The Erasmus Generation Meeting (EGM), Europe’s largest student-led conference, gathered over 1,000 participants from across Europe and beyond in Split, Croatia, from 16–19 April 2026. Organised by the Erasmus Student Network (ESN), this year’s fifth edition centered on Shaping Skills through Student Mobility, specifically, through the development of competences through volunteering and student-led mobility and impact and recognition of student engagement. The event brought together student mobility alumni, as well as representatives of partner organisations, EU institutions, National Agencies for Erasmus+, higher education institutions, and associations, including ACA.  

Over the course of four days, the programme featured multiple activities. On Thursday, 16 April, the programme kicked off with a Flag Parade through the city, celebrating unity in diversity of the Erasmus Generation, followed by the opening ceremony, featuring ESN representatives, as well as Prof. Zoran Đogaš, the Vice Rector of the University of Split, and Antonija Gladović, the Director of the Agency of Mobility and EU Programmes (AMPEU). 

More than 100 sessions were held on a range of topics, where ACA contributed to a session to share insights from a joint research project by the ACA and the EAIE (European Association for International Education) on national strategies/policies for internationalisation across Europe. Contributing to this panel was Courtney Hartzell, Policy and Project Coordinator; Laura Rumbley, Director, Knowledge Development and Research at the European Association for International Education (EAIE); Alenka Flander, Director, Director of the Centre of the Republic of Slovenia for Mobility and European Educational and Training Programmes (CMEPIUS); and Danijela Horvatek Tomić, Director, The Agency for Science and Higher Education. ACA also contributed to an interactive workshop which explored how learning be truly student-centered, flexible, and future-ready, by gathering student perspectives and input on the topic which will inform an ongoing Erasmus+ project, SHIFT.  

ACA also participated in an expert panel that evaluated the applications of five finalists for the Erasmus Destination of the Year award: Gothenburg (Sweden), Münich (Germany), Turin (Italy), Santander (Spain), and Istanbul (Turkey). The competition showcased the efforts and activities of all finalists. The event concluded with an award ceremony, where the city of Turin, Italy, was celebrated as the Erasmus Destination of the Year 2026! 

The ACA Secretariat team is looking forward to attending the EGM 2027 in Wrocław, Poland!