After taking a moment to pause and reflect about my experience organising and attending my first UACES (University Association for Contemporary European Studies) Annual Conference, I’m not sure there are enough adjectives to fully capture how special the event was.
Trento was absolutely stunning, and with nearly 400 people attending, it felt like I had the chance to meet every single one of them over the course of the four days.
Here are a few things that truly stood out to me:
- UACES delegates foster an environment of rigorous debate and thoughtful feedback, all within the most welcoming and supportive atmosphere I’ve ever experienced. The role of being both a critical friend and mentor is something they take to heart.
- There’s no such thing as "too much passion" when it comes to European Studies. The enthusiasm in every session I dropped into was contagious.
- The conference program covered a diverse range of important topics from Race and Decolonisation, European Security, Human Mobility and Health to Gender and Sexuality giving attendees a lot to think about. They explored the challenges of European Integration and Identity, dealt with issues of change and uncertainty, and addressed the need to adapt to global shifts. By the end, there was a strong sense of optimism, as everyone reaffirmed their shared commitment to fostering unity, resilience, and innovation in the face of today's socioeconomic and geopolitical dynamics.
- I’m particularly excited to see the careers of our Graduate Forum attendees thrive. Watching them grow and contribute was a real highlight for me.
- The sense of community at UACES is unmatched. From the moment I joined back in February, I've felt privileged to be welcomed as part of this incredible group.
Of course, none of this would have been possible without an amazing team. A huge thank you to Emanuele Massetti, the fantastic events team at Università di Trento, and the student volunteers who worked tirelessly to help us make this conference such a success.
To Ollie Pilkington and Katie Kilbourne — what can I say? Your professionalism and unwavering support were instrumental in delivering a flawless event. Our team may not even be a year old yet, but you both completely smashed it. Well done! 💥
Niall Robb, thank you for agreeing to join the team in Trento. The support you provided to me, Ollie and Katie was invaluable.
Finally, I owe a big thank you to the UACES Officers: Koen Slootmaeckers, Rosa Maria Fernandez, Simon Usherwood, Professor Toni Haastrup, and Viviane Gravey. Your guidance over the past seven months has been invaluable.
And, would you believe it? We’re already planning for Liverpool 2025, and I couldn’t be more excited for what’s to come!
