Two second-year students of the Master in Transnational Governance (MTnG) programme began their 2026 academic term with an ambitious project: “we want to actively improve the world around us,” they announced in their concept brief for ‘Officine d’Orizzonti’. Currently finalising the final year of their master’s degree programme, students Elena Casali and Alessandro Cercaci are bridging EU and democratic theory with civic education.
“The world needs to imagine shared futures, and I believe schools are the perfect place to start.” said by Elena Casali, MTnG student
In these workshops, students not only learned about today’s democratic processes, but were also given the chance to be active citizens, expressing their thoughts and opinions and engaging critically in discussions on shaping future change.
Separately from the Officine d’Orizzonti project, in his role as ambassador of the Antonio Megalizzi Foundation, Alessandro carries out civic education activities in schools through the Foundation and, in this context, taught across two high schools (Liceo Michelangiolo and Liceo Calamandrei) in Florence, reaching approximately 150 students. This activity, together with the supporting materials used during the sessions, is part of the Foundation’s independent “Ambassadors Programme.”
The programme culminated at Palazzo Buontalenti, hosted by the Florence School of Transnational Governance (STG) of the European University Institute (EUI), where students participated in a two-hour laboratory simulation of the European Parliament. By stepping into the roles of lawmakers, students became true protagonists of European democracy within the EUI.
“I found it very useful because I gained a clear understanding of how decisions are made within the European Union and, above all, how difficult it is to reach a common position," Luca, high school student at Liceo Michelangiolo
Following the success of these sessions, Officine d’Orizzonti was launched to deepen the connection between the EUI and local youth. Since its inception, the project has reached 100 additional students through a high-level roundtable with the Consulta Provinciale Studenti (CPS) and invited all participants to attend the EUI 50th Anniversary celebrations- People, Ideas, Spaces.
“These interactive labs are a place for young people to speak, be heard, and find tools to structurally develop their ideas.” explained by Alessandro Cercaci, MTnG student
By bridging theory and practice, this student initiative helps younger generations develop a clearer and more motivating path towards becoming active agents of society - an opportunity for Europe to be shaped by the generations stepping forward.
Looking ahead, Officine d’Orizzonti is set to expand further with four new events planned for Florentine schools in the coming weeks.
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Those interested in learning more about the project or in getting involved are welcome to contact the team at officinedorizzonti@eui.eu