On 24 April 2026, students from across the CIVICA network will gather at the Hertie School for EUWISE 2026 – Women in Social Sciences, a Student Engagement Fund-supported project.
EUWISE is one of nine Student Engagement Fund (SEF) projects selected in December 2025. Organised by the Hertie Women in Public Policy Club in collaboration with Women in Business Sciences Po, Women in Business IE University, and SNSPA University, the event brings together CIVICA students (Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD) for a day of discussion, policy design, and cross-campus collaboration.
Ahead of the summit, CIVICA spoke with Alessandra Ghitturi and members of the organising team about their motivations for launching the initiative, why advancing gender equality in the social sciences remains urgent in 2026, and what they hope participants will take away from the experience.
What inspired the team to organise EUWISE 2026?
My commitment to gender equality is deeply personal. I have witnessed inequality firsthand, and there have been too many moments in which I felt uncomfortable, powerless, and unheard. Those experiences, however, did not silence me, they motivated me. They made me want to create a platform, a space where women and students, can feel seen, valued, and truly heard.
At EUWISE, we come from different backgrounds and specialize in different sectors, yet we are united by a shared conviction: in every field, there is room, and urgency, for change:
We see potential for change when we observe how climate change and global conflicts disproportionately affect women and deepen existing inequalities.
We see potential for change when women remain underrepresented in governments, companies, and decision-making spaces.
We see potential for change when women are silenced and unable to express themselves freely, even within their own homes.
We see potential for change when a young girl grows up believing her dreams must be smaller.
We see potential for change when women are still forced to choose between family and professional ambition.
We see potential for change in the future we are going to live in and in the responsibility we carry to shape it.
Do you believe this event is especially important right now?
Yes, this event is not only important, it is necessary.
In too many countries the progress achieved in gender equality is facing setbacks. Rights that once seemed secure are increasingly questioned. In several EU countries, access to abortion is not only legally restricted but also practically inaccessible. At the same time, extremist and populist narratives challenge women’s independence, promoting restrictive visions of the “traditional family” that risk reversing decades of hard-won progress.
Women remain underrepresented in political decision-making across Europe. Despite strong formal commitments to gender equality at EU and national levels, women continue to be excluded from positions of power. In the European Parliament, as well as in national parliaments, governments, and local assemblies, representation often remains below or far below the symbolic 40% threshold.
We believe in a world where women are free to make their own choices, about their bodies, their careers, and their lives, and where they enjoy equal opportunities.
At this moment in time, creating spaces for dialogue, awareness, and collective action is more crucial than ever.
What do you hope participants will take away from the event, and what are you hoping to achieve overall?
We hope participants will experience this event as a safe and empowering space, a place where they can openly share their thoughts, connect with others and exchange ideas.
Through the two morning panel discussions, we aim to inspire, to learn from diverse perspectives, and to challenge ourselves intellectually and personally. But beyond inspiration, we hope to spark responsibility: the willingness to act, to question, and to contribute to building a fairer, more inclusive, and more equal world.
How important is cross-campus collaboration within the CIVICA alliance for advancing gender equality?
Cross-campus collaboration is essential. Only by engaging with one another across borders and institutions can we truly understand how gender inequality is experienced differently, yet persistently, in diverse contexts.
Gender inequality is a global challenge. Not a single country has achieved full equality. This reality reminds us that no one institution, no one country, and no one individual can solve this alone.
Real change requires collective effort. It requires openness, mutual understanding, and solidarity across differences. It is no coincidence that the theme of International Women’s Day 2026 is “Give to Gain.” When each of us contributes, our voices, our knowledge, our efforts, we gain strength together.
This is why we are creating this space. This is why we believe it is vital for students to have a voice. And we firmly believe it is WISE for the EU to listen to our voices, and to women’s voices.
The EUWISE event will be held at Hertie School, Berlin, on 24 April 2026. Read more.
