs, and the culture and history of our country, and we celebrate our ceremonies together, and we even cry together!
Check out their portfolio here.
- Ca' Foscari University of Venice
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2024:
Valeriia Indykova
While managing my own life in Italy I made sure that others who might be in the same position as me would feel included and supported. In the end, figuring it out not just for myself but for my friends coming from all over the globe as well taught me how to adapt in a completely new environment and how to be able to share this gained knowledge with others.
Check out their portfolio here. - CY Cergy Paris University
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2024:
Ifiok Umoh
I particularly enjoyed participating in the BeEUTOPIAn conference in 2023. The notion of seeing oneself in ‘the other’, the fact that an individual can comprise of different ethnicities, is very fascinating for me. This conference made such a lasting impression on me that afterwards, I volunteered for CY EUTOPIA. We meet every month to discuss ways in which we can further help international students integrate and have a good international experience through the alliance.
Check out their portfolio here.
Manuel Garric
I adapted by acknowledging and respecting these differences while trying to advocate for some sustainable practices. This experience made me have a different point of view on my understanding of environmental and societal issues and on how to approach intercultural differences with tolerance and understanding.
Check out their portfolio here.
2021-2022:
Marie Marchand
As president of the EUTOPIA Student Council, Marie plays a key role in this student-centred alliance. In her reflective portfolio, she uses the experience of a single EUTOPIA Week as a focal point for exploring her perspective on internationalization. Marie describes her commitment to EUTOPIA as an inclusive space in which students help to shape the future of international Higher Education. She reflects candidly on the challenges of coordinating multiple perspectives across institutions and cultures (within and beyond Europe), but also embraces this challenge as a key aspect of her EUTOPIAn experience. This experience, as Marie says in her concluding remarks, has made her re-think her plans for an academic career and explore how she can continue to work in international relations.
"A great victory for me has been getting students involved in EUTOPIA and creating a real sense of community: this sense of belonging is really important… Speaking at a student conference regarding what the pandemic has taught us about mental health at universities, I argued that we need to stick together and share more with each other. We hear a lot of people on social media saying "this is my community", but sometimes we lose sight of the point: being a community means having strong links, finding common ground, and trying to help each other. I felt that very strongly when participating in events that were outside my usual spectrum in EUTOPIA. Things are always changing and the work can be stressful and exhausting…but I really love it!"
Watch Marie's EUCI Reflective Portfolio (video presentation)
Read Marie's EUCI Cover Letter
Zhao Zhenqui
When the opportunity of an exchange program arose last year, I chose to study in China so I could come back to my roots after more than 15 years – and more than that, sort through my feelings about who I am and who I should be. This is why I consider this year overseas as an ‘identity journey’.
Check out their portfolio here.
- University of Gothenburg
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2024:
Soledad Zamora
After my academic experiences in the U.S. and Germany and while working with a Swedish company as a tour leader director in Mexico, I wondered about the origins of the Vikings and never-ending summer nights, the Midnight Summers, and the lifestyles of societies in Scandinavia. Thus, in 2017, I moved to Sweden.
Check out their portfolio here.
2021-2022:
Lena Cartsens
The trends of internationalisation and localisation are taking place at the same time. An increased pace of internationalisation can induce the urge to reconcentrate on local characteristics of culture and society. This can lead to self-segregation tendencies among cultures and underlines the need for cross-cultural dialogue.
Check out their portfolio here.
Uwe Fromm
Uwe describes his early international experiences as ‘a drop of water creating concentric shockwaves’, driving him to expand his own cultural boundaries at every stage of his academic, professional, and personal development. Uwe grew up in Germany, spent a year abroad at a U.S. high school, carried out internships in Belgium and Italy, and became a EUTOPIA Student Career Ambassador during his recent studies in Sweden. He makes a strong case for the value of stepping back and reflecting on such experiences and comments on how his engagement with EUTOPIA has added new layers to his international mindset.
"It is not often that you get the chance to be gifted some time to reflect and turn around, look back at where you are coming from, what your path has been, and what ultimately led you to the place you are today… I am considering this international and intercultural experience to be the drop falling onto a still water surface, creating concentric shockwaves that carry on to travel across the whole surface, impacting whatever comes in life after that impact and setting prior experiences into perspective… I am where I am because 10 years ago, I decided to go on an adventure and move to another country where I had to build up everything from scratch."
Read Uwe's EUCI Reflective Portfolio
Read Uwe's EUCI Cover Letter - University of Ljubljana
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2021-2022:
Erika Kum
The EUCI program encouraged me to go out of my comfort zone and gain new experience and knowledge, which I am sure to use later in life. That’s why I’m grateful for the opportunity and am happy to be able to write this portfolio as a final step in this program. International experiences have taught me to be open-minded and to listen to others’ opinions, because we can make this world a better place only if we work together.
Check out their portfolio here.
Hana Svetin
During my stay in different countries, I’ve always felt a lingering sensation every time I spoke in my native language, as if I’m performing something special, something that’s only shared by some and not understood by all. Indeed, out of all the elements of Slovenia and Slovenian culture, Slovenian language is where I feel most at home.
Check out their portfolio here.
Miha Robnik Kračun
Apart from Slovene, I started learning basic English and German words in kindergarten. I picked up French as my third foreign language in high school. I’d been singing in choirs and solo in many different languages and learned to feel in many different social contexts. Now that I think of it, it had not been that many. The main domain of my feeling acquisition had been the European Catholic musical tradition – I was raised a Catholic more than I realise. - NOVA University Lisbon
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2024:
Casimiro Bento Massunguine
I have been privileged to participate in a series of national and international conferences, such as a conference in Málaga, Spain, the prestigious opening of the European academic year at the European Parliament in Brussels in 2023, and EUTOPIA Weeks in Lisbon, Dresden, and Cluj. These experiences have been pivotal in shaping my academic pursuits, and I am committed to continuing my involvement within this distinguished community.
Check out their portfolio here. - Pompeu Fabra University - Barcelona
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2021-2022:
Ariadna Guerrero Aragón
The EUCI seminars have helped me understand how my international experiences have influenced my intercultural skills and my life in general. These experiences enable us to communicate with each other, and cooperate to achieve common goals such as the SDGs.
Check out their portfolio here.
Berj Dekramanjian
As an individual, I’m attached to every single location I’ve had the chance to dwell in, and I'll always have parts of them in me, while I left parts of myself in them. Regardless of what will come next, I’m sure I have much to learn, and a whole lot left to explore.
Check out their portfolio here.
Daniela Ochoa Pesántez
"My international experiences changed my life. They gave me the chance to open my mind and my soul, and be connected, and discover myself. Indeed, travelling breaks stereotypes and makes you feel free."
Check out their portfolio here.
Filipa Mladenova
Filipa has enjoyed an extraordinary international journey, from her upbringing in Bulgaria to currently supporting an international community of progressive change-makers advocating for social, environmental and economic justice. Along the way, she describes the impact of growing up between Bulgaria and the US, participating in a European Parliament program for integration when Bulgaria was on its way to enter the EU, her experience as a tour guide in Paris and Barcelona, and ultimately the decision to return to university. While working on her degree in Political Science and Government at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona, she got involved in the pilot of the EUTOPIA Open Innovation Challenge. Her portfolio describes how her international experiences prepared her for this, but also how the EUTOPIA program impacted her studies and perspectives on international challenges and cooperation.
"Besides having to adapt to studying and communicating in three languages simultaneously - English, Spanish and Catalan - which on its own was a struggle, I had to find a way to overcome the cultural as well as generational differences with my classmates. Sometimes, I had to think about how younger Filipa would have reacted to certain situations to be more empathic to my classmates. This journey has taught me a lot about interpersonal relations and myself. I am thrilled to have overcome the barriers and to have made some excellent friends along the way who, despite our differences, consider me as one of their own."
Read Filipa's EUCI Reflective Portfolio
Read Filipa's EUCI Cover Letter
Irene Laborda Pueyo
When the French students visited us, I rediscovered my own home by showing them around the city. Six months later, me and my classmates went to their small French village, Lézat. There is where I experienced a real cultural shock. Thanks to this experience I noticed how much I loved getting out of my comfort zone - from then on, I started travelling much more and looking for more international experiences.
Check out her portfolio here.
Laura García Hernández
"After my Erasmus experience, I learned to work on topics that I already dealt with at my university but from a completely different perspective. Integrating the vision of a Belgian faculty with my knowledge of the university in Barcelona was enriching and full of challenges. Above all, the way in which the students understood each part of the lessons was a challenge, which, when we studied together or did group work, meant understanding things twice, from your perspective and from that of the rest of the group."
Check out her portfolio here.
Liuva Ramos Masó
Since I was a child, I have been enchanted by the idea of studying abroad, learning about other cultures and traditions, having the opportunity to live in my own skin in a range of diverse educational systems, and achieving what, personally, is the last step of the “adult life” in its early years: being resilient to live by your own.
Check out their portfolio here.
Maria Ollé Grau
Starting my portfolio I was in a plane towards Los Angeles, scared and unwilling to do the adaptation process and effort of moving into a different culture. However, writing this essay made me realise how much each international experience has given me, and how this one would be just as life changing.
Check out their portfolio here.
Marina Molowny Trenchs
Through my international experiences, I have learnt how different cultural backgrounds relate to each other in the school environment. The encounter with cultural diversity is increasingly becoming a part of everyday life, and the task of education in the framework of these experiences lies in the teaching of intercultural competencies.
Check out their portfolio here.
Marta Casarramona Basany
Seeing with perspective what I have been through to arrive here, I am sure that I am not the same person that first enrolled on the IB program, not the same person that went to study for one year in Belgium, and not the same person that is now part of an international organisation. I have gone through a long journey, but the path hasn’t ended here.
Partners' Student Portfolios
- University of Warwick
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2024:
Ananyaa Ijjantkar
I grappled with homesickness, academic pressure, and the occasional cultural difference with a peer. There were moments of frustration when I felt misunderstood or when I struggled to grasp certain cultural nuances. However, each challenge became an opportunity for growth.
Check out their portfolio here.
Leah Tam
Through the frequent intercultural exchange, I have been exposed to a multitude of viewpoints and how they are shaped by their diverse experiences and upbringing. The genuine and open-minded conversations have provided me with a much richer and more nuanced understanding of global affairs.
Check out their portfolio here.
Nandika Karunakaram
Delhi is a city where people from all over the country reside, and having people from culturally diverse backgrounds helped me comprehend the value of respecting cultures and traditions. I have always wanted to put myself out of my comfort zone, therefore after living in India for more than 18 years, moving to the United Kingdom was nerve-racking.
Check out their portfolio here.
Saumya Singh
Check out their cover letter here.
Check out their video diary here.
Taylor Tao
One of my math teachers asked me about some Chinese customs of celebrating the Spring Festival, such as blessings, receiving pocket money, etc. The most touching moment was when he projected the Chinese words ‘Happy New Year’ on the big screen during the break, and wrote them on the whiteboard very carefully according to the words on the screen. This intercultural experience was not just an opportunity for them to learn about my culture but also for me to see my heritage from a new perspective.
Check out their portfolio here.
Veronica Liu
My experiences as the Student Staff Liaison Chair at the University of Warwick highlighted these differences, demonstrating how cultural backgrounds shape students’ responses to academic policies and authority. Persistent efforts and cross-cultural collaboration can lead to positive changes, illustrating the potential for integrating diverse cultural perspectives to enhance the educational environment.
Check out their portfolio here.
2021-2022:
Gah-Kei Leung
Gah-Kai’s international perspective has developed through his Erasmus+ year abroad and subsequent teaching assistantship in France, as well as through his MA in Transnational Studies at UCL and his current doctoral studies in Political Theory at Warwick. In his portfolio, he offers an in-depth reflection on how multilingualism, intercultural awareness, and engagement with urgent global challenges have shaped his academic profile and career ambitions. Gah-Kai thereby shows how different forms of internationalisation can play a crucial role in the early development of a researcher’s mindset.
"Coming from an immigrant family of Chinese extraction, I have long been fascinated by both Eastern and Western cultures, as well as the links between them. This fed my desire to study Mandarin [during] my MA degree in Transnational Studies at UCL. As part of this course, I wrote a project essay comparing Christmas and Chinese New Year. By putting these two festivals into conversation with each other, I acquired the linguistic skills needed to compare and contrast items in a foreign language. Furthermore, I gained an appreciation of the similarities and differences in the ways people in different parts of the world mark culturally significant dates in the calendar, thus enhancing my intercultural awareness. I was also able to use my own personal experience of both these festivals in order to bring out the connections and contrasts, thereby demonstrating the value of first-hand knowledge in explaining and interpreting cultural differences."
Read Gah-Kai's EUCI Cover Letter
Saumya Singh
“As an international student, my time at the University of Warwick has been marked by a profound engagement with global perspectives, offering a comprehensive analysis of diverse business landscapes. My portfolio, presented in a video documentary format, encapsulates my journey and learnings across various domains, showcasing my growth into a global citizen capable of navigating and contributing to multicultural environments.”
Read Saumya's Cover Letter
Yiwen Gao
After graduating from a law school in China, I spent four years working on different cultural projects and travelling to figure out what I wanted to do in my life. Since beginning my studies at Warwick, the Resonate Festival is the activity that has most influenced me: I have not only deepened my academic understanding of sustainable development studies but also gained practical life skills.
Check out their portfolio here. - Kyungpook National University
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2024:
Anasxon Igamov
The most interesting thing was that even though we came from different countries, we could communicate in Korean and understand each other. Now we are much closer to each other and know that despite all our differences, including borders and languages, we have something in common.
Check out their profile here.
Haegeum Park
I was embarrassed, upset, and panicked. At that time, I decided that I should be a person who is very good at English. There are two main types of academic motivation: positive and negative stimuli. Positive motivation is generally more desirable for long-term academic success and psychological well-being. But It seems that negative stimuli have been more effective for me.
Check out their profile here.
Inae Heo
Listening to this background while eating Halo-halo made it an even more enjoyable and delicious experience. Although it is unclear where shaved ice originated, the Philippines and Korea have their own versions today. Ultimately, food and culture evolve by influencing each other and adding their own unique colours.
Check out their profile here. - International University of Rabat
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2024:
Benjamin Raymond
The academic environment in Morocco is distinguished by a pedagogical approach different from what I was used to in France. For instance, courses in Morocco place more emphasis on local and regional case studies, providing a more contextualized perspective on global issues.
Check out their profile here.
Hamida Qarmiche
As I immersed myself in British life, I began to unconsciously absorb their customs and perspectives. The initial awkwardness of navigating social situations gave way to a growing comfort with British humour. The once-unfamiliar rhythm of their conversations became a melody I could understand and even participate in. This internalisation process wasn't just about language; it was about developing a deeper empathy for the Liverpudlian way of life.
Check out their profile here.
Lumière Gaouna Koumagueying
I can speak French, English, Nandjere (my mother-tongue), moderate Darija, and I started German this year. I think learning languages will always be part of my life. A language is attached to a culture and speaking changes the way you see things. To understand one’s culture, you must understand their language.
Check out their profile here.
Nour Nouha Cherti
Growing up in Morocco means growing in a very diverse envirnment. For my experience, I grew up in a household where we were all a hundred percent moroccan, but where we spoke Arabic, French, and English on a daily basis, often even mixing the three languages in the same sentence.
Check out their profile here. - Stellenbosch University
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2024:
Adrienne du Plessis
Engaging with the language allowed me to appreciate the delicacy of Swedish etiquette, such as the importance of punctuality, the concept of ‘lagom’ (moderation and balance), and the emphasis on egalitarianism. These cultural insights enriched my interactions with locals and deepened my appreciation for the Swedish way of life.
Check out their profile here.
EUTOPIA MORE is co-funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No. 101089699. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.