Erasmus Generation Meeting held

Armenia, as an official member, joined the large student network in 2020. Since that year, the members of the organization have been supporting foreign young people studying in the country under Erasmus+ mobility and other programs or doing volunteer activities to easily integrate into the environment, as well as helping them in various household, social, and cultural issues. 

For 4 days, Seville became the capital of the Erasmus Generation, hosting representatives of numerous cultures, who brought with them their national peculiarities, colors and ideas. The main organizers of the event were the international office of the Erasmus Student Network, Erasmus Student Network Spain, the University of Sevilla and the Pablo de Olavide University. It was held under the auspices of the European Union.

As a tradition, the event started with a Flag Parade - a traditional walk of Erasmus Generation member countries celebrating unity in diversity.

The Opening Ceremony followed, where renowned figures such as President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, Vice President of the European Commission Margaritas Schinas, Member of the Parliament of Andalusia Patricia del Pozo Fernández, Spokesman and Director General for Communication at European Parliament Jaume Duch Guillot, Minister of Youth and Children Sira Rego and Spanish Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Universities Juan Cruz Cigudosa delivered welcome speeches.

"This meeting is the symbol of what Europe stands for. Keep going, don't stop dreaming, and follow the cause from your heart. Europe of opportunities means Europe of hope. Speak for Europe because you are our best ambassadors, and you are our best hope," Margaritis Schinas, Vice President of the European Commission said in his speech. 

During the Opening Ceremony, the rich Spanish culture was shown, with special attention given to the Erasmus+ Orchestra - an orchestra made up of students of European Conservatoires that participated or are taking part in an Erasmus+ international mobility experience, supported by the Erasmus+ Italian National Agency (INDIRE). The orchestra spreads the values of the Erasmus Generation through a language that everyone understands - music. 

Over those four days, the participants of the conference attended 170 sessions under the theme "Removing Barriers for Active and Equal Participation" in the spirit of the upcoming European elections and the "Erasmus Generation in Action" project co-financed by the European Parliament. 

The conference was notable for its intensity, many debates and sessions. The Erasmus Generation navigated a path towards more inclusive and accessible mobility programs.

"Mobility must be a reality for all, and it’s our duty as the Erasmus Generation to continue fighting to make that a reality. There's no better organization than the Erasmus Student Network to drive change in society, and you demonstrate this every day," President of the Erasmus Student Network Rita Dias pointed out.  

This event would not have been possible without the trusted partner of the program, Pernod Ricard, who did his best to ensure that the participants were well-informed on the safety and importance of staying hydrated during EGM Seville 2024 through the Drink More Water project. To celebrate the 15th anniversary of Pernod Ricard’s collaboration with ESN, Vice President for Human Resources, Cedric Ramat, highlighted the shared mission during the opening of the first day, which is to encourage young people to avoid alcohol abuse and drink plenty of water at youth events.

Erasmus Student Network Armenia also collaborates with Pernod Ricard, the official representative of which is Yerevan Brandy Company. 

In one of the first sessions of the conference, the European Commission presented an agenda focused on making journeys greener and more sustainable during exchange mobility projects. This initiative, developed in collaboration with the Coimbra Group and Eurail, was received with great enthusiasm.

The session "Unveiling the European Student Card: Empowering Digital Transformation in Higher Education" showcased that digitalization is key to removing barriers. It allows us to streamline processes globally and take away the burden of the current administrative gaps and intricacies of youth.

The "Collaborative Waves: Building Cooperations for Inclusive International Opportunities" session, held by the Erasmus+ National Agencies of Romania and the Czech Republic, highlighted the importance of close cooperation between the Erasmus Student Network and the national agencies in making exchange programs more inclusive.

Parallelly, with many engaging sessions across the Higher Technical School of Engineering (ETSI), participants interacted with each other and many institution and company representatives during the EGM Expo - a space gathering academic, mobility, and employability opportunities for the Erasmus Generation.

A conversation with last year’s Erasmus Destination of the Year, Ghent, opened the second day of the conference, followed by the presentations of the five finalists for the Erasmus Destination of the Year 2024: Istanbul (Türkiye), Nicosia (Cyprus), Porto (Portugal), Seville (Spain), and Sofia (Bulgaria). This time, the spotlight shined on Porto, which became the Best Erasmus Destination of 2024, hosting over 5,000 students annually under various exchange programs.

Internationalization of our generation is something we all strive for and see the benefits of. It was shown once more during several sessions on the second day, such as "The Future Is Erasmus", moderated by Rita Dias with panelists from the European Commission, the Academic Cooperation Association and the Erasmus+ Spanish National Agency. "The Future Is Erasmus" is ESN’s leading initiative aimed to form a community where everyone can equally benefit from the "goods" of Erasmus.

EPSO, who were already present at EGM Porto 2022 and EGM Bucharest 2023, presented the "Careers in the European Union" program in Seville as well. 

EGM Seville 2024 offered the opportunity for participants to get to know about the upcoming European Degree Program initiated by the European Cooperation. 

During the sessions, discussions revolved around making the Erasmus Mobility and Exchange Programs available to everyone in all countries. The theme "Active participation without barriers" emphasizes that all young people should have the opportunity to receive the best higher education, which is exactly what the Erasmus+ program provides. 

Three partner universities – Yerevan State University, Brusov State University and Public Administration Academy of the Republic of Armenia – presented Erasmus Student Network Armenia here, attempting to find new partners and increase the attractiveness of Armenian educational institutions making them Erasmus Destination. 

At the Erasmus Generation Meeting, all the problems faced and still faced by students in the procedure of applying for exchange programs and after that were raised. Erasmus Student Network Armenia supports Armenian state universities to streamline processes, offer pre-application assistance and ensure that students make the most of their mobility experience.

During the Closing Ceremony, an award ceremony was held, during which various social, cultural and educational projects implemented by various branches of the Erasmus Student Network were rewarded. 

At the Erasmus Generation meeting, the future of student exchange programs, improvement strategies and equal participation rights took center stage. But that’s not all, as the discussions will continue with the same enthusiasm in 2025 in Ancona, Italy. Before that, efforts will be made to implement the plans made in Seville.