20 November 2017: The Financial Times today announces the winners of the Future of Europe project, an initiative designed to stimulate conversation about Europe’s future with the bright young minds inheriting it.
Students from six Universities across Europe - Trinity College Dublin; Jagiellonian University, Krakow; Bocconi University, Milan; Hertie School of Governance, Berlin, Athens University of Economics and Business and Science Po, Paris - were asked to submit 600 word responses to four key questions about Europe’s future.
The entries addressed questions relating to the desirability of German leadership, the Eurozone’s priorities, the four founding freedoms in the EU treaties and whether the next frontier for Europe should involve deeper integration.
FT editor Lionel Barber said: “We were very impressed by the quality of submissions and ideas generated from students across the continent. Europe is going through an unprecedented period in its history and the repercussions of decisions made now will affect generations for years to come. We’re delighted to see so many young people coming to the FT to debate the issues that will shape their future.”
The winning submissions are:
- Spyros Tsaousis, Athens University of Economics and Business, Greece: Europe cycles into the digital age
- Enrico Ellero, Bocconi University, Milan: Germany’s place at the centre of the EU cannot hold
- Julian Lang, The Hertie School of Governance, Berlin: What the EU must learn from Donald Trump
- Aron Kerpel, Jagiellonian University, Krakow: Further European integration must start at the grassroots level
- Marie Sophie Hingst, Trinity College Dublin: Europeans should not abandon a collective identity
- Rositsa Kratunkova, Science Po, Paris, France: “It’s the taxes, stupid”
All of the winning entries will be free-to-read and published on FT.com throughout the course of the week. The student essays will sit alongside editorials from a group of leading economists and FT commentators including, Claire Jones, Tony Barber, Mehreen Khan and Wolfgang Munchau.
The project includes a series of live-stream debates at the Universities, the first of which will be held at Athens University of Economics and Business on Wednesday 22 November.
You can find further information about the Future of Europe project here.
-- ends --
For more information please contact Oliver Stannard, oliver.stannard@ft.com, +44 (0) 20 7775 6342.
About the Financial Times:
The Financial Times is one of the world’s leading business news organisations, recognised internationally for its authority, integrity and accuracy. In 2016 the FT passed a significant milestone in its digital transformation as digital and services revenues overtook print revenues for the first time. The FT has a combined paid print and digital circulation of almost 870,000 and makes 60% of revenues from its journalism.
About the Future of Europe Project event series
A series of panel discussions will take place at six European universities over the next few months. Each panel will consist of senior members of FT editorial staff, leading professors from the local university and a selection of the students who entered their essays into the Future of Europe competition.
The events will be held on the following dates:
- 22 November 2017 - Athens University of Economics and Business
- 4 December 2017 - Bocconi University, Milan
- 6 December 2017 - The Hertie School of Governance, Berlin
- 9 January 2018 - Jagiellonian University, Krakow
- 17 January 2018 - Trinity College Dublin
- Late January/ early February 2018 TBC - Sciences Po, Paris