From 13 to 15 May, 2025, the 4th edition of the EU-CONEXUS Festival took place in Limassol, Cyprus, bringing together students from across the Alliance for a range of collaborative activities. One of the key outcomes of the festival was the selection of an online escape game – the third inter-campus activity within the IamSTUDENT project.

During the festival, students took part in structured workshops where they were invited to choose inter-campus activities that, in their view, would best strengthen a shared EU-CONEXUS student identity. The online escape game ranked among the two most preferred options, demonstrating strong interest, high relevance, and clear potential for cross-campus collaboration.

The escape game was organised online on 18 November, 2025. It was delivered in cooperation with the French company Ubiscape. A total of 45 students who joined in were divided into international teams of four – an optimal environment for close collaboration and active participation.

The collaborative nature of the game required teams to solve problems together under time pressure, reinforcing trust, communication, and shared responsibility. Following this 45-minute activity, the majority of participants were positively surprised about its effect: they felt more connected to peers from EU-CONEXUS partner universities. Students also noted teamwork, intercultural communication and supporting teammates as key skills developed during the session.

Ultimately, students who participated in the online escape game noted how meaningful it was to collaborate with peers from different countries and academic backgrounds toward a common goal. Many of them also expressed interest in becoming moderators in future escape game sessions, signalling not only satisfaction with the experience but also a willingness to take on more active roles within the Alliance.

Overall, the online escape game was more than just a virtual activity. It now stands as a practical example of how interactive, team-based formats can strengthen student connections, encourage collaboration, and support a shared European university identity across EU-CONEXUS.