Research reports
Participation Erasmus Alumni for Civic Engagement
This report delves into how Erasmus+ activities can encourage civic engagement and political participation among both young people and adults. It seeks to clarify the distinctions between social and civic engagement, as well as participation, versus political engagement and participation. The report underscores the importance of engagement and participation for the European integration project, highlighting various dimensions of individual and collective engagement.
In the second part, the report presents findings from the international conference ‘Erasmus+ Contribution to European civic participation,’ held in Naples, Italy on December 19 and 20. Discussions focused on the importance of engagement, participation, European citizenship, civic and political knowledge of the EU, and how Erasmus+ can contribute to enhancing civic engagement, political literacy, European citizenship education, critical thinking, and adherence to European values. The report also presents 15 significant recommendations proposed by the participants.
Participation and Civic Engagement in Erasmus+
In October 2023, a Final Report by Paul Blokker, a professor at the University of Bologna, Italy, was produced following the International seminar “Participation and Civic Engagement in Erasmus+” in Malmö, Sweden. The report discusses the importance of civic and political competences within the Erasmus+ program and European citizenship. It highlights how international mobility serves as a “testing ground” for European citizenship, revealing challenges such as socio-economic inequality and the absence of a transnational European public sphere. The second part details the discussions from the international conference in Malmö, where over 100 participants engaged in deliberative roundtables on themes like gender inequality, Europe’s colonial past, and the East-West Europe divide. These discussions provided insights for future debates and actions within the PEACE Action. The third section discusses the “Train the Trainers” session in Malmö, focusing on topics relevant to Erasmus+ such as youth political engagement, European citizenship education, and social inclusion.