CY student testimonials on the Innovation Challenges at Barcelona
on June 5, 2025
Published on June 30, 2025– Updated on June 30, 2025
EUTOPIA Design Initiative
From June 2 to 5, 2025, six representatives from CY Cergy Paris University—two students and four administrative staff members—travelled to Gothenburg, Sweden, to take part in the EUTOPIA Design Initiative. Alongside peers from other partner universities in the alliance, CY Cergy Paris University’s strong team spirit helped generate a dozen challenge ideas and potential solutions during the Design Thinking workshops.
Over two intensive days, participants were guided by three experts in entrepreneurship and Design Thinking—two from the University of Gothenburg and one from Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona. Together, they explored a range of creative methods: PONO (Problems, Objectives, Needs, Opportunities), challenge mapping, ideation, trendstorming, and user journey mapping. The digital collaborative platform MIRO played a key role in organising ideas and capturing group input.
Regular fika breaks—the Swedish tradition of coffee and pastries—added a local touch to the experience, offering time to recharge, network and engage with different perspectives.
An enriching experience, both professionally and personally.
Examples of ideas :
Regular fika breaks—the Swedish tradition of coffee and pastries—added a local touch to the experience, offering time to recharge, network and engage with different perspectives.
An enriching experience, both professionally and personally.
Examples of ideas :
- Methodology to enhance collaboration during interdisciplinary projects
- Dynamic matchmaking tool for students and researchers
- EUTOPIA knowledge and communities hub
- "These workshops allowed us better understand the challenge and to see our proposal from new perspectives. Working with experts and participants from other universities generated ideas we would never have had on our own."
Clare Desmet – Project Manager of the Young Leaders Academy - ''In the framework of the EUTOPIA Design programme, we had the chance to take part in immersive training sessions at the University of Gothenburg, facilitated by passionate and inspiring tutors. This opportunity allowed us to learn how to use the Design thinking methodology, through practical workshops like the challenge map, brainwriting, empathy map, or the user journey. Beyond these tools, it was the enriching human experience which stroke me, we managed to collaborate with participants from different universities, cultures and disciplines, in an atmosphere full of kindness, openness and solidarity. Each one could bring its perspective and ideas, to actively contribute in collectively building the project. No hierachy, no barriers, only sincere discussions and a common will to come up with useful and inclusive solutions. The adventure confirmed my opinion that collaboration, communication et mutual respect are the foundations for any meaningful project. Academic matching is a matchmaking platform between researchers and students, designed to foster collaboration, mentorship et scientific engagement within the EUTOPIA alliance, using innovative features like gamification, webinars and intelligent matching."
Tifen El Belaidi - Project manager and research & innovation officer at CY Tech
