The students will strengthen the relationship between the Hertie student community and the international university alliance.
The Hertie School and the international university alliance CIVICA have appointed the two CIVICA Ambassadors for the 2024/2025 Academic Year. Sofía García-Durrer, second-year Master of Public Policy student with a Colombian-Swiss background, and Jocelyne Carrillo Herrera, first-year Master of International Affairs student from Mexico, will be the link between the Hertie student community and the wider CIVICA community. Additionally, earlier this year, Erin Smith-Young, second-year Master of International Affairs student from Canada, was elected to be the Hertie School Representative on the CIVICA Student and Early-Stage Researchers Board.
The role of CIVICA Ambassadors and CIVICA Representatives
CIVICA Ambassadors range from undergraduate students to postdoctoral researchers and represent each university in the alliance. Their role is to promote interaction and exchange within the alliance’s communities and to be a first point of contact to CIVICA for their peers. The Ambassador network actively shapes CIVICA by initiating bottom-up projects and participating in formal and informal alliance activities.
“The CIVICA Ambassadors play a vital role in fostering and strengthening the sense of community not only among Hertie students but also within the CIVICA alliance. Sofía’s previous year of experience as a CIVICA Ambassador and her leadership skills will be complemented by Jocelyne’s fascination with the European Union, fuelled by her studies in French and German. These characteristics uniquely position them to foster connections between Hertie students and their peers across Europe,” says Mariana Fajardo Aristizábal from the Hertie School’s Student Life and Study Abroad team.
CIVICA Representatives sit on the CIVICA Student and Early-Stage Researcher Board, which represents the voice of CIVICA students and early-stage researchers in all areas of the CIVICA alliance, particularly those relevant to them, such as student mobility, course offerings, research initiatives, the digital campus, library services, outreach activities, and non-curricular activities.
We spoke to Sofía and Jocelyne about why they became active and what they have planned as CIVICA Ambassadors.
Why did you become a CIVICA Ambassador?
Sofía: I became a CIVICA Ambassador to help strengthen the collaborative ties between Hertie, us as students, and other CIVICA institutions. I wanted to create more opportunities for Hertie students to connect with universities in the network and build bridges between student communities. After one year as an Ambassador, I can say that my experiences with interdisciplinary and cross-cultural exchanges within CIVICA have shown me the incredible potential the alliance has to deepen academic connections and student engagement across Europe.
Jocelyne: I became a CIVICA Ambassador to actively contribute to the exchange of ideas across European universities. CIVICA’s focus on fostering collaboration between students with diverse perspectives aligns with my belief in the importance of cross-cultural understanding. The opportunity to contribute to student initiatives across social sciences was another key motivation. Lastly, I wanted to help fellow students access the resources and networks that CIVICA offers.
Why is CIVICA important for Hertie students?
Sofía: CIVICA is essential for Hertie students because it offers a truly international platform to connect with peers, faculty and researchers across Europe, enriching both our academic and our personal experiences. It opens opportunities for collaboration beyond Hertie, such as participating in high-profile forums, conferences and joint projects that address pressing global challenges. The network also encourages students to think beyond traditional academic boundaries, offering interdisciplinary perspectives that allow us to tackle complex issues in innovative ways.
Jocelyne: CIVICA offers Hertie students the chance to engage with a network of top European universities, enhancing their learning beyond a single institution. It opens doors to interdisciplinary courses, joint research, and a broader perspective on policymaking and governance. CIVICA also provides students with opportunities to tackle real-world challenges through a collaborative European framework. For Hertie students, it’s a platform to expand both academic and professional horizons.
What will your priorities as CIVICA Ambassador be, and what student-led initiatives would you like to develop?
Sofía: As a CIVICA Ambassador, my focus has always been on strengthening the ties between universities and enhancing student engagement across the network. For instance, last February I worked on deepening relationships among Ambassadors during our annual meeting at Sciences Po. This led to the creation of the Student Engagement Fund – a project I am particularly proud of. One of my key priorities will be to ensure that students have greater access to this fund, encouraging them to develop more innovative, cross-university projects.
Looking ahead, I plan to explore further opportunities for inter-university collaboration, such as by organising a joint student-led conference across multiple CIVICA institutions and creating a mentorship programme that pairs Hertie students with peers from other CIVICA universities.
Jocelyne: As a CIVICA Ambassador, my priority will be to strengthen student involvement within the network and to encourage participation in research and joint programmes. I also aim to strengthen the collaboration within the alliance with the futurEU initiative. I am eager to expand this initiative by bringing in students from other CIVICA institutions, providing a platform for cross-university debates and workshops on European governance.
About the CIVICA Student Engagement Fund
The Student Engagement Fund is a mini-grant funding scheme aimed at supporting student-led joint initiatives within the CIVICA alliance. It aims to foster cross-campus collaboration among students and student associations from different disciplines and backgrounds in tackling the important issues facing Europe today, and to further enhance students’ experience within the alliance.
Interested in applying? Visit CIVICA’s Student Engagement Fund page.
CIVICA – The European University of Social Sciences brings together ten leading European higher education institutions in the social sciences. CIVICA aims to build an inter-university campus that provides joint and long-lasting opportunities in teaching, research and innovative learning, while enhancing academic excellence and facilitating civic engagement in Europe and beyond. CIVICA was selected by the European Commission as one of the pilot European Universities in 2019 and confirmed as successful alliance in 2022 for its full roll-out under the Erasmus+ programme. Read more on civica.eu.