Student Engagement for Europe

Volunteering promotes Cosmopolitanism in Schools and Higher Education Institutions

Report

Reading time: 6 min.

Text: Susanne Reich

Europe thrives on the commitment of its citizens, both in everyday life and in social and political discourse. With its cross-cutting priority of "Participation in democratic life", Erasmus+ seeks to promote this very interest, generate knowledge and raise awareness of European perspectives. By focusing on the development of a strong European identity and encouraging active involvement, Erasmus+ fosters environments that encourage exchange, independent action and civic engagement.

This is one of the reasons why the Erasmus+ National Agency Higher Education (NA DAAD) places such a strong emphasis on student volunteering as a key form of participation. The Local Erasmus+ Initiatives (LEIs), which are funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR), as well as the “Europe meets School” (EmS) programme and its "Back to School" (BtS) programme series, contribute to the core objectives of Erasmus+ by removing barriers and strengthening democratic thinking and action across Europe. They achieve this by encouraging social and intercultural competencies, critical thinking and media literacy. Draw inspiration from selected examples and explore the potential of participating in higher education (see also: Shaping the future with Erasmus+: Democratic participation as the key to a European community) to find out how you can play an active role in shaping Europe’s future.

Inform and Encourage

LEIs are student groups at higher education institutions in which dedicated students from German higher education institutions volunteer to inform and encourage their peers to study or undertake internships abroad. They also support "incoming" international students, helping them to find their way around the institution and settle into their new environment. As trained and knowledgeable contacts, LEI members provide guidance on questions and challenges related to studying or working abroad. In addition, they organise a variety of events that bring local and international students together, fostering intercultural exchange and mutual understanding.

One successful example is the LEI SWOP (Student Welcome and Orientation Project) Augsburg hike to Neuschwanstein Castle during “ErasmusDays” in October 2025. The trip vividly demonstrated how student engagement strengthens the international community and brings the Erasmus philosophy “United in Diversity” to life. Find out more about these and other LEI activities here.

It’s fantastic to organise an event like this and bring so many people together. Having 70 participants from different countries, united by a common language and common interests, is truly inspiring. This year’s hike to the castle was particularly memorable, as we were celebrating 'ErasmusDays'. Everyone was open, enthusiastic and eager to embrace the exchange and the new adventure.

Jonathan, Chair of LEI SWOP Augsburg

Presenting your own culture and settling into the host country

The "Europe meets School" (EmS) programme encourages interaction between Europeans. Since 2021, students from outside Europe have also been able to participate in projects that incorporate the perspectives of international students on Europe. The programme is coordinated on a voluntary basis by students at higher education institutions. Participants from Europe and beyond become ambassadors by presenting their home countries, and their countries’ connections to Europe creatively in schools throughout Germany.

The aim of EmS is to draw the attention of all participants to European diversity, thereby strengthening mutual understanding. Students experience everyday life in Germany and collaborate with teachers and pupils. The latter develop an initial interest in spending time abroad through the programme, gaining insight into different ways of life and cultures.

Fatih, an Erasmus participant from Turkey, is studying for a double degree in sociology and business administration. Interested in the sociological concept of migration, he has initiated a project with the pupils on the topic of “Beyond Stereotypes: Understanding Turkish Identities.” During his time in Germany, Fatih encountered numerous misrepresentations of Turkish identities. Through his EmS project, he sought to challenge these stereotypes by sharing diverse life stories and encouraging pupils to critically reflect on their preconceived notions. Click here to read the full report.

Building on their experiences with EmS, international students have the opportunity to take the programme back to their home countries and establish a location there. The AG International working group of "Europa macht Schule e.V." provides support for these emerging locations throughout this process. Further information can be found on the website under Information on EmS locations abroad.

Spreading the word about studying abroad

The “Back to School” programme, run by “Europe meets School”, enables students at German higher education institutions to visit schools across Germany – often their former schools – to share their experiences of studying or completing an internship abroad. By passing on their personal stories and positive impressions, the students actively promote European exchange and shared values. Pupils gain first-hand insights into different cultures and discover the opportunities and benefits of spending time abroad. At an early stage, they begin to consider pursuing an international experience themselves. Consequently, many of these pupils are already familiar with exchange programmes by the time they enter higher education institutions and are more open to the opportunities offered by international offices. The student ambassadors spread the spirit of Erasmus+ through their enthusiasm and personal engagement.

Marcel Nashwan is studying law at Humboldt University in Berlin and has completed a semester abroad in Turkey. As part of the "Back to School" programme, he returned to his former school, the Wilhelm-Hittorf-Gymnasium in Münster, to share his experiences with 10th grade students.

In his report, Marcel describes how he used his project, "Experiencing Europe – with a view to Istanbul", to encourage lively classroom discussion and find out how students perceive Europe and studying abroad. We asked Marcel what it was like for him to take part in the 'Back to School' programme.

Across Borders

The Erasmus Student Network (ESN) is an international, non-profit student organisation that promotes volunteering engagement in line with the principles of Erasmus+ and Europe. The ESN supports exchange students, who are typically placed through the Erasmus+ programme, by helping them integrate into their local communities, while also addressing broader political and social issues that are relevant within the community.

One example of this is the Europe-wide partnership "Enriching Communities through Engaged Mobilities" (ECEM), which involves the Erasmus Student Network (ESN), the Academic Cooperation Association (ACA), SGroup – Universities in Europe, the Institute for Development in Education (IDE) and CitizensLab (CLab).

The project aims to develop targeted measures to increase international students participation in civic engagement initiatives, strengthen intercultural understanding and foster sustainable social change through voluntary activities. A report published in July 2025 documents 18 volunteer activities carried out between 1 April and 19 May 2025 in eleven countries by 13 sections of the ESN. Each activity was coordinated by a dedicated team of ESN volunteers and reached a total of 1,568 participants. Thanks to the dedication of the volunteers, an average of 86 people were able to participate, including international students and local community members. In preparation for the activities, organisers participated in coaching sessions where they learned how to assess community needs, design effective projects, meaningfully involve international students, as well as how to evaluate the outcomes of their projects.

Prior to the 2024 European elections, ESN raised awareness of mobility-related rights through various events and activities as part of the Erasmus Generation in Action (EgiA) project. A key priority for the organisation was informing students about how they could exercise their right to vote while living abroad.

Engagement as a stimulus for greater solidarity

All of the above initiatives and projects described above share a common goal: to encourage young people to become actively engaged, enable them to gain meaningful experience through contributing to society and embed their commitment within the European canon of values (democracy, freedom, equality, human rights, human dignity and the rule of law). While students who volunteer in their local communities still represent a minority, fostering active citizenship and participation in social initiatives is widely recognised as essential for achieving more inclusive mobility and a more cohesive, integrated society. For this reason, it is important to support, strengthen and actively integrate such programmes into higher education institutions, particularly within the framework of Erasmus+.

volunteering Back to School (BtS) Erasmus Student Network (ESN) Europa macht Schule (EmS) Lokale Erasmus+ Initiativen (LEI)