As the time passes, we are getting closer and closer to Autumn Agora Catania. The candidates are getting ready and of course we would like to know more about them and the reason why they want to represent us. Lorenzo Ligas is one of the candidates for SUCT, this being his second time to candidate, but he says that “the decision to candidate again was quite natural”, so below you can find out more about his plans.

The AEGEEan: Lorenzo, describe yourself in four words, using the SUCT initials.

Lorenzo: Supportive – I am always willing to support and help team mates.

Unique – Can you find another #PRbear in the Network?

Creative – Writing, designing, managing social media is my daily bread. I can’t imagine my life without it.

Tenacious – Being a candidate for the second time, after the result of Autumn Agora Chișinău, and after a very active year in the association, it’s the proof that no matter how hard it could be, no matter the failures, I run for my goals.

What does Summer University Project mean to you?

Lorenzo: Summer University is love and passion for me. Being an organiser twice in Cagliari as PR Responsible and Content Manager gave me countless emotions, thanks both to my amazing antenna and to the incredible participants we had. I really think that through the Summer University Project young people can experience freedom. Especially for youngsters, it’s a playground where you have fun, get to know people in a very friendly and respectful environment.

You are no stranger to the Summer University Project, but tell us, why do you want to continue in this field and what gives you motivation?

Lorenzo: When I decided in 2016 to candidate at Autumn Agora Chișinău, I knew chances to be elected were low. At that time I had been in AEGEE for about eight months. Current SUCTies were really supporting, and I decided, even before the voting rounds, that in case of ‘’negative’’ results I would become a SUpporter. During this year thanks to Claudio, Lucia, Philipp and Ralitsa I had the chance to be involved in the project with graphics, PR tasks and being trainer in SUPS Skopje 2017. The decision to candidate again was quite natural I would say!

You mentioned in your programme that you would create viral contents. How do you see that helping in increasing the participation of members to the SU?

Lorenzo: As for any brand or company, the Summer University project needs to be more active into social networks. This could be done by both increasing the amount of contents in Summer University social networks and encouraging antennae and bodies to share and create their own contents. The more people you reach, the higher is the possibility to attract new members and to increase the participation to the events.

Tell us more about how would you motivate antennae to promote the SU Project.

Lorenzo: By increasing the understanding that thanks to the Summer University antennae could recruit a higher number of new members, as well as activate more members that are mostly active locally. I would like to share my experience as PR Responsible of two Summer Universities, create specific guidelines on how to promote the project during the different stages of the event: preparation, application period, during the event, after the event. Having an active promotion during the whole stage leads to visible results.

How do you foresee your cooperation with CD to promote SU as a project to possible interested companies (like Small Medium Enterprises or Start-Ups eager to have a large European project to promote their products/services)?

Lorenzo: As I also wrote in my programme, I would collaborate with CIRC for global fundraising and with the Netcom for local fundraising. My goal is to create a network of partners which could provide materials and goods to the antennae, as well as discount codes and services, depending on the partner. Agorae as well could be a good opportunity for partners of the project to distribute their sponsored goods.

Questions from the Network

In your programme you refer to a new format about the collaboration with SUpporters. How can they support you? In our opinion, why SUpporters are not so active right now? Can you explain to us how your new system will resemble the one of the subcommies?

Lorenzo: I think that it’s difficult to be active for the SUpporters because the current system doesn’t include higher responsibilities, or somehow an official position. My idea is to have a subcommies-like task force, with SUpporters divided into expertise (Project Management – PR – FR – Content) supervised by the SUCTies. In my opinion, giving tasks, deadlines, and higher responsibilities such as “mandatory” participation to the SUpporters work could lead to higher results as well as empowering possible future SUCTies.

You can read his candidature here.

Written by Raluca Radu – AEGEE-Cluj-Napoca

During Autumn Agora Kyïv a new Summer University Coordination Team (SUCT) was elected. Four people, coming from four corners of Europe, started working with a team meeting in Bruxelles. We asked our fab four some questions to understand how the longest running project of AEGEE will change (and improve) this year.

The AEGEEan: Please present your team.

Yevgeniya: We are a team of four enthusiasts excited about the Summer University project, ready to implement great ideas and enjoy the work. Briefly, these are our tasks and where we come from:

Project Manager (PM) & FR: Lucia Gavulová, AEGEE-Bratislava, AEGEE-Aachen

Content Manager & Treasurer: Carolina Alfano, AEGEE-Salerno

IT & Publications: Philipp Blum, AEGEE-Aachen

PR: Yevgeniya Gagarkina, AEGEE-Kyïv

The appointed Comité Directeurs members, who were appointed to the team this year, are Maryana Semenyak and Ander Guerrero Ruiz. We already find them very helpful and we are glad to work with them.

Project Manager & FR: Lucia Gavulová, AEGEE-Bratislava/Aachen

Lucia and Carolina were elected, and both ran for Project Manager. How did you divide your work?

Lucia: After reviewing all the task SUCT has to do throughout the year, and adding some new ones, we noticed that we needed a Content Manager in order to strengthen the content of SUs, which is a very important position in most projects. Based on this we then decided very fast and easily.

Carolina: We didn’t “fight” for that position, we just looked at the reality. There were a lot of things to do and develop, and in a simple way we decided to divide the hard work of PM in two parts. And the result was the role of Content Manager.

You had a meeting in Brussels earlier this month. How did it go?

Lucia: Very well! We had a really intense and efficient meeting, we planned and timelined the whole year, divided tasks, talked about and implemented new ideas, and of course we had a nice team building as well, since we travelled to Aachen after Brussels and got to know each other better.

Yevgeniya: Apart from that, I didn’t know anyone from the team in person, but from the first moment I knew that working with them would be really comfortable and interesting. This was proved very fast – I hope you will be seeing the results of our productivity throughout the whole year.

IT & Publications: Philipp Blum, AEGEE-Aachen

You launched a feedback form for advice from SU 2015. Why did you decide to start from there? And do you already have some preliminary results?

Lucia: Already after the elections in Kyïv, people started approaching us, either complaining about some issues from last year, or giving us ideas for improvement, so we decided to listen to the actual voice of the members and adjust SUs to the needs of network. We received plenty of interesting and important input and we included those into our to-do list for next year.

What are the highlights of your program for the upcoming year?

Lucia & Philipp: A new application procedure, a new website, new themes and much more! Thanks to the SUpporters Interest Group, we will be able to provide you with better materials, help, checklists and other things that you can use to make organising an SU easier. Also, we will make the open calls for Summer Universities open to all members, regardless of whether they applied in the first round or not. This way we can ensure that all the people who apply on time get their results on time.

PR: Yevgeniya Gagarkina, AEGEE-Kyïv

One of the new aspects will be the SUpporters (the Summer University Interest Group). How does it work? What are its tasks?

Yevgeniya: This is actually a group of people with very different experience, who are interested in SUpporting the SU project. We created several tasks in different areas: design, help with booklets, PR, FR, IT, visa support, translations, training, the presentation of projects… and our SUpporters can choose their own task. Once the tasks are finished, they won’t be given any new task unless the SUpporter himself wants it, and chooses something else, so we have no “slaves” [she laughs, ed.]  Internally, SUpporters are divided into groups according to their tasks and have someone from the SUCT as their group leader. They can also be in different groups at the same time. We already appreciate their work and hope that this idea will be a huge success.

In the past years, we saw the number of SUs and applicants decreasing. What solutions do you have in mind to prevent this from happening this year again?

Lucia: A lot of support from SUCT and AEGEE bodies for organisers, more appealing content, some cool competitions and mainly new guidelines for organisers with another topic focus, which will make organisation easier.

Content Manager & Treasurer: Carolina Alfano, AEGEE-Salerno

Summer University Project School (SUPS) open call is out. Why do you think SUPS will be important to attend and to host?

Yevgeniya: SUPS is the right place to become the best organiser of a SU, to get to know all the insights and realise the strategy of managing a project, to get motivated and inspired, to get practical skills and to exchange experience. We talked to participants and trainers of previous years, and got inspired by their stories, so we are sure that an awesome summer of 2016 is impossible without SUPS.

Don’t miss a perfect chance to have SUmmer starting much earlier, than in your calendar, by hosting SUPS! In my opinion, SUPS is one of the brightest European events, where you will watch a new SU generation  be born. What is more, you will have the chance to show your city and local culture to excited and motivated people, attracting more and more potential participants to your SU. We will tell lots of interesting things, and surely all the efforts will be worth it.
Carolina: Because all the things that a great organiser has to know about SU are concentrated in six intense days with SUCT members, the best trainers and experienced members. This year we will give it our best to give every local the possibility to organise an amazing Summer university.

Check the new website here.
Pictures courtesy of Aysan Yakut “With the planet – 2015”

Written by Erika Bettin, AEGEE-Verona