From the 3rd to the 6th of April 2025, the Italian city of Ancona transformed into the heartbeat of international student energy. More than 1,000 young changemakers from across Europe and beyond came together for the fourth edition of the Erasmus Generation Meeting (EGM) — Europe’s largest student-led conference — united under the theme: Empowering Youth as the Changemakers of Society.
ESN is honoured to have had the support of the Polytechnic University of Marche, the main partner of EGM Ancona 2025, the Municipality of Ancona, the hosting city, the Marche Region, the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR), the National Institute for Documentation, Innovation and Educational Research (INDIRE), Fondazione Cariverona, and the European Commission, without whom this event would not be possible.
Opening EGM Ancona 2025 - The International Spirit Awakens
Organised by the Erasmus Student Network (ESN) and hosted by ESN Ancona and ESN Italy, the event opened on Thursday the 3rd of April with a vibrant Flag Parade through the city, celebrating the colourful international community that is the Erasmus Generation, as it has been the tradition throughout the past three editions of the event. To start the parade, the Erasmus Generation gathered at the monumental Passetto, filling the square at the Adriatic coast with its vibrant international spirit.
As the participants danced through Ancona’s main street, led by upbeat international music, residents leaned out of windows, snapped photos, smiled and waved enthusiastically at the parade passing by and workers stood outside of their shops, taking a break from their daily routine to witness the colours of international students lighting up their streets. The city of Ancona welcomed the participants with warmth and openness for intercultural encounters, as the joint commitment to “guide the waves of change” – the motto of the event – was in the air.
Once everyone had gathered on the square in front of the Muse Theatre of Ancona, the celebration reached its formal closing through a speech by the mayor of Ancona, Daniele Sivetti, and the President of ESN Ancona, Vincenzo Bisconti, who welcomed the participants to the city. Everything was now ready for the official commencement of the conference, the Welcome Ceremony, held inside the elegant auditorium of the Muse Theatre.
In her video message, Stefania Giannini presented UNESCO’s vision for student mobility and addressed the Erasmus Generation directly:
"We share your vision of a world where mobility is not a privilege, but a real concrete opportunity open to all. As changemakers, as young people, your voice and your vision matter. You are shaping the future of education, you are shaping the future of Europe, and you are contributing dramatically to the future of the world. We are standing with you."
"You are the true Changemakers! Let this meeting inspire you to dream big and act boldly." - Prof. Gian Luca Gregori, Rector of the Polytechnic University of the Marche Region
Finally, a roundtable discussion was held on the future of international mobility, some of its prevailing challenges like visa issues, and which role different mobility programmes will play. Featured on the stage were Silvia Mangialardo, the Head of the International Relations Office of the Università Politecnica delle Marche, Gökay Bağrıyanık, the Education Community Manager of ESN, and Jude Waites, President of ESN UK. As Rita Dias, the President of the Erasmus Student Network, officially declares the Erasmus Generation Ancona 2025 open, the auditorium erupts in applause and cheers - everyone could feel that something significant had just begun.
“We have to keep dreaming because everything started with a dream!” - Gökay Bağrıyanık during the roundtable discussion
Day One: The Waves of Change Begin
The first day of the conference started out under the theme of Empowering the Erasmus Generation to Guide the Waves of Change. Led by Giorgio Marioni, former President of ESN International and now present as a high institutional guest from the International Association of Universities, the opening plenaries of the day began. With the announcement of the screening of the Erasmus Generation Movie later that day by Tímea Bárocz and Vincent Imperato, the excitement of the participants was noticeable. Already by showing the trailer of the award-winning movie, memories and emotions were brought to the fore that anyone who lived an Erasmus experience can very much relate to.
As participants arrived at the Economics Faculty of the Università Politecnica delle Marche, where the sessions of the following three days were going to be held, the EGM EXPO already awaited them. Inside the beautiful courtyard of the building, ESN’s national organisations, institutional partners, and dedicated sponsors had built up their stands to get into dialogue with the Erasmus Generation. The EGM EXPO was all about exploring opportunities within the Network, getting informed about different mobility programmes and finding potential future mobility destinations.
This year, the EXPO and Flag Parade were also opened towards local students, who could this way, join the event as part of the Erasmus Generation, feel and celebrate the international spirit, explore mobility opportunities, and meet representatives from all over Europe and beyond.
The 106 sessions that were held during the event all revolved around the theme and two pillars of the event:
- Sessions shed light on Active Participation and Youth Engagement in Local Communities, encouraging young people to actively participate in their local communities through initiatives led by the Erasmus Generation. This pillar highlights how getting involved can make a difference, empowering youth to positively impact their surroundings every day.
- The Impact of Youth Work and Volunteering on Internationalisation was the second pillar of the event, raising awareness on how youth work and volunteering play an important role in the internationalisation of higher education and beyond. It explores how initiatives of the Erasmus Generation enable youth to engage on a global scale, fostering cultural exchange and meaningful intercultural dialogue.
The first day already came packed with a number of inspiring sessions, one of which was titled “A European Degree for everyone: How can we build truly inclusive joint programmes?”. Participants got to engage with representatives of the European Commission, Yann-Mael Bideau and Camille Odet and learn about the concept of the European Degree. Together, they discussed how to genuinely build an inclusive and accessible joint programme.
The Erasmus Generation was introduced to possible career paths within the EU institutions in the session “Working for the EU institutions - Careers with a purpose”. Koen Hendrix from EPSO told the participants all about how to get a job in one of the EU institutions.
A session on the Union of Skills Communication, published by the European Commission just one month prior, connects this significant step in the direction of a more prepared and competitive EU, with reinforcing support for student mobility. “Erasmus+ Reimagined: Skills and Competitiveness at the core of future Student Mobility” was held by the panellists Vito Borrelli from the European Commission, Phillip Höhne from ESN Germany and Juan Rayon Gonzalez from the INGENIUM European University Alliance.
Day Two: Student Cities on Stage - Who Will Win the Crown?
Day 2 shone a light on ESN’s initiative of the Erasmus Destination of the Year, starting out with an inspiring conversation with last year’s winners from Porto. The five finalists for 2025 presented their cities in passionate speeches: Aarhus, Łódź, Riga, Tallinn, and Wrocław competed for the title in a showcase of culture, community and student life. During the day, attendees could then cast their votes in anticipation of the winner announcement the next day.
Back at the Economics Faculty, a Poster Gallery had been created to showcase the Network’s and its stakeholders’ initiatives. Attendees were encouraged to wander around the courtyard, explore the many facets of fellow volunteers’ activities and get inspired to bring more ideas to their home sections.
Amongst the many highlights of the second day, participants discussed “The future of global mobility in a changing world” in a session held by Sara Tagliabracci from ESN’s Regional Liaison Office, Giorgio Marinoni from the International Association of Universities (IAU), Gustavo Alva-Rosa, representing the Portuguese ERASMUS+ National Agency, and Tommaso Mari from the Italian Ministry of External Affairs and International Cooperation. The session was all about how student mobility could help in building bridges between countries, and what the current challenges and opportunities are that come with promoting mobility on a global scale.
Farewell with Fire: Awards, Gratitude and the Road Ahead
The closing day delivered on its promise of inspiration and celebration. With the ceremonial announcement of the highly awaited ESN Awards, the outstanding contributions within the organisation were celebrated and rewarded.
The crowd erupted in applause when Aarhus was officially crowned Erasmus Destination of the Year 2025. Known as the “City of Smiles,” the Aarhus delegation did the name of their city justice, as they conquered the stage and hearts of the audience in tears of joy and gratitude. The title was handed over to them by Porto’s representatives and will now bring Aarhus on the map even more for international students and institutions.
Before saying goodbye, the Erasmus Generation honoured the people who made this milestone event possible: the International Board of ESN, the Content Team and the Organising Committee and volunteers, whose dedication and tireless efforts turned EGM Ancona 2025 into an extraordinary success. To say it with the words of two of our participants:
“This has been the best event I have ever attended in my life.”
“Thank you for making me feel part of the Erasmus Generation.”
For those who want to relive the magic or experience it for the first time, the official after movie of the event is a perfect way to get the chills from the EGM spirit and recordings of all ceremonies and plenaries are available on YouTube. Make sure to also check out the coverage of the whole event on Bluesky and Instagram!
As the Erasmus Generation looks ahead, the waves of change started in Ancona will ripple across Europe and beyond - fueling the next generation of leaders, international collaborators and shaping the future of student mobility. The Erasmus Generation isn’t just dreaming of a better future—they’re building it.
And while the echoes of Ancona still ring in our hearts, a new horizon is already calling: EGM 2026 will take us across the Adriatic, to Split, Croatia – in the next hosting city, just opposite Ancona, where preparations are already ongoing, the waves of change will continue to roll.
The journey goes on. We’ll see you in Split.
Follow ESN