Beyond mobility: how Erasmus+ brings European integration closer to young people

When we talk about Ukraine’s European integration, we often think about reforms, legislation, institutions and negotiations with the European Union. These are essential parts of the process. But European integration is not only something that happens in government offices or around negotiating tables. It also happens between people. Sometimes, it begins around a table at which young people from different European countries meet for the first time.

Through my experience in international programmes, I have come to see the European Union not only as a political and economic project, but also as a community of people who, despite their different histories, cultures and experiences, share important values and aspirations. When we spend several days learning, working and living alongside people from other countries, these commonalities become more tangible. We may have grown up in different circumstances and see some issues differently, but we often share a desire for peace, freedom, equal opportunities and a better future. We discover these connections not through policy documents or political speeches, but through conversations, shared experiences and the opportunity to learn from one another.

This is one of the things that makes Erasmus+ so valuable. The programme goes far beyond the semester abroad that many people associate it with. Youth exchanges, training courses and other non-formal learning activities give young people opportunities to meet across borders, develop new skills and learn from one another. The European Commission identifies strengthening European identity and active citizenship as key objectives of Erasmus+, while youth exchanges specifically aim to foster intercultural dialogue, connect young people with the European project and help break down stereotypes.

For me, one of the most important lessons of these encounters is that understanding Europe does not mean discovering that we are all alike. We are not. We have different experiences, priorities and ways of looking at the world. But meeting people with different perspectives helps us to question our assumptions, find common ground and learn how to communicate across those differences. It is difficult to build a shared European future if we do not have opportunities to understand one another.

For us, as young Ukrainians, international projects also work in different directions. We do not simply travel to learn about Europe. We bring Ukraine into the conversation. Sometimes we introduce our country through presentations or discussions. More often, we do it through ordinary conversations over dinner, during a walk or when someone asks what life in Ukraine is like today. For people who know our country mainly through the news, meeting a Ukrainian participant can offer a more personal perspective on the country behind the headlines.

I have learned that representing Ukraine abroad does not require a perfect speech or an answer to every question. Sometimes it means sharing our experiences honestly, explaining something that may seem obvious to us but unfamiliar to others, or listening to perspectives shaped by a completely different reality. A single conversation may not change the world, but it can change how one person understands Ukraine. And that, too, matters.

We also return home with something more than memories and new contacts. We may bring back ideas for our communities, the confidence to apply for another opportunity or the motivation to start a project and share what we have learned with others. Someone we meet during a programme may become a friend, a colleague or a future project partner. What begins as a few days of learning together can develop into cooperation that lasts for years.

This is why I believe the word ‘project’ does not tell the whole story. A trip has a beginning and an end, but the relationships and ideas it creates can continue long after we return home. Erasmus+ can help build connections between people and societies that policies and institutions alone cannot create. Its impact is not limited to what happens during a programme; it also lies in what participants choose to do with the experience afterwards.

For Ukraine, this human dimension of European integration is particularly important. Our path towards the European Union involves reforms, stronger institutions and complex negotiations. But it is also about building trust, understanding one another and participating in a shared European future. Young Ukrainians are not simply waiting for that future to arrive. Through international exchanges, civic engagement and cooperation with their European peers, we are already contributing to it.

For me, this is perhaps the most meaningful lesson of an international project: we can travel to learn more about the EU and return with a deeper understanding of Ukraine and our own role in its European future. We are not only learning how to become part of the EU community. We are also bringing our experiences, ideas and perspectives into it.

Sources

European Commission. Erasmus+. Official website. https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/

European Commission. What are the objectives of the Erasmus+ Programme? Erasmus+ Programme Guide. https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/programme-guide/part-a/priorities-of-the-erasmus-programme/objectives-features

European Commission. Mobility projects for young people – ‘Youth Exchanges’. Erasmus+ Programme Guide. https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/programme-guide/part-b/key-action-1/youth-exchanges

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