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garagErasmus Annual Meeting 2026: co-creating the future of mobility

garagErasmus at the OCEANS Conference in Stockholm

which took place in Stockholm on 20–21 June. It was a valuable opportunity for us to reconnect, reflect and reimagine what we can achieve as a network.

This event was more than just a formal gathering; it was a true moment of exchange and shared vision. We focused on key themes such as employability, cultural exchange and international collaboration, discussing how international experiences can boost employability, build intercultural skills and strengthen global collaboration.

The active involvement of ESAA’s sister organisations strengthened the collective message: we are building a stronger, more inclusive and impactful network.

A powerful reminder from this meeting: mobility isn’t just movement: it’s transformation.

Erasmag is officially out!

You can follow the work of our reporters on our social pages Instagram and TikTok.

The project is promoted by garagErasmus, University of Pavia and Gruppo SAE.

Our Network Manager, Carlo Bitetto, has presented ErasMAG to the EC2U Alliance, that is gathering at the University of Pavia.

The European Campus of City-Universities (EC2U) is a multi-cultural and multi-lingual Alliance consisting of eight universities from diverse regions of the European Union: the Universidade de Coimbra, the Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iași, the Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, the Johannes Kepler Universität Linz, the Università degli Studi di Pavia, the Université de Poitiers (Coordinator), the University of Salamanca (Universidad de Salamanca) and the Turun yliopisto – University of Turku.

How to include, not only Erasmus, but also PhD students in the ErasMAG project, has been one of the topics discussed by the alliance.

Stay tuned for the press conference presenting the project, to be held at the University of Pavia on 14 October 2025!

#erasmag #erasmus #university #universityofpavia

Echo-Cultures: Tips for an Eco-Friendly Summer (Sustainable tourism edition)

Dreaming of a greener holiday? Start with these easy tips:

1. Respect culture and people

Every place has its own customs, and it’s always best to know them and show respect.

It’s a great idea to learn a few basic words in the local language.

2. Support local businesses

When you travel, choose local shops, guides and activities.

It helps the local economy while preserving the character of the place.

3. Use sustainable transports

Choose the most sustainable transport options, like public transport, whenever you can.

This reduces CO2 emissions and helps minimize the poor air quality that comes with mass tourism.

Let’s travel responsibly and leave a positive footprint this summer!

See the project

garagErasmus Participates in the EMA General Assembly 2025 in Paris

The two-day Assembly gathered representatives from across Europe and beyond for a dynamic programme of plenary discussions, thematic workshops, and collaborative strategy sessions. Topics ranged from sustainable leadership and diversity in mobility to innovative alumni engagement and cross-organizational cooperation.

garagErasmus contributed actively to the dialogue, sharing its vision for empowering the Erasmus Generation and deepening its longstanding commitment to supporting international talent. The Foundation highlighted the importance of synergy among ESAA partners and the need for strategic partnerships that can foster sustainable and inclusive mobility ecosystems.

By participating in the EMA General Assembly, garagErasmus reaffirmed its role as a catalyst for international cooperation and as a dedicated advocate for the values of Erasmus: openness, opportunity, and unity in diversity.

garagErasmus launches two new Focus Group within his network

On the occasion of the 2024 Higher Education European Networking Summit and in collaboration with the European Commission, garagErasmus established two new Focus Groups.

The first is a Policy Focus Group composed of two members from the garagErasmus Secretariat, five representatives from gE4 local communities, and five representatives from higher education institutions (HEIs). This group will be responsible for shaping, promoting, and implementing strategic initiatives that support the organization’s mission to enhance educational outcomes across Europe.

The second is a Focus Group on European Universities Alliances which will be established to explore the functioning and impact of European Universities. It’s objective is to provide the Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (DG EAC) with reliable insights into the real-world operations of these institutions. The group will examine how mobility budgets are allocated within standard university agreements and alliances, and assess the influence of being part of a European University Alliance on funding evaluations by National Agencies (NAs). This work aims to support evidence-based decision-making and improve policy implementation across the European Higher Education landscape.

gE attends ASAF Annual General Forum in Benin

It was a great opportunity to discover ASAF’s past year activities, as well as its future strategy to engage in internationalisation and mobility promotion all across the continent. garagErasmus seized the moment to strengthen its relationship with its partner organisations in its quest to valorise the Erasmus Generation in Europe and beyond.

gE is looking for a web designer to renovate its website

Key Responsibilities:

Modern design: redesign the website with a clean, contemporary look that reflects the dynamic and innovative spirit of garagErasmus, while maintaining the Foundation’s official colors and branding guidelines.
Functionality: restructure the website so that it successfully displays our mission, network, resources, media, ongoing projects, events and news in a modern and clear way, while maintaining existing content.
Accessibility: implement best practices to ensure the website is accessible to all users, including those with disabilities, adhering to the latest web accessibility standards.
Responsive: ensure the website is fully responsive, offering an optimal viewing experience across all devices, including desktops, tablets, and smartphones.

What we’re looking for:

Proven experience in web design and development, with a portfolio showcasing responsive and modern websites.
Strong understanding of accessibility standards and best practices.
Creativity and attention to detail in implementing the Foundation’s visual identity.
Excellent communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively with our team.

About garagErasmus Foundation:

Based in Milan, Vicenza and Brussels, garagErasmus Foundation (gE) is the professional network of the Erasmus Generation that aims at supporting the shaping of a better-integrated Europe. Our mission is to improve the lives of people who went through international study or work experiences by enabling them to access opportunities that could make their careers more impactful for the European community.

Project timeline:

Application deadline: 08/09/2024
Selection of developer: 09/09/2024 – 10/09/2024
Initial consultation and project kickoff: by 16/09/2024
Design mockups submission: by the end of September
Development phase: September/October
Testing and bug fixing: October/November
Final review and approval: by the end of November

How to Apply:

If you have the skills and experience to bring our vision to life, we’d love to hear from you! Please send your CV, portfolio, along with a brief proposal outlining your approach to this project and a quotation, to job@garagerasmus.org

Download the job offer

garagErasmus will join the EAIE Convention 2024 in Toulouse

If you are going to the conference and would like to meet us to get to know better the gE network and its opportunities, please send an email to Fabrizio Bitetto or Valentina Presa.

This year’s conference theme is “En Route!,” and wants to highlight the hard work that propels our community towards a brighter future.

Send an email to Valentina Presa

Send an email to Fabrizio Bitetto

Staff Week in Cologne: boosting sustainability offices under the BRIGHTS project

the University of Pavia and the University of Cyprus. Over three days, participants engaged in a series of sessions that addressed a wide array of topics and perspectives concerning sustainability.

The staff week was opened by a welcome speech of Prof. Kirk Junker, vice-rector for sustainability at the University of Cologne, who emphasised the importance of HEIs leading students into sustainable habits. He was then followed by Pamela Kilian, from the Sustainability Office of the University of Cologne, who showcased the university’s sustainability strategy and the pivotal role of the Office in driving these initiatives.

The following session, featuring an overview of the BRIGHTS project and the program for the week, was jointly presented by Martina Altea Bellinzona, BRIGHTS Project Coordinator from the University of Pavia, and Thilo Zimmermann, Head of Academic Networks & SDGS Projects at the University of Cologne. They outlined the project’s goals, the structure of the staff week, and the key outcomes aimed to achieve.

The final session of the day was held by Tobias Bartman, of the Green Office Movement, who presented the organization and set up a workshop by applying the Green Office Movement’s toolkit to establish green offices. He then proceeded to present the work of Students Oganising for Sustainability International, which supports student and youth groups globally to lead on sustainability and social justice.

The second day started off with Martina Altea Bellinzona presenting the work of the Office for Sustainable Actions (OSA) of the University of Pavia. She was then followed by Thilo Zimmerman who introduced UoC Global, which implements international projects at the University of Cologne, and was and was then joined by Dr. Ali Al-Bayati to present the DAAD LegalLead Projects which seeks to build up law clinics on female empowerment and good governance at Al-Nahrain University in Iraq and Cartage University in Tunis and is a promising example for an international projects adressed to SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions)

The third session of the day saw Ilaria Corazza of the University of Turin, and editor of the Sustainability Report, presenting the Rete delle Università per lo Sviluppo Sostenibile (RUS) and delving into the importance of reporting. Prof. Drew Nelson of the University of Cologne then showcased his ongoing course concerning the SDGs and the new teaching methodologies that it involves.

The second day ended with Michela Cobelli and Chantal Ricciardi, from the International Mobility Unit of the University of Pavia, who showcased best practices of internationalisation, sustainability and networking in HEIs, and the Coimbra Group.

The third and last day saw the participants learning about the Fair Trade Competence Center of the University of Cologne by Dr. Katharina Groene, and were taught about sustainability rankings by Luciana Sacchetti of the University of Bologna.

The staff week concluded with a visit to the UN Campus in Bonn, where participants had the opportunity to learn in depth about the importance of SDGs.

See the gallery

The University of Trento joins garagErasmus Family!

Our new collaboration with the University of Trento will enhance our efforts to promote the #ErasmusGeneration’s values and improve mobility and education across Europe!

The University of Trento is renowned for its commitment to academic excellence and innovation, and we are thrilled to have them on board with us to create a better Europe together.

Check out the others Foundation Members

L’Elevator Hub (il nostro ufficio gE a Vicenza) è in vendita

spiegano «che ci impone di prepararci a lasciare il nostro spazio». Un’eventualità che allarma non poco Elitlab, Onymous, Gfc, Regula, Inveneta – Walter Fantauzzi, Garagerasmus, Seay, Yupmedia, Officina sulle Nuvole, Mostrum e Francesco Zanotto.

Qui diverse startup innovative hanno trovato terreno fertile per crescere

Gli imprenditori ricordano lo sviluppo del progetto e i tanti eventi, corsi e programmi di accelerazione, «che hanno contribuito a creare una rete di relazioni e di sviluppo. Qui sono nate collaborazioni che spesso si sono trasformate in nuove aziende. Qui diverse startup innovative hanno trovato terreno fertile per crescere. Qui sono stati pensati progetti a medio e lungo termine. Qui hanno trovato sede laboratori universitari per ricerca e sviluppo. In breve, Elevator è una grande risorsa per Vicenza e il suo territorio».

Una risorsa che, però, ha richiesto grandi investimenti da parte dei soci, in particolare della famiglia Lovato, proprietaria dello stabile, che partita con il 48% delle quote nel 2019 (Simal, della galassia del gruppo Maltauro, ed Ensys, tra i cui fondatori c’è l’ex ad di Elevator Matteo Pozzi, avevano entrambe il 26%), è passata nel 2022 al 72%, con Ensys al 33% e Simal al 5%. Recentemente, a fronte di spese continue, la famiglia ha deciso di vendere lo stabile, del valore di 3 milioni di euro.

Necessari investimenti importanti

«I Lovato – spiega l’ex presidente Franco Scanagatta – hanno investito 900 mila euro per la ristrutturazione dell’immobile, che ha bisogno di continui interventi. La società, poi, continuava a perdere, quindi i proprietari hanno cercato un acquirente, pronti a regalare l’azienda, in caso fosse stata presentata un’offerta seria». Che, però, non è arrivata. E il clima all’interno della società ne ha risentito. «La famiglia – continua Scanagatta – ha quindi deciso per la liquidazione volontaria dell’azienda, pur intendendo tenere fede ai contratti stipulati, che arriveranno a scadenza». La porta a eventuali investitori non è chiusa. «Se arriva una proposta adeguata i Lovato sono disposti a trattare».

In un deus ex machina sperano gli imprenditori, che nella lettera aperta vogliono «condividere la nostra preoccupazione con le amministrazioni e con la comunità imprenditoriale vicentina, che senza dubbio hanno a cuore lo sviluppo dell’innovazione e della tecnologia condivisa». Così anche Pozzi, che in questi anni ha lavorato a stretto contatto con le startup.

«Nonostante il Covid – sottolinea – avevamo portato a casa risultati, con tutti gli uffici pieni, una quindicina di startup incubate, moltissimi eventi e corsi di formazione. Avevamo anche iniziato collaborazioni con il Comune, le associazioni di categoria e ospitato un evento del Cuoa, insomma Elevator è diventato un punto di riferimento per l’innovazione e questo avrebbe portato effetti positivi anche a livello economico, arrivando a sanare il passivo. Sarebbe un peccato perdere questo incubatore, speriamo che qualcuno ci venga in aiuto con un investimento o mettendo a disposizione una nuova sede».

Articolo scritto da Maria Elena Bonacini per Il Giornale di Vicenza.

Interview with Marco Cillepi, President of gE4Silesia – Katowice Internationals Foundation

Following years of commitment to Erasmus, Marco opened the first garagErasmus section in Poland when he moved to Katowice in 2011; “I decided that it was time to dedicate my time to foreigners and professionals moving abroad to work and it lead to the idea of the Katowice Internationals Foundation.” Their primary mission is promoting a strong message of integration among people. “We accept diversity and we look at it as a great asset, accepting each other with our differences is the key to make this world a better place and help others in need,” Marco explained, “Poland is living an extraordinary historical moment in terms of development and employability so every day more and more foreigners decide to come to work in this country. We want to help people to integrate with locals and increase awareness in the local community regarding different cultures and backgrounds.”

gE4 Silesia’s main project of the last two years has been the Katowice Internationals World Cup. The project idea grew naturally from the healthy international football community in Silesia. Astounded by the number of different nationalities represented at his training sessions, Marco found that football was an incredibly powerful tool for the integration of foreigners into the local community. In cooperation with his friends and cofounders, Greg Kandziora and Abadi Murshid, the first edition of the Katowice Internationals World Cup was launched in May 2018. After great success, a second edition took place earlier this year and plans are already underway for a third edition in 2020.

“We have had the chance to meet a lot of foreigners and locals that are coming from different backgrounds,” Marco explained outlining gE4 Silesia’s greatest achievements, “We celebrate diversity and social inclusion together with the local and international community.” The Katowice Internationals World Cup has proved to be an excellent opportunity for members of the Silesian community to build relationships, strengthen their knowledge of different cultures, and celebrate the values of sport and multicultural integration.

As well as the third edition of the Katowice Internationals World Cup, gE4 Silesia has many other projects planned for 2020 which are all closely related to sport, multicultural integration, social inclusion and the promotion of diversity. 2020 will also see gE4 Silesia complete their #100Smiles campaign- a project which promises to donate muppets (already collected from a nursery in South Africa) to local children’s hospitals and orphanages.

We are so proud of everything you have achieved so far, gE4 Silesia, and cannot wait to see what 2020 brings for you!

gE at the NEO-ICP coordination meeting

Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency of the European Union (EACEA) in Brussels, where we had the chance to present 2 outstanding ESAA projects we are involved in:

The EduVanHub project, presented by Gèv Harutyunyan (garagErasmus4Yerevan), seeks to help disadvantaged young people living in Armenian and Ukranian rural communities acquiring media skills by building an inclusive & innovative environment.

The WE AfriHug project, presented by Konstantinos Maragkos (GaragErasmus4Athens), aiming to bring closer Africa and Europe by empowering youth through capacity building, creating links between the African Union & the European Union’s HEIs & CSOs.

The IYE-LABS project starts its training sessions

IYE-LABs is a transnational cooperation partnership that allows a group of stakeholders from youth, volunteering and social inclusion backgrounds to collaborate in a project aimed to foster inclusive youth environments by implementing innovative and participative practices, through developing social labs model as non-formal learning activities addressed to improving young people’s skills for civic participation and volunteering.

IYE-LABs project seeks to train 100 young Europeans to face the most pressing social, environmental and cultural challenges. Young people participating in the laboratory will experience in first person a training and self-knowledge process aimed at better understanding the dilemmas and social, cultural and environmental challenges both at a local and global level to carry out innovation and ethical actions and build local citizenship.

IYE-LABs project wants to tackle the lack of civil participation attitude among young people, the lack of youth involvement in local communities and third sector organisations and inequality and poverty, exclusion and discrimination affecting young people from disadvantaged groups.

This social inclusion project is intended for youngsters (18-30 years old) seeking to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to undertake volunteering projects, empowering them to generate a leadership changing forever their lives and the social ecosystem of their cities. Youth workers, decision-makers, NGOs and social organisations will also benefit from the work process.

IYE-LABS project is led by Xul Foundation (Spain). Its fieldwork partners implementing activities and coordinating actions at a local level are Xul Foundation itself, InCo Association (Italy), Impact Hub Zagreb (Croatia), and Dinamik Development (Turkey). IYE Watchers – developing a dissemination and public awareness role, making liaison with policy-makers and being responsible for quality insurance – are Out of the Box International (Belgium), Plataforma del Voluntariado de España (Madrid), and garagErasmus ASBL (Belgium).

garagErasmus ASBL is leading communication and dissemination actions for IYE-LABs project, and is currently implementing the communication plan that had already been formulated in spring 2019.

Launching event of gE4Brussels

On this occasion we would like to showcase the activities that the foundation carries out and to inform you about our new project: the “Laissez-Passer” of the Erasmus Generation, the passport for European talents!

The goal of the passport is to create a connection between the Erasmus generation and privates, companies, recruiters and philanthropists that want to support the most important programme of the European Union of the last 30 years. The Laissez-Passer of the Erasmus Generation wants to involve former Erasmus and tell their stories to the civil society, helping them with the development of their professional life.

Have a look at the video to have a clearer idea of the project and don’t hesitate to reach us!

We will also present the Erasmus +Generation Online meeting point and the Erasmus app! Pass-by, meet other internationally minded MEPs, NGOs or former Erasmus like you… let’s create the Erasmus+ Professional Network together!

Milan opens its door to garagErasmus thanks to ESAA

To these and to other questions on this topic, the ESAA event organised in Milan in the conference room of 55 Milano on the 26th of October by garagErasmus4Milano & Lombardia, thanks to the support of the Erasmus+ student and Alumni association, tried to give some answers. Milan lives in a permanent contradiction: being, without doubts, the most international city in Italy able to give more professional opportunities to recently graduated people, it doesn’t look able to respond to all job requests.

Almost 100 people, mostly former international students, gathered to follow the round-table conference about: “Milan, brain drain or talents’ attraction?” that put around the same table experts about education and professional opportunities to discuss about the future projection of the city of Milan, in terms of professional opportunities, with the moderation of Vito Potenza, Senior Partner at Potenza & Partners – Certified Chartered Accountants and Auditors firm and President of the Ethical Committee of garagErasmus.

Different opinions were underlined during the one-hour round-table conference: an important contribution was given by prof. Francesco Lenoci, who, thanks to his teaching experience at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore di Milano, is expecting the city and the politicians to do more to open professional gates to students, remarking that twenty years ago in Milan it was easier to access the job market. His view is shared by Laura Soldati, researcher, Adjunct Professor in Applied Food Science and Nutrition at the University of Milan, who is convinced that in sciences, despite the few resources available, the research done in Italy is able to elaborate remarkable results.

“Milan is an intellectual, innovative and robust business opportunity for any person who wants to be successful: young people don’t have to get scared to bet on theirselves”: this is how Marina Mele, soft skills consultant and executive coach, described the city that every hear welcomes 4.300 international students.

“Opening my start up in Italy was not easy at all, but if I did it, it means that it is not impossible to do it!” commented Alberto Mazzetti, CEO of SOS Tariffe.it, the independent website to compare prices of ADSL, electric energy, gas, assurance, phones, mobile internet, TV and loans, that placed the motivation as the fundamental value that a young entrepreneur has to follow, that can beat all the bureaucratical and technical obstacles imposed by Italian legislation.

“garagErasmus has come up with innovative ideas regarding how to make easier to look for opportunities to young people, starting from reuniting the Erasmus generation, both on the garagErasmus online platform and off-line, thanks to the activities done by the local association, such as the newborn garagErasmus4Milano & Lombardia”, concluded Marco Mazzini, Co-Founder & Managing Partner Smartive, Co-Founder of garagErasmus.

An important contribution to the discussion was given by Zuzana Huňková, junior recruitment specialist at Wipjobs, Polish recruitment company that received, in 5 years, more than 800 applications to work in Poland and in the Czech Republic from Italian candidates: “The higher unemployment in Italy in the last years caused a clear increase in the requests to go to work abroad from the Country; Italian candidates have as strong points the great adaptability to the new environment and the flexibility to learn new jobs. However, we notice that, even without a strong education as background, sometimes the salary expectations for the first job are not balanced”. Doors of companies are anyway open in Central European countries, especially in Engineering and Customer Service sector.

A more detailed overview of the opportunities given by Erasmus+ was explained by Alessandra Palmulli, which thanks to her recent experience in Brussels could tell what being an Erasmus+ trainer is like, she hopes that garagErasmus could become the real and natural path for every Erasmus+ participants and European citizen. The complete picture regarding EU opportunities was given by the speech of Viviana Premazzi, ESAA Board member that showed to the participants how ESAA can concretely support ideas and projects that involve European values.

“The event organised today has been done exactly to give to all of you the idea of the mission of garagErasmus4Milano & Lombardia– concluded Carlo and Fabrizio Bitetto, inspirators and founders of the local chapter – we will bring European values and opportunities to the people, organising round-table conferences, workshops, meetings. We want people in the bar on Monday morning to talk not only about our beloved football but also about Europe. Territorial institutions, the universities and the companies to be active in the project will. There is a strong need for Europe, now more than never”.

The kick-off had all the premises to be the start of a winning project that will keep together all the actors involved in internationalisation in the economic capital city of Italy. There is something new moving in Milano and ESAA contributed decisively to it: the aim is very clear and the guys are really into the idea to bring Europe closer to people, especially to those that now are far from it

For more information, events and news follow us on Facebook!

garagErasmus4Tuscany Welcome Day in Pisa

garagErasmus4Tuscany is an initiative that aims to make international students aware of their local environment and to promote the strengths and economic potential of the territory. This Welcome Day event, as the first step of this greater initiative, gave the the chance to international students and researchers in Pisa to discover what the territory has to offer them, to make contacts with local businesses and to find present and/or future job opportunities. The message garagErasmus Foundation successfully conveyed during the event is that talents and competences gained from international experience are of great appeal to local enterprises that want to internationalise. Similarly, as international students living and studying in the region of Tuscany, they can play a significant role in the development of our territory. During the welcome day, we presented the project goals and upcoming activities for this academic year, which include organized visits to local companies and innovative start-ups. You can download the calendar of the visits here.

Furthermore, garagErasmus presented its online platform Check-in Europe – the professional network of the Erasmus generation. Updates regarding garaGerasmus4Tuscany will be also published on Check-in Europe.

We could count with the presence of the following valuable speakers:

Roberto Barale, Deputy Dean for Scientific Research
Marco Filippeschi, Mayor of Pisa City
Cristina Martelli, General Secretary of Camera di Commercio di Pisa
Stefano Giovannelli, Director of Toscana Promozione
Paolo Ferragina, Deputy Dean for Applied Research and Innovation at Università di Pisa
Roberto Camisi, General Secretary of Camera di Commercio di Lucca
Lucia Magneschi, Council Member of Regione Toscana and Pisa City Council Member for Culture, Research and Higher Education
Marilù Chiofalo, Pisa City Council Member
Francesco Cappè, Executive Director of garagErasmus Foundation
Lia Chiara Miccichè, Director of Operations of garagErasmus Foundation

Prof. Katherine Isaacs moderated the event.

garagErasmus’ Annual Meeting 2024 to take place on 13-14 May

As every year, the event represents the perfect opportunity to strengthen the links between our partner foundations (universities, companies and local associations), to promote our work to our institutional stakeholders (National Agencies, European Parliament and European Commission) and to build new perspectives for the future of international students, trainees and young professionals.

Together with the National Agency for Erasmus+ en Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles and ESN Belgium, we will also celebrate the end of the European Year of Skills, gathering professionals and testimonies by Erasmus+ students alike in a public conference, discussing the importance of soft skills and the new but impending need to properly validate them in today’s job market.

Fabrizio Bitetto nominated as new President of garagErasmus

On 8 September in Malta, during the Annual Meeting 2023 of garagErasmus Foundation, Fabrizio Bitetto has been announced to be the next Board President of garagErasmus Foundation. Graduated in Urban Planning and Policy Design at the Polytechnic University in Milan in 2013, he was an Erasmus Student in Madrid in 2008.

Mr Bitetto has been Chief Executive Officer of garagErasmus Foundation since August 2017. During this period the Foundation has grown a lot, with more than 25 Universities Foundation members and 30 local associations all over the world.

Over the years he has played various important roles; for the 30 years of the Erasmus project he was appointed as Italy’s representative for the preparation of the “Erasmus + Generation Declaration” at European level. He launched many of the initiatives that today represent the Foundation at European level.

Another important appointment has gone to Carl Björkman, the new Chairman of the High Level Council of garagErasmus, an advisory forum that supports the development and promotion of the initiatives of the Foundation. Mr Björkman, already a member of garagErasmus board, is Head of Nordics at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Prior to that, he worked with the World Economic Forum, where he was Director and Head of International Organisations and Government Affairs. He has also worked for Bloomberg, Waterberry Development Organisation, the United Nations, and the European Commission.

garagErasmus XI Annual Meeting 2023: more mobility for a better Europe

The garagErasmus XI Annual Meeting, held at the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST) University, kicked off with an insightful public conference in line with the European Year of Skills. Moderated by Carlo Bitetto, Network Manager of garagErasmus Foundation, the conference set the stage for a series of keynote presentations.

Francesco Cappè, President of garagErasmus Foundation, took the audience through the history of the organisation, underlining its commitment to promoting greater mobility, supporting a more open and integrated Europe, and introduced Fabrizio Bitetto as the next President of the Board.

Hon. Clifton Grima, Minister for Education and Sport, Malta, led a profound discussion on competences, emphasising the need for both practical competences and ethical values to be European citizens. He stressed that Erasmus and garagErasmus have a crucial role to play in developing these competences and values.

Charles Zammit, Chairman of Education Malta, spoke about Malta’s role as a prominent Erasmus destination and its commitment to supporting international education. He spoke about the Year of Skills and the opportunities it offers young people.

Tatjana Chircop, Deputy Principal Administration, MCAST, presented MCAST’s ambitious growth and wide range of courses.

David Fernandez Puyana, Permanent Observer of the United Nations University for Peace, spoke about the role of education in promoting mutual respect, understanding and peace. He stressed that Erasmus opens up new opportunities and plays a crucial role in conflict prevention.

Rose Anne Cuschieri, CEO of Malta Further & Higher Education Authority, presented guidelines for the recognition of non-formal education in Malta, the expansion and quality assurance of higher education in Malta and the value of informal learning. Both her organisation and garagErasmus share a common goal: the recognition of non-formal and work-based learning.

The conference concluded with the signing of an important Memorandum of Understanding between garagErasmus and the SAE Group, represented by Alberto Leonardis, head of the SAE Group, which marks a joint effort to give voice to the Erasmus generation through an ambitious editorial project.

Another important MoU was signed shortly after, when garagErasmus Foundation was pleased to welcome the city of Baku in its network of gE4Cities with the representative Elmar Guliyev, marking the creation of gE4Baku.

The day also included the presentation of the garagErasmus Annual Report and Work Plan, followed by an interactive Q&A session. Discussions focused on strengthening the network and shaping the future of garagErasmus, including a thought-provoking discussion with Mr Evarist Bartolo, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and former Minister of Education, Malta. Mr Bartolo emphasised that addressing the skills gap should include a focus on values and ethics, as a narrow definition of skills is insufficient to address the significant challenges facing the EU.

Day 2 Friday, 8 September

The second day of the garagErasmus XI Annual Meeting started with the presentation of garagErasmus guests and gE4s, and continued with discussions on ErasmusCity and student housing. gE’s new president Fabrizio Bitetto and Maria Teresa Gullace, Researcher at Politecnico di Milano and project manager of Home Of Mobile Europeans project, looked at the challenges and opportunities associated with student accommodation, an often underestimated but crucial aspect of international student life.

Maria Teresa highlighted the fundamental need for affordable and quality housing solutions for mobile students and stressed the importance of policies and regulations as the first approach to consider when addressing student accommodation. The role of universities in bridging the gap between students and the housing market was a key point of discussion. Participants also explored ways in which universities can work with associations that help students find suitable accommodation. The day concluded with discussions on gE’s mission, upcoming campaigns, sharing of best practice and plans for future meetings.

In conclusion, the garagErasmus XI annual meeting served as a platform for meaningful dialogue, cooperation and sharing of best practices in international education. It brought together gE members, educators, policy makers and Erasmus alumni who are committed to promoting international education and fostering a more integrated Europe. As garagErasmus looks to the future, it remains steadfast in its mission to empower the Erasmus generation and shape the future of international education.

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garagErasmus’ next Annual Meeting will be in Malta

Together with our members from all over Europe, we’ll celebrate the Year of Skills 2023.

On 7-8 September, we will give the opportunity to discuss the importance of this Alliance in the lives of young working people.

The event is the perfect opportunity to strengthen the links between our partner organisations (universities, companies and local organisations) and to present our work to our institutional stakeholders (NAs, European Parliament and European Commission).

To find out more

garagErasmus Annual Meeting 2022 in Florence

The annual meeting of garagErasmus took place in Florence from the 8th to the 10th of May 2022, during the occasion we also celebrated the 35th anniversary of the Erasmus+ programme and the 10 years of the Foundation!
Almost 100 people representing institutions, universities, partner associations, local chapters and Erasmus students and Alumni gathered to celebrate the 10 years of the garagErasmus Foundation.

Annual Meeting 2022

May 08th – 10th

Florence, Italy.

The festival of Europe offered the perfect scenario to grow and showcase garagErasmus network activities, to present its annual work to institutional interest groups and to create new opportunities for the future of the Erasmus Generation.

In fact, the aim of the event was to create stronger ties among our partners and share ideas and information about ongoing projects. garagErasmus’ annual report highlighted both the flagship projects, such as the plus of Erasmus and the EU funded projects garagErasmus is currently working on, such as Handshake, SustainEu, Brights and EDU2030: Youth in Transition. Moreover, garagErasmus team was also glad to share with its members the developments of its new flagship project gEcity currently under construction in Milan and its ambitious plan to scale up the project by opening 5 new gEcity in the next decade.

Special attention was drawn to the final conference of the Euthpages for Europe project funded by the European Parliament where gE hosted EU representatives and young ambassadors to present the results of 25 local events held all around Europe and to discuss how to give continuity to the impact of the Cofoe and to keep shaping the future of Europe together.

During the open discussion, participants stressed the importance of strengthening synergies among our network to actively involve universities and existing local chapters and to reach out to new potential members.

We therefore decided to open a space for cooperation and collaboration organised in three working groups that will work together in the following months on three core European issues such as Youth civic Engagement, the future of EU Job Market and the Digital Transformation of EU Education. The working groups will allow our members to meet regularly and exchange expertise and knowledge to eventually create future projects together.

Furthermore, some of the most motivated youngsters of the Erasmus students and Alumni Incubator volunteered to open new g4s in Europe and beyond. gE4 Budapest, gE4 Tiblisi, gE4 Wroclaw and gE4Tirana will soon enter garagErasmus members network!

The attendees could also share some ideas on garagErasmus’ role within the Erasmus+ Student and Alumni Alliance (ESAA) in order to work together on grants and EU projects and. Friends of gE and partner organisations such as Centro Studi Internazionali (CSI), Europiamo, Scambi Europei, Erasmus Student Network (ESN) and Organisation for Cooperation and Exchange And Networking among Students (OCEANS) also shared their work and plans for future cooperation.

The annual meeting was also the occasion to celebrate, together with the Italian national agency INDIRE, the 35th anniversary of the Erasmus+ programme. Throughout Sunday we welcomed several students and children to our stand in Piazza della Repubblica promoting the Erasmus Programme and its exchange opportunities. On Monday morning we attended INDIRE’s Conference on the success stories of the Erasmus programme.

The conference has been a success for garagErasmus as well, as the Major of Firenze Dario Nardella directly engaged in a long and inspiring conversation with our Erasmus students and alumni.

Annual Meeting Gallery

Our EUTH Pages project will be officially closed on May 9th in the framework of the celebration of the Festival of Europe.

Join us and get to know the ideas and experiences of our young people to build together the future of Europe.

We are happy to announce that from the 8th to the 10th of May, a group of successful Erasmus students will have the chance meet highly qualified Erasmus Alumni and young professionals within a 3-day training incubator.

The project is supported by the European Commission through The Erasmus+ Student and Alumni Alliance.

garagErasmus holds its Annual Meeting 2019 in Malaga

During the event Orsolya Réka Süli was recognised as the best talent of the Erasmus Generation (Golden Laissez-Passer). Her project, seeking to address the climate impact of our daily purchases, will develop a database gathering information on the environmental impact of a wide range of food products.

During the Annual meeting participants stressed the importance of synergies between universities, companies, cities and associations to improve the career of young professionals. Furthermore, it was the perfect scenario to strengthen links among garagErasmus network members, to present its annual work to institutional interest groups (National Agencies and European institutions) and to create new opportunities for the future of the Erasmus Generation.

In fact, the aim of the event was to create stronger links among our partners and share ideas and information about ongoing projects. Participants to the meeting were mainly representatives of European universities, young entrepreneurs and members of our network.

garagErasmus’ annual report and last year’s flagship projects, such as the International Talents Match or Laissez-Passer of the Erasmus Generation, were presented during the meeting, as well as the funded projects by the European Commission garagErasmus is currently working on, such as Erasmus Vote Power, SEND, EYVOL or IYE-LABS.

The attendees could also share some ideas on garagErasmus’ role as Erasmus Alumni network in order to work together on grants and EU projects and the next generation of the Erasmus+ programme.

The work of Erasmus+ Student and Alumni Alliance (ESAA) member organisations -Erasmus Mundus Association (EMA), Erasmus Student Network (ESN), Organisation for Cooperation and Exchange And Networking among Students (OCEANS)- and EuGen, among others, was also analysed.

The Golden Laissez-Passer award

The Laissez Passer award recognises with a symbolic passport European talents who have relevant mobility experiences – study or work -. Its winners are provided with benefits and opportunities in their professional careers.

On this occasion, Orsolya Réka Süli was the winner of the Golden Laissez Passer 2019 among all the 600 projects presented on our platform. She will receive €3,000 to develop her idea.

Her project seeks to address the climate impact of our daily purchases by developing a database that will gather information on the environmental impact of a wide range of food products.

Orsolya also wants to develop a consumer solution to provide actionable information to consumers. She strongly believes that this experience will further equip her with necessary research experience in environmental issues, as well as grow my network of researchers.

These were the other 5 finalists who attended the meeting. We would like to congratulate them all for their outstanding projects:

Ioannis Ladeas, with his idea is to implement the project “Traveling for change” and create a short documentary film (documentary) focusing on how the EU, and particularly the Erasmus+ programme, is empowering refugees living in Europe.
Mahsa Samadi’s “Uccello” project seeks to create a unique platform for students who study abroad can meet the inquirires from local citizens in order to get some jobs.
Carolle Audrey Madiesse Lafo’s project to create a platform to facilitating Erasmus students to access a well-defined Learning Agreement. This platform will include the departments and courses studied in Erasmus countries divided into semesters, credits and if possible a timetable and the availability of the course.
Roberto Luca Saldi’s project to organize a campaign involving the Erasmus generation over the fight against Climate change with a two-day training: including debates with key stakeholders, to shape an Erasmus Green Act. 27 Erasmus talent will be selected, to build the Act and then spread it.
Federica La Mastra’s project is to create an online community to empower artists and create opportunities for theis success, a specialised platform for artists to connect with each other and showcase their work to others.

About garagErasmus Foundation

garagErasmus Foundation was founded in 2012 as the creative hub of the Erasmus Generation with the mission of improving the lives of people who had international study or work experiences by enabling them to access opportunities that can make their careers more impactful for the European Community. garagErasmus currently has 18 local associations (gE4Cities) and 30 member universities.

During its seven years of life garagErasmus has promoted initiatives such as the aforementioned Laissez Passer, speed networking sessions (“Talents Match”) or the online platform weTipp, where former Erasmus students, companies, universities, local authorities and associations can meet to share opportunities and promote joint initiatives.

garagErasmus is supported by the main institutions in Europe. Every year the European Commission invites 250,000 former Erasmus students to register on its online platform.

garagErasmus launches two new Focus Group within his network

garagErasmus Staff Meeting in Milan

During these two days, communication and project team members from the Milan, Vicenza, and Brussels offices came together to discuss and exchange views on the foundation’s current priorities, future strategies, and ongoing projects.

Together, we reviewed ongoing initiatives, explored new formats and ideas for social media content, and discussed how to further engage our audiences across Europe.

It was a valuable opportunity to bring together different perspectives, strengthen internal collaboration, and reinforce our vision.

Finally, the meeting included a visit to Ponte Lambro, an inspiring neighborhood in Milan, full of energy, potential, and new opportunities. It’s a place you’ll hear more about in the near future, so stay tuned, news is yet to come!

garagErasmus joins Pact of Skills initiative

This partnership strengthens the Foundation’s mission to support upskilling and reskilling, helping individuals and organizations navigate the green and digital transitions.

The Pact for Skills connects public and private entities, providing access to valuable resources such as insights into skill development needs, funding guidance, and networking opportunities. As a member, garagEasmus commits to fostering lifelong learning, building partnerships, aligning training with market demands, and promoting inclusivity and equal opportunities.

Through this collaboration, the Foundation will benefit from EU-supported platforms like the Networking Hub, Knowledge Hub, and Guidance Hub, ensuring access to tools, best practices, and funding opportunities. This marks a significant step in garagEasmus’ ongoing efforts to enhance education, mobility, and career development across Europe.

garagErasmus Foundation welcomes the European Commission’s initiatives towards a european degree

This momentous stride towards the conception of a European degree represents a significant leap forward in our collective European educational journey, building on the solid foundation laid by the Erasmus program—the pioneering European Union project that recognized studies abroad and facilitated a common framework for higher education.

As an organization deeply committed to promoting study mobility and its profound impact on the workforce and job market within Europe, garagErasmus Foundation has been an advocate for such advancements from the very beginning of its story. The introduction of a European degree is a crucial development that we believe will greatly facilitate worker mobility across Europe, meeting the evolving demands of the labour market and making graduates more attractive to prospective employers. This initiative will not only enhance the competitiveness of European higher education on the global stage but also significantly improve the learning mobility and transversal skills of students within the EU.

garagErasmus Foundation is particularly enthused by the proposed European degree policy lab supported by the Erasmus+ programme, set to be established in 2025. This initiative will play a pivotal role in engaging Member States and the higher education community in developing guidelines towards the realization of a European degree, facilitating seamless cooperation between institutions across borders.

We commend the European Commission’s commitment to simplifying and improving quality assurance processes and practices, and to automatic recognition of university degrees across the EU. These steps are essential for fostering trust, accountability, and the performance of universities, making the European degree a reality.

As garagErasmus Foundation, we remain steadfast in our dedication to supporting all European policies aimed at enhancing study mobility and workforce integration within Europe. We will continue to work diligently towards making the vision of a European degree a reality, contributing to a more integrated, innovative, and inclusive European higher education area.

The European Education Area: leading the EU to educational excellence!

In the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis, the EU is resetting its growth strategy, based on sustainability, and the green and digital transitions as transformative drivers. But… How can educational institutions & governments act as levers for a change?

The European Education Area aims at structuring collaboration between Member States and stakeholders to build more resilient and inclusive national education systems. Nevertheless, unlike its direct predecessor (the Bologna Process), it is limited to European Union Member States and covers different levels and sectors of education to support lifelong learning. You can visit its official website here.

Its development & current state

In September 2020, the European Commission presented its vision for the creation of a European Education Area by 2025 and proposed concrete measures to achieve it on the basis of 6 dimensions: quality, inclusion and gender equality, green and digital transition, teachers, higher education & geopolitical dimension.

Some months later, in February 2021, the Council of the EU responded with a Resolution on a strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training for the period 2021-2030 providing the essential structure for collaboration between all the EU Member States and key stakeholders. Its key objectives are:

Supporting EU Member States in their reforms of education and training systems
Enhancing synergies with other policy areas such as research and innovation, social policy, employment or youth, and with EU funding instruments to better support national reforms.
Following a holistic approach is key in order to effectively implement the EEA: efforts to establish the European Education Area are working in synergy with the European Skills Agenda, the renewed Vocational Education and Training policy and the European Research Area.
Identifying targets and indicators to guide work and monitor progress: a reporting and analysis structure to encourage and track reforms.

All these measures are supported by the NextGenerationEU and the Erasmus+ Programme.

What are the targets to achieve the European Education Area?

Together with Member States, the European Commission wants to set two different targets to achieve the European Education Area.

By 2025:

60% of vocational education and training students should take part in work-based learning
At least 47% of adults aged 25-64 should have participated in learning in the previous 12 months

By 2030:

The share of low-achieving 15 year-olds in mathematics, reading and science should be less than 15%
The share of low-achieving students in their eighth year of schooling in computer and information literacy should be less than 15%
96 % of children aged between three and the compulsory school age should participate in early childhood education
The share of early school leavers should be less than 9%
The share of 25-34-year-olds with tertiary education attainment should be at least 45 %

Would you like to add your contributions to the European Education Area?

The first step to making your voice heard is registering on the Conference on the Future of Europe platform: http://futureu.europa.eu. Once you log in, it’s time to share your ideas on how to build a healthier Europe for everyone. You are entitled to 1500 characters to present your idea, and approve or comment on those of others, in any of the 24 EU official languages.

Presented in April 2021, the multilingual digital platform of the Conference is playing a key role, enabling all the EU citizens -but also public actors & all kinds of organisations from civil society- to provide their views & opinions on any relevant topic for the future of Europe.

The European Parliament adopts the new Erasmus+ 2021-2027 programme

Erasmus+, which has demonstrated that it plays a significant role in fostering European identity, will have almost double the funding in 2021-2027 (over €28bn from different sources) when compared to the previous seven years (€14.7bn). MEPs managed to secure an additional €2,2bn during the final stages of negotiations with the Council.

In the plenary debate ahead of the approval of the programme, most speakers said that young peoples’ lives have been affected by COVID-19 and stressed the importance of Erasmus+, evaluated by citizens as the most successful EU programme, for Europe’s future generations. You can watch the debate again here.

In order to ensure a smooth transition from the previous programme period, retroactivity provisions in the regulation ensure that the new Erasmus+ enters into effect from 1 January 2021. Application processes and calls for proposals have already been set in motion by the Commission and in many member states.

Find out more about the new programme!

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