YMCA Europe is excited to announce a new partnership with the Faculty of European Studies at Babeș-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
This collaboration marks a significant milestone in connecting academic excellence with practical experience in youth advocacy and European policy work.
Babeș-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca is one of Romania’s most prestigious and internationally recognised academic institutions. With a strong emphasis on research, innovation and multicultural education, the university brings together over 40,000 students across a wide range of disciplines. Its Faculty of European Studies is particularly renowned for its expertise in European policy, governance and international affairs, making it a natural and highly credible partner for initiatives that connect academic knowledge with practical experience in the European youth sector.
About the Partnership
The YMCA Students Programme enables students from the Faculty of European Studies to gain invaluable first-hand experience in advocacy, communications and project management. The initiative will welcome 10 students per semester (5 Bachelor’s and 5 Master’s students) creating a pipeline of engaged young professionals directly involved in YMCA Europe’s mission.
The Faculty of European Studies’ focus on European policy creates a natural alignment with YMCA Europe’s core priorities, ensuring that students’ academic training translates directly into meaningful contributions across our work.
What Students Will Gain
Participating students will be integrated into existing teams and projects, gaining hands-on experience in real-world advocacy, research, project development and communications. Each student will work under the guidance of a dedicated supervisor at YMCA Europe, with clear learning objectives and structured support to ensure a valuable and transformative experience.
This is more than a practical experience: it is an opportunity for young people to contribute to European youth policy while building professional skills in a dynamic, mission-driven organisation.
Strengthening Youth Voices in Our Work
At its core, this partnership reflects YMCA Europe’s commitment to ensuring that young people are not only the beneficiaries of our work but active participants and contributors. By embedding students directly within our teams, we create space for fresh perspectives, innovative thinking and authentic youth input in our advocacy and policy initiatives.
This initiative represents an exciting first step towards ensuring that students’ voices are directly present in YMCA Europe’s work. More importantly, it opens the door for similar practice programmes to be developed and scaled across our movement, creating a wider network of learning opportunities for young Europeans engaged in policy and advocacy.
