For Niklas Hamberg, student of B.Sc. in Information and Service Management (ISM), the appeal of ESA was the chance to engage with fellow students across the continent, and to look more closely at how institutions function in practice, testing some of his own assumptions about changemaking.

“There seems to be a general notion that we need large institutions, such as the EU, to make changes for our future to be better. I’ve always thought the opposite: I believe in individuals driving change and institutions enabling this, mostly by making space for the change,” he explained.

Talking Innovation

At ESA, participants were assigned to panels reflecting current European debate on topics such as mental wellness, sustainability, AI, innovation, equality, and civic engagement. Niklas joined the panel: Innovation for all – ways the EU can balance innovation and competitiveness to support sustainable economic growth.

Bringing a Finnish perspective to ESA

Niklas enjoyed the opportunity to break the stereotype of an inward-drawn Finn by speaking his mind and embracing social interactions throughout the event. He also noticed a cultural and political contrast: “I tend to be quite long-term oriented, which, I came to learn, is not that common in a political environment... EU politics isn’t as future-focused as I’d hoped it to be.” 

He partly attributes this to cultural differences across Europe, observing, “It’s a very different thing to work hard in the classic rainy and snowy Finnish weather than it is to resist the temptation of sunny afternoons on a Southern European terrace with friends.”

Looking Ahead

For Niklas, innovation isn’t just about breakthrough ideas, but getting ideas out there efficiently and creatively. “We don’t just need innovations, we need distribution,” he points out, emphasising that the EU's future depends on closing the gap between technological development and real-world impact. He also believes that change starts with individuals, not institutions. 

After the ESA event, Niklas felt that his initial hypothesis was confirmed: “All the institutions can do is provide resources, encourage people toward smart behaviour and pray,” he said. 

For him, the message is clear – individuals need to become more active rather than wait for large institutions like the EU to drive change. “It isn’t up to ‘someone out there’ to make the future better – every idea can be brought to action by an individual capable of understanding the idea.”

Ultimately, ESA reinforced for Niklas that real progress isn’t top-down, it’s shared. Whether it’s building a startup, shaping policy, or challenging assumptions, it takes initiative, collaboration, and a willingness to act before the system catches up.

Check the Unite! Catalogue for Students for future calls to events like ESA and other trans-European offers.