As part of EPPC 2026 in Warsaw, we invite students to submit a policy analysis essay linked to one of the conference’s three core themes: 

1. Democratic Resilience in the Hybrid-Threat Age 

2. Digital Integrity Frameworks in the EU 

3. At the Frontier: Responding to Hybrid Threats

Essay Task 

Choose one of the themes above and write a 500-word policy problem analysis. 

Your essay must identify a specific policy problem that falls within your chosen theme but is currently underexplored, insufficiently addressed, or missing from ongoing conference discussions or wider policy debates. 

The analysis should: 

• Clearly define the problem and explain its significance 

• Demonstrate why it is critical to the scope of the conference 

• Be written for a policymaking audience 

You are not required to propose a full solution, but you should convincingly explain why the issue demands policy attention.

Evaluation Criteria

(20 Marks Total) 

Submissions will be graded out of 20 marks as follows: 

1. Clarity – 5 marks 

2. Analytical Value – 5 marks 

3. Factual Basis – 5 marks 

4. Originality – 5 marks 

Awards 

The Top 10 submissions will each receive €100 to support accommodation and travel costs for EPPC 2026 in Warsaw. 

The Top 3 submissions will be published on the conference website and included in the EPPC 2026 Conference Report. 

Submission & Deadline

Please submit a PDF version of your essay. The file name must contain only your Hertie student ID and no other personal information. Do not include any personal details within the document itself. This is to ensure anonymity and guarantee a fair and impartial evaluation process.

A deviation in word count of ±10% is acceptable. Submissions that do not comply with these requirements will not be reviewed.

The deadline for submission is Friday, 20.03.2026, at 23:59 CET.

Late submissions will not be accepted.