The creativity of Una Europa students has once again taken centre stage with the Student Visual Art Contest 2025. The initiative invited students from all partner universities to reflect on the themes of unity and heritage in higher education. Among the winners is Caterina Bagioni, a student at the University of Bologna, whose work was selected alongside entries from peers across the alliance.
Caterina’s collage, How did I get here?, retraces her university journey through images capturing the friendships, values and places that have marked her years at Unibo. For her, the artwork is not only a personal story but also a way to represent Europe as a space of connection and growth.
“Participating in the contest was a creative, inspiring and reflective experience,” says Caterina. “For me, Una Europa means exchange, empathy and shared growth. With my collage I wanted to show how collaboration and friendship create bridges that allow us to grow collectively.”
Her work weaves together fragments of her academic life – from the portico-lined streets of Bologna to the sea of her hometown Ravenna and her current experience in Madrid – capturing the sense of belonging and transformation that comes with studying across borders. Through these images, Caterina invites viewers to reflect on how each step, each encounter, and each cultural exchange contributes to shaping both personal and shared European identities.
“Sometimes it’s important to think about how we got where we are now,” she reflects. “Our path is not only about reaching the goal but also about what we learn every day along the way.”
The Student Visual Art Contest was conceived and coordinated by the Una Europa Local Student Task Forces and carried out within the framework of the Una Europa Student Award. Local juries, composed of students, academics and professional staff at each partner university, selected the winning entries, resulting in a diverse collection of works that interpret what alliance means in an inter-university context.
Unibo’s representative within Una Europa, praised the initiative:
“Caterina’s success shows how creativity and intercultural dialogue are essential elements of the Una Europa experience. Her work embodies the spirit of the alliance – curiosity, collaboration and the ability to see Europe through multiple lenses.”
The winning artworks will now embark on a travelling exhibition across the alliance. The journey will begin in Madrid on 21 October and continue in Zürich, Paris, Bologna, Helsinki, Kraków and Leuven throughout the 2025–2026 academic year. The exhibition will also be presented at the Una Europa Student Congress 2025, hosted by Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne in November.
For the University of Bologna, Caterina’s recognition is also a testament to the value of fostering student creativity within international programmes like Una Europa. As she represents Unibo among the winning artists, her story highlights how the arts can give voice to the human and cultural dimensions of academic exchange.
Find out more and explore all winning entries in the official Una Europa exhibition booklet:
Meet the winners – Una Europa Student Visual Art Contest 2025