Ideas into Action: Meet CEU’s 2025–26 Civic Engagement Fellows

December 10, 2025

CEU students participating at the Opening Ceremony

Eight CEU student projects have been selected for the 2025–26 Civic Engagement Fellowship by the CEU Student Engagement Office, representing seven academic programs.
This year’s Fellows are turning their ideas into action working with Austrian NGOs, community organizations, and public institutions from amplifying marginalized voices, supporting mentoring networks, and reimagining Vienna’s public spaces through art.

The Civic Engagement Fellowship supports students who wish to connect academic inquiry with social impact and contribute to CEU’s mission of advancing open societies through civic participation.

You can find more information about the Civic Engagement Fellowship here.

Fellowship Highlights in Numbers

8 student-led projects in partnership with Austrian NGOs and institutions
7 CEU programs represented, across undergraduate and graduate levels
4 Viennese districts reached, with a strong presence in Favoriten (10th district)
More than 500 participants expected across workshops, events, and volunteer sessions
2 partnerships initiated at CEU’s NGO Fair, underscoring its role as a hub for civic collaboration
€10,000 in total funding

Thematic and Disciplinary Diversity

Project Title	Themes / Focus Areas	Relevant SDGs
Growing Bridges Éva Tóth-Szolnoki – Environmental Science & Policy MA Partner: LaaerBergBauerInnen – Laaerberg Community Garden	• Environmental Justice & Sustainability • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) • Education for Social Change • Community building in Vienna’s 10th district (Favoriten)	SDG 2 – Zero Hunger SDG 3 – Good Health & Well-Being SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities & Communities SDG 13 – Climate Action SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals
(Rise and Rise Again) Until Lambs Become Legumes Johanna Önnemaria Öövel – Gender Studies MA Partner: Robin Foods, Caritas Community Kitchen	• Environmental Justice & Sustainability • Strengthening Democracy & Civic Engagement • Food Rescue and Circular Economy • Plant-Based Food Systems and Climate Awareness	SDG 2 – Zero Hunger SDG 5 – Gender Equality SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption & Production SDG 13 – Climate Action SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals
Caritas Le+O: Educating Volunteers on Warehouse Safety and Hygiene Ain Zainal Abidin – International Public Affairs MA Partner: Caritas Le+O	• Education for Social Change • Environmental Justice & Sustainability • Volunteer Capacity Building • Inclusion through Accessible Training	SDG 2 – Zero Hunger SDG 3 – Good Health & Well-Being SDG 4 – Quality Education SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption & Production SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals
Lives Over Fossils – Bringing Agency to Eastern European Migrants Maria Pobojewska – Undergraduate Studies (BA) Partner: MRIJA (Ukrainian activist collective)	• Human Rights Advocacy • Strengthening Democracy & Civic Engagement • Migration and Inclusion • Climate Justice & Regional Solidarity	SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities SDG 13 – Climate Action SDG 16 – Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals
MentorReach: Expanding the younus Mentoring Community Miriam Schormann – BA PPE Partner: younus Mentoring	• Education for Social Change • Strengthening Democracy & Civic Engagement • Youth Development & Volunteerism • Inter-University Collaboration (Uni Wien and WU)	SDG 3 – Good Health & Well-Being SDG 4 – Quality Education SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities & Communities SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals
Non-EU Students in Austria: Visas, Migration Policy, the EU Job Market, and Institutional Support Tanishka Murthy – Undergraduate non-degree student Partner: WKO (Austrian Economic Chamber)	• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) • Human Rights Advocacy • Strengthening Democracy & Civic Engagement • Education for Social Change (research & policy)	SDG 4 – Quality Education SDG 8 – Decent Work & Economic Growth SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities SDG 16 – Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals
Talkscapes: Reclaiming Third Spaces in Vienna Irene Fileccia – Global Public Policy MA Partner: toZOMIA (Art Association for Resistant Practices in Art and Life)	• Art for Social Justice • Strengthening Democracy & Civic Engagement • Intercultural & Intergenerational Dialogue • Urban Inclusion and Public-Space Activation	SDG 3 – Good Health & Well-Being SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities & Communities SDG 16 – Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals
QueerCinema Seva Korotkov – Economics, Data an Policy MA Partner: QueerBase	• Human Rights & Representation • Art for Social Justice • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion • Public History & Cultural Memory	SDG 5 – Gender Equality SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities & Communities SDG 16 – Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals

Growing Bridges

Éva Tóth-Szolnoki, Environmental Science and Policy MA
Partner: LaaerBergBauerInnen – Gemeinsam Landwirtschaft am Laaer Berg

(Rise and Rise Again) Until Lambs Become Legumes

Johanna Önnemaria Öövel, Gender Studies MA
Partner: Robin Foods, Caritas Community Kitchen and Solidarity Kitchen Vienna

Caritas Le+O: Educating Volunteers on Warehouse Safety and Hygiene

Ain Zainal Abidin, International Public Affairs MA
Partner: Caritas Le+O

Working on this project has taught me that meaningful change cannot be achieved alone. It is a collective effort, and impact can only be built with a strong community that shows up for one another.

Lives Over Fossils – Bringing Agency to Eastern European Migrants

Maria Pobojewska, Undergraduate Studies (BA)
Partner: MRIJA – Ukrainian activist collective

MentorReach – Expanding the younus Mentoring Community

Miriam Schormann, Undergraduate Studies (BA PPE)
Partner: younus Mentoring

„Sometimes one good listener can change a life“

Expanding mentorship opportunitites with Younus Mentoring

This project supports younus Mentoring, a viennese NGO that builds one-to-one mentoring relationships for children, young people and families. We will organise small outreach events at different universities to introduce students to mentoring and hopefully recruit new volunteers. Moreover the project will also include one larger social event to help new and existing mentors connect with each other and their mentees.

The goal is simple: bring more people into mentoring, create supportive spaces for everyone and foster meaningul mentor-mentee relationships.

If you’re interested in helping out or becoming a mentor yourself, feel free to reach out (+49 1799405302).

Non-EU Students in Austria: Visas, Migration Policy, the EU Job Market, and Institutional Support

Tanishka Murthy, Undergraduate non-degree student
Partner: WKO – Austrian Economic Chamber

Talkscapes: Reclaiming Third Spaces in Vienna

Irene Fileccia, Mudus MAPP (Master in Public Policy)
Partner: toZOMIA – Art Association for Resistant Practices in Art and Life

Networks and Partnerships

The 2025–26 cohort extends CEU’s civic network by linking the university with Austrian civil society, art collectives, and public institutions. Key collaborations include:

Environmental and Food Sustainability: LaaerBergBauerInnen, Robin Foods, Caritas Le+O, Caritas Community Kitchen, Mai Ling, Obststadt
Education and Mentoring: younus Mentoring, CEU, University of Vienna, and WU Vienna
Migration and Civic Research: MRIJA, Lives Over Fossils, WKO (Austrian Economic Chamber), QueerBase
Art and Public Dialogue: toZOMIA and neighborhood associations in Vienna

Two partnerships—Robin Foods and younus Mentoring—originated from CEU’s NGO Fair, underscoring its role in connecting students and community organizations to develop new initiatives.

You can learn more about the Civic Engagement Fellowship here.