UNIC UCC Student Rep alumnus Alex is National Winner of European Charlemagne Youth Prize 2025

Alex Sheehan, former UNIC student rep at University College Cork (UCC) and graduate of UCC's School of Law, is National Winner for Ireland of the European Charlemagne Youth Prize (ECYP) 2025. The ECYP is awarded annually by the European Parliament and the Charlemagne Foundation for projects that promote democracy and active citizenship across the EU. The Model EU simulation organised in UCC by the UCC Law Society with the support of UNIC was awarded the National Winner for Ireland.

Alex travelled to Aachen, Germany on 27 May to receive the award. Following the award ceremony, Alex and the other national winners met with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, who was awarded the International Charlemagne Prize of Aachen during the same week.

The Model EU in UCC was a first-of-its-kind event in Ireland, spanning over several days where students from across Ireland and Europe could simulate the EU's law-making process. To facilitate the participation of students from across Europe, the Model EU was organised in collaboration with UNIC. In this way, students from across Europe could connect to discuss common issues, find mutual solutions and highlight the shared role of EU decision-making.

Congratulations Alex on this prestigious and very well-deserved win.  Read more about Alex's model EU event on page 16 of the ECYP project summary: ECYP Project Summaries 2025_EN_FINAL_VERSION.pdf.