From the 26th to the 28th of June, the EUF Open Space took place in the “Città del Sole”, Naples, in southern Italy. The 3-day event, hosted by the University of Naples Federico II, gathered over 65 participants from all around Europe. The participants learned about Erasmus+ funding and actively participated in project incubation sessions.
The EUF Open Space was designed to provide up-to-date and relevant background information on EU policy developments in the field of Education and Training and to allow for spontaneous exchange of ideas and best practices to develop new areas of cooperation. Throughout the event, participants learned how to develop a high impact Erasmus+ project proposal and applied key criteria of successful applications to their new project ideas. The EUF pool of experts was supported by external experts, namely Francesca Maltauro, policy officer at the European Commission, and Dominique Montagnese, EU project consultant and expert evaluator for the French Erasmus+ Agency.
The event was also a dedicated place for excellent cooperation and networking among participants. The project idea corner allowed participants to showcase their creative and innovative ideas on posters, giving them the chance to seek for relevant contacts and partners to turn their project into reality. A significant number of EU project ideas have been incubated throughout the event, ranging from proposals on integration of refugees and setting up of international alumni networks to enhancing staff mobility and strengthening the connection between Erasmus and the Silk Road.