We encourage the members of the Erasmus Generation across Europe to set up local garagErasmus associations – called gE4Cities. These groups are the local anchors of the Foundation and the Erasmus Generation professional network. They organise independent events as well as large meet-ups, engaging former Erasmus around Europe & enabling face-to-face contact with local business, recruitment companies, mentors and other interested subjects.
All members of the Erasmus Generation can create a gE4! A gE4Cities local group can be created within the framework of an existing association that is active within its specific city or region and takes its name from its host city, for instance: garagErasmus4Lisbon. It adopts a statute that includes common rights and responsibilities and reflects the overall mission of garagErasmus.
Germany
Our gE4Leipzig is Dreaming OPEnly e V.(DOPE), a youth-organization based in Leipzig, Germany, focused on offering learning and mobility opportunities to young people. Their mission is to facilitate transformative change through non-formal education, critical thinking and artistic expression.
Luxembourg is a small Western European country known for finance and stability.
It features historic castles, modern districts, and multilingual culture.
The country blends medieval heritage with strong economy and high living standards.
Germany
Our gE4Leipzig is Dreaming OPEnly e V.(DOPE), a youth-organization based in Leipzig, Germany, focused on offering learning and mobility opportunities to young people. Their mission is to facilitate transformative change through non-formal education, critical thinking and artistic expression.
Lithuania
Our gE4Kaunas is Social Effect group- Socialinis Efektas, a Lithuania based NGO specializing in Sustainable Education and Training programs. Members are youth and professionals who work on topics related to entrepreneurship, personal & professional development, internationality and inclusion.
Turkey
Our gE4Istanbul is GEZIDER- Genc Zihin Dernegi; they believe that every young person has the potential to create positive change. Through educational programs, digital innovation, and international projects, they support youth, inspire creativity, and build stronger communities. They provide opportunities to those who need them most—developing skills, promoting inclusion, and encouraging active citizenship. Over 7,000 youth reached since 2016 Projects in digital literacy, social inclusion, and international mobility Partnerships across Europe for a brighter future.
Spain
Our gE4Cordoba is Fundación XUL para la comunicación social y el desarrollo. Their main area of focus is social innovation, both humana and digital. They aim to create spaces that allow people to experience the new society that is emerging. Social labs are their main strategy for achieving this. These are spaces where disruption, experimentation, personal and collective growth, and cooperation—both between individuals and organizations—create today what will be the norm tomorrow: a more collaborative, just, and sustainable society.
Romania
Our gE4Bucharest is Asociatia GEYC, a Romanian youth organisation active at European and international levels. They empower youth, teachers, and youth workers to collaborate and lead change within a single digital community.
All the detailed information about criteria for gE4
coordination teams and steps for establishing a gE4.
If you are interested in affiliating your association to garagErasmus and establish a local gE referral point, contact us on info@garagerasmus.org
The gE4s (or gE4Cities) are volunteer groups and represent the Erasmus Generation professional network on the local level – in their city. They act independently within the framework of a general agreement with the Foundation.
This means that on the local level –in their city– the gE4 will be responsible for the set-up of their network and for the organisation of their activities: the more their members are commited, the more they benefit. The Foundation helps them to get the local association started and connects them to the wider national and european level. The most important step for any gE4 is to create a link with the local municipality and similar partners, which allows to organise a Meet-up with participants from all over Europe.
All members of the Erasmus Generation – actually all those who had a significant study experience abroad – can! Participation in a gE4 is open to people with many different backgrounds. However, since garagErasmus follows a social enterprise model, the core managing team that wants to set up a new gE4 should demonstrate an entrepreneurial attitude. To ensure the quality and relevance of the gE4 work, the members of the management team have to prove some professional experience, while the coordinator and legal representative should have at least two years of relevant professional experience. In the same way, an ideal core team should bring together three former Erasmus: one involved in the world of business and entrepreneurship, one in the local university and one in the city matters.
At a Meet-up, a local airport becomes the setting where several hundred people come together. The Meet-up enables face-to-face contacts among the Erasmus Generation, the regional business community, recruitment companies, mentors, and more.
They connect the local and the European level and can have different objectives/purposes, for example offering job opportunities or creating and developing business ideas and start-ups.
Meet-ups can focus on various topics, such as a particular industry, a product, or a field of activity that is strongly positioned or especially sought after in the hosting city or region.
garagErasmus’ mission is to empower the members of the Erasmus Generation. More concretely, this means it is an attractive format to further develop and connect your own entrepreneurial and social activities, and to better connect yourself, your business, your NGO or group of activists both locally and Europe-wide. The support of the European Commission, prestigious universities, large companies and other stakeholders to the mission of garagErasmus, opens doors and makes Europe-wide activities in your city possible or at least much easier to organize. Within the framework agreed upon with the Foundation, gE4s are independent in their work. This means you will be able to focus the work of your gE4 around the topics and opportunities that are most essential for you, such as a particular industry, branch, activity or social cause. garagErasmus and its online platform link the local and the global level and ensure an exceptional high visibility to your activities, allowing you to attract support and participation from all over Europe.
garagErasmus Foundation is looking for enthusiastic, professional, and independent-minded members of the Erasmus Generation to become part of the initiative. We are reaching out to ambitious people who can make garagErasmus in their city a concrete social start-up by launching a local garagErasmus association – a gE4City. These associations will organise local activities and build up a strong network with lots of opportunities for partnerships and growth. The gE4s organise independent events as well as large Meet-ups in airports, engaging former Erasmus around Europe and enabling face-to-face contact with the local business community, recruitment companies, and more. The Foundation helps to get the local association started and connects it to the wider national and European level.
RUDN University interviews garagErasmus Director Carlo Bitetto
Online discussion between gE Director Carlo Bitetto and the Erasmus+ project coordinator at RUDN University (Moscow) Mario de Martino.