TCA "Encouraging Active Citizenship and Commitment through Students’ Promotion of European values"

Promoting European values and fostering active participation is more important than ever. The Erasmus+ National Agency Higher Education Germany hosted a three-day transnational conference in Hamburg (27-29 November 2025) under the Erasmus+ Programme with the focus on the horizontal priority of participation.

Jörg Brockstedt/ NA DAAD

More than 80 participants from 18 European countries (Austria, Germany, Czechia, Greece, Belgium, Spain, Finland, France, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovenia, Slovakia, North Macedonia, Portugal, Turkey, and Ireland) came together in Hamburg.
The conference formed part of the LTA PEACE+ project by the National Agency of Italy, INDIRE, and provided a networking platform to exchange good practices and transferable experiences from various initiatives. The main aim of the conference was to strengthen (student) programmes and initiatives, as well as ambassador programmes, that promote European values such as intercultural understanding and exchange, diversity, and civic engagement.

The conference was opened by Dr. Stefan Geifes, Director of the National Agency Higher Education in Germany, followed by a video message by Yiannis Vacondios, Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, European Commission.

Voices on European Values and Student Engagement

The topic of European values and student engagement was rounded up by various speakers from Europe: Bianca Pace, ESU, explained how students remain engaged before, during, and after mobility, and how they can make a difference. “Students are not passive actors but active partners in higher education reform and internationalisation”, she concluded. Prof. Tommaso Visone, Università degli studi Link Campus University, Roma, emphasized the importance of active citizenship in upholding and promoting the core values of the European Union. Alex Schuster, European University Institute, highlighted that Europe must strengthen cooperation and uphold shared values to effectively navigate the complex challenges of a global polycrisis. Dr. Femi Owolade (Sheffield Hallam University) discussed the role of “connectors” – individuals who link universities, civil society, and local communities – and how they strengthen the Civic University Mission. During the panel discussion “Sharing European Values – How to Get Out of the Erasmus+ Bubble?” with Alexander Schuster, Sergio Pérez Castaños (Universidad de Burgos), Sara Fontana (ESN), and Dr. Robert Gieske (Chairman Europa macht Schule e.V.) discussed ways to make European values more visible beyond the Erasmus+ community. Finally, Dr. Martin Bogdan from ACA, concluded that engaging students with local communities enhances their mobility experiences while promoting active citizenship and European values.

Interactive Workshops: Driving Collaboration and Creativity

The workshops held over all three days were the core of the conference. The first workshop session focused on participants getting to know each other, sharing their initiatives, and collaboratively identifying common challenges, opportunities, and solutions related to promoting European values. The second session encouraged creativity by having mixed groups design a campaign concept for a “European Values Week” to promote active citizenship through various activities and partnerships. The final session involved individual reflection and group discussion to summarize insights, share personal takeaways, and agree on actions to strengthen collaboration and further student engagement.