Article by Émilie Frenkiel: “…Since 2021, the University of Paris-Est Créteil (UPEC) has organised an annual Student Citizens’ Assembly on a different theme. The Assembly involves students alongside teaching and administrative staff, partners in a deliberative process lasting several months. Deliberation culminates in recommendations aimed at transforming the university to face current social and environmental challenges. Between 2021 and 2025, five assemblies involved about 2,400 students.
Over time, the scheme has become institutionalised. It is now recognised by UPEC’s council, committees, services, and student parliament, and contributes to UPEC’s broader project to build a university committed to social and environmental transformation and justice. Alongside other initiatives, the Assembly helps reduce the university’s carbon footprint and foster a fair ecological transition. Its success has aroused the interest of national and local authorities, associations, and other universities.
The birth of an experiment
The Assembly follows the French Citizens’ Assembly on Climate which decides collectively, in a democratic and fair way, on public policies and lifestyle changes to keep our planet habitable.
The co-construction of the Assembly began in October 2020, during lockdown. About thirty students on the Global Politics Master’s programme at the Institute of Political Studies of Fontainebleau adapted the Citizens’ Climate Assembly for use in a university setting. In seminars on Global Health and Environment, and Democracy and Citizen Participation, students met experts in participatory mechanisms, defined the Assembly’s principles and decision-making processes, and pre-selected speakers. ..(More)”.
