European Step

According to the European Quality of Life Survey (2016) the volunteering rate in the 18-24 age group “has increased to 38% (up 3 points)” and that of students to “48 % (up 5 points)” compared to 2011. This means that more than 9 million out of the 19.5 million students in Europe (source: Eurostat 2017) already experienced volunteering.

However, active participation of students through all types of participation (in students associations, unions or political parties), is still too often poorly understood and therefore little recognised and valued.

In this context, the European STudent Engagement Project (European STEP) project contributed to the recognition and improvement of students’ active participation in Europe, particularly as a factor in the development of key and cross-curricular skills complementary to the academic path. The project achieved the following objectives:

• Map the legislative frameworks for student engagement recognition in Europe
• Quantitative and qualitative studies of the modes of recognition of students’ active participation by the different European countries
• Equiped and supported committed students and higher education institutions in Europe with guidebook of practices and a training toolkit for a better recognition of student engagement
• Ensured the sustainability of the project results with a booklet with recommendations

Partners: Anima’fac, University of Vienna, University of Warsaw, University of Valladolid, University of Cergy-Pontoise, Dublin City University, European University Foundation.