Student as citizen: Learning, leading, and giving back

A photo of Get Engaged: Student as a Citizen summer program at CEU in 2025

Every summer, Parami students take part in global classroom experiences, both online and offline. This year, seven students traveled to Budapest, Hungary, to join the Get Engaged: Student as a Citizen summer program at Central European University (CEU), an OSUN-affiliated institution. The program gathers young leaders from across OSUN each year to explore the importance of civil society, examine global challenges, and learn from diverse perspectives. 

Civil society, according to the World Bank, refers to a wide range of organizations, from community groups and NGOs to indigenous organizations. The term gained prominence in the 1980s and was associated with non-state movements resisting authoritarian regimes in Central and Eastern Europe and Latin America. Civil society continues to evolve in response to technology and subtle societal changes.

In the CEU program, students explored civic engagement from historical, philosophical, and practical perspectives. Classes focused on political participation, civil society, social justice, associational life, and personal responsibility, balancing theoretical understanding with opportunities to contribute actively to communities.

Students highlighted lessons such as leadership in crisis, running projects under authoritarian settings, understanding civic engagement, writing strong proposals for impact, and using strategic tools for project design. Many found value in building global connections, improving project skills through mentoring, and gaining inspiration from peers and local experiences.

Niang Sian Lawh Lun initially worried about her capability to participate. On the first day, she realized that simply making friends was already meaningful. Conversations with students from China, Argentina, Ghana, and other countries broadened her perspective and demonstrated that connection is part of civic engagement. 

Niang Sian described a student citizen as “someone who learns not just for themselves but also contributes to their community.” In Myanmar, where young people often feel powerless, even small actions—sharing stories, supporting peers, or starting grassroots projects—can be forms of leadership. Storytelling, mentorship, and grassroots action are powerful tools for Chin youth.

She shared, “Sharing stories helps heal, mentorship gives courage, and small community projects can restore hope where it feels lost.” She plans to carry these lessons into her project, Back to the Farm, which creates safe spaces for displaced Chin girls to reconnect with land, healing, and each other. Leadership in crisis and running projects under complex conditions were among the most powerful lessons at CEU. Niang Sian reflected, “Leadership is not always loud or visible but about quiet resilience, creativity, and building trust step by step.”

Hein Lin Htun, who is involved in the student-led White Tale project as a storyteller as well as communications and curriculum head, found that the program reinforced the importance of designing effective, student-centered storytelling approaches and resource use. White Tale aims to foster reading habits in children and make book resources more accessible, using storytelling and discussion-based projects. Hein Lin emphasized that students are key contributors and leaders within their communities, and that good citizenship involves creating positive change through any action, not just politics.

Hein noted that students today are, and will continue to be, key contributors and leaders within their communities. A good citizen is someone who understands how best to serve their community—not necessarily through politics, but through any actions that create positive change and help solve societal challenges. Students should not only prepare for future careers but also develop the capacity to lead initiatives that address community challenges with a strong sense of citizenship. 

He highlighted, "In Myanmar, where many struggle to survive, contributing to one's community is a privilege—yet even the smallest consistent steps can bring positive change. Indisputably, it is pivotal to be a ‘student as a citizen’ because it encourages young people to recognize their responsibility, agency, and potential to shape a more inclusive, resilient, and forward-looking society." 

Hein stressed that ethical leadership involves both capability and self-reliance. Capability requires knowledge and skills such as decision-making, problem-solving, teamwork, resource allocation, and adaptability. Self-reliance involves accountability and the ability to act independently, which inspires teammates. Collaboration and self-reliance complement each other: collaboration achieves stronger outcomes, while self-reliance builds resilience and long-term sustainability.

The Get Engaged: Student as a Citizen program provided valuable lessons in connecting with a diverse global community, improving project development skills, and gaining inspiration from local experiences. Sharing Myanmar food and observing Hungary’s culture fostered meaningful bonds, refined projects, and offered new perspectives. Interactions with students from different courses and countries expanded networks, exposed participants to diverse academic and community initiatives, and inspired ideas for community engagement. Lessons from the program will support the development of educational initiatives, project proposals, and knowledge sharing to drive meaningful social impact.