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News from CIVICA
Sciences Po is a founding member of CIVICA - the European University of Social Sciences, created in March 2019. CIVICA brings together today ten leading European higher education institutions in the social sciences, humanities, business management and public policy, with a total of 72,000 students and 13,000 faculty members.
Together, they build on an ever-stronger combination of teaching, research and innovation to mobilise and share knowledge as a public good and to facilitate civic responsibility in Europe and beyond. CIVICA members strive to find solutions to complex societal challenges through a series of integrated activities focused on four thematic priorities: Societies in Transition and Crises of Earth; Challenges to Democracy in the XXIst Century; Europe Revisited; and Data Driven Technologies for the Social Sciences.
CIVICA was selected since 2019 by the European Commission as one of the pilot European Universities, funded under the Erasmus+ programme.
A complementary structure, CIVICA Research aims to develop the instruments of ambitious research and innovation. Researchers within the alliance can participate in joint scientific activities developed around the four focus areas, and access a wide array of events, infrastructures, and tools.
CIVICA Research received €2m funding from the EU's research and innovation programme Horizon 2020, under the chapter “Science with and for Society.” Project activities will be rolled out in 2021–2023 and will enhance the education dimension of CIVICA - The European University of Social Sciences.
The other members of CIVICA and CIVICA Research are: Bocconi University (Italy), Central European University (Austria and Hungary), the European University Institute (Intergovernmental), the Hertie School (Germany), IE University (Spain), the National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (Romania), SGH Warsaw School of Economics (Poland), the Stockholm School of Economics (Sweden) and The London School of Economics and Political Science (United Kingdom).
What can CIVICA do for you?
Bachelor students
Bachelor students can enroll in:
- The CIVICA engage track (in the framework of the mandatory Civic Learning Programme of Sciences Po's College). In order to complete the CIVICA Engage Track and receive a CIVICA Engage formal acknowledgement, students must: meet the obligations of the Sciences Po Civic Learning Programme, successfully complete an Engage Course at a CIVICA Partner University or participate in a European Week and complete a Showcase Reflective Component (graded by Sciences Po on a pass/fail basis),
- The European Week 2023 will take place between 27-30 June at Sciences Po in Paris. The topic of this edition will be "Ecological Transitions".
Master students
Master students can attend:
- The CIVICA joint courses (between two partner universities),
- The CIVICA multicampus courses (organised between seven partner universities on their different campuses).
PhD students, postdoctoral researchers and faculty
PhD students, postdoctoral researchers and faculty can benefit from the alliance to build connection and work together:
- Thanks to networking tools such as the PhD Clinic that gives researchers the chance to contact professors via an in-built email system,
- Early stage researchers can attend specific courses and research conferences organised by CIVICA,
- Faculty and postdoctoral researchers can apply for short visits to a partner university in order to foster collaborative activities (through talks and workshops for example).
All students initiatives are also encouraged and supported. At any point during their journey at Sciences Po, students can apply to become CIVICA ambassadors: to promote CIVICA's initiatives and values among their peers and network with ambassadors from the other partner universities.
CIVICA for Ukraine
Sciences Po signed CIVICA’s joint statement denouncing the “illegal and unjust” war on 4 March, 2022. CIVICA joined the international community in “calling for the immediate cessation of the attacks”.
Sciences Po is a participant in the “CIVICA for Ukraine” project, launched on 10 December, 2022 as part of the NAWA initiative “Solidarity for Ukraine”, funded by the Polish government. This project brings together CIVICA’s ten member universities and five Ukrainian universities. It provides a framework for cooperation whose aim is to protect Ukraine's academic potential and support its higher education in view of an increased collaboration with EU universities after the war. Due to run from January to December 2023, the project has a budget of over €200,000 and is led by the SGH Warsaw School of Economics, with the support of Sciences Po as CIVICA’s coordinator and partner. “CIVICA for Ukraine” provides a practical basis for involving students and faculty members at Ukrainian partner universities in the activities of the CIVICA alliance at all degree levels (Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD). It also has a research component.