YUFE FAQ
General Questions
The Young Universities for the Future of Europe (YUFE) are ten dynamic, young, student-centred and research-based universities and two non-academic partners. Together, the YUFE partners will establish one of the first true European Universities.
YUFE promotes active European citizenship within a shared European environment. This is pursued in a truly bottom-up process. In the YUFE Alliance, teams of staff, students, citizens, businesses and government and policy makers collaborate on how to address European (and global) challenges. They work together to promote joint educational programs and services and develop mechanisms to facilitate the mobility of students and staff to create an inclusive higher education landscape that is in line with current developments in society and the labour market.
YUFE’s long-term goal is to establish a truly European University, with lifelong learning opportunities, cross-cultural and sectoral connections, and a university truly embedded in society. This goal is driven by our wish to increase employability and mobility schemes for students and staff, foster inclusive higher education and invest in the active learning of European languages.
The difference between any other exchange programme and YUFE is that for YUFE the physical mobility aspect is only one aspect. Even if you are not physically moving location, you can still benefit from YUFE through truly international classrooms, extracurricular activities, virtual courses, and civic engagement.
YUFE’s mission is to transform European higher education by establishing the leading model of a student-centred, open and inclusive European University. Our diversity and inclusivity vision is at the core of the YUFE identity. It is the foundation on which we are built; a tangible thread that runs through the heart and mind of our organisation.
Throughout YUFE’s governance structure, various stakeholder groups from the YUFE quadruple helix (universities, government, citizens and businesses) as well as students are incorporated. YUFE especially puts students firmly at the centre of decision-making and implementation. The President and Vice-President of the YUFE Student Forum are for example on the YUFE Strategy Board (our alliance’s highest decision-making body) with the Student Forum President taking the role of Vice-Chair.
YUFE’s inclusivity means for you a diverse cohort of students and staff, paying attention to and valuing diverse backgrounds and experience. YUFE provides diversity-sensitive as well as group-specific coaching to students and staff from under-represented or disadvantaged groups.
At the end of the three-year pilot period, we aim to have more than 500 YUFE students and even more YUFE learners (non-traditional students and lifelong learners). These numbers should make it possible to give a wide range of students with different interests and backgrounds the opportunity to participate in YUFE.
YUFE started as an initiative by the European Commission. YUFE has also received a pilot grant for three years from the European Commission, and therefore supplies a large part of the YUFE’s funding. Because all YUFE partners are so committed to YUFE and its vision, all partners provide a lot of additional funding too. Finally, many national funding bodies were convinced of YUFE’s ideas and provided additional funding.
The cooperation within YUFE started from the YERUN network (Young European Research Universities Network) of which ten of YUFE’s academic institutions are part, which allowed them to already work together on several joint activities. The difference between WUN, YERUN and other university networks, and YUFE is that YUFE goes beyond being a university network – we create our very own European University. We still very much align with the YERUN network, and any other networks our universities are a part of, to ensure no doubling of efforts between us.
There is still much uncertainty about Brexit and what the UK leaving the EU will mean in practical terms. As a European University that includes a British university, we are very well aware of this. We are in contact with both the British government and the European Commission on what this will technically mean for the University of Essex and YUFE. However, rest assured, for the duration of the three-year pilot programme there will be no differences between students and staff from any of our universities.
The only difference between YUFE’s full and associated partners is that the YUFE full partners are all universities whereas the YUFE associated partners are non-academic partners from the non-governmental and private sector. The YUFE full partners also share the pilot grant from the European Commission.
Since YUFE and the other European University Initiatives are part of a pilot programme, we can currently not include any new YUFE partners. However, we would be delighted to work together with any organisation with a similar mind-set to YUFE. Please contact the YUFE Management Office at info@yufe.eu.
YUFE is developing several policies and position papers. Once these are finalised they will be added to the website.
Indeed, sustainability is one of our focus areas and core goals. However, mobility does not only have to be done physically. At YUFE, from the very beginning we have emphasised virtual and blended mobility efforts, even before the Covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic has exaggerated our efforts focusing on virtual and blended mobility.
Students
The YUFE Student Journey offers you the opportunity to create your own learning path and broaden your European horizon.
Flexibility, diversity, inclusivity and self-directed learning paths are the fundamental values of the YUFE Open Programme. That is why the selection of courses and activities is extensive, offered in English or in the language of the local partner and the methods of delivery vary between physical, virtual or blended.
Unlike a regular exchange, you have the opportunity to combine your academic endeavours with language courses, professional training and civic engagement. You will be fully integrated into society, regardless of where you are in Europe. With YUFE, you do not only have the opportunity to engage with the expertise of one or two universities, but of ten leading, research-driven institutions.
For the Academic Year 2023/2024, YUFE has over 650 academic courses, more than 90 language courses and several civic and entrepreneurial engagement activities available. Even though most courses and training activities are offered in English, YUFE also includes various academic courses in the language of the hosting university in order to stimulate multilingualism. The list of offered YUFE courses and YUFE activities will be available on the YUFE Virtual Campus ›
YUFE put an important emphasis on online and blended mobility already ahead of the Covid-19 pandemic. Naturally, with the restrictions on gatherings and mobility enforced to limit the spread of the Covid-19 epidemic, YUFE has made even more online courses and activities available since the Academic Year 2020/2021.
For the next academic year, YUFE prepared numerous opportunities both in online and physical format. Starting in the Academic Year 2021/2022, the first physical mobility within YUFE was organised and we aim to intensify this in the future, but YUFE students will continue to benefit from the updated virtual offer.
YUFE aspires to be an open and inclusive European University for all. Courses and activities are available to YUFE students at any level at university from a second-year bachelor level onwards! If you are a first-year bachelor student, you can only apply in semester II of your first year to be eligible to begin the YUFE activities in your second year of bachelor.
Furthermore, if you are a YUFE student in their final year of their bachelor’s degree program and plan to enroll in a master’s program at the same university, you may continue your Student Journey as a master’s student. This is possible if you are still an active student in one of the YUFE universities and do not exceed the four-semester restriction for the Student Journey, as mentioned in FAQ 6 under this ‘Student’ section.
While student enrolling requirements differ across YUFE countries, YUFE students will be properly registered at each university that conducts the YUFE academic courses or YUFE activities they sign up for.
The next call for enrolment onto the YUFE Student Journey will be opened from 2 April – 24 May 2024. You can then apply for the YUFE Student Journey on the YUFE Virtual Campus.
The YUFE Student Journey is still a pilot activity, the enrolled students will co-create and contribute to the development of our European University – the Young Universities for the Future of Europe.
This group of students has a maximum of 4 consecutive semesters to complete the requirements for the YUFE Student Journey Certificate, counting from the semester they can attend the YUFE courses/activities. For example, a YUFE student who applies to the Student Journey in Fall 2023, will be able to start the YUFE courses/activities in semester II of the Academic Year 2023/2024. Therefore, this student will have until the end of semester I of the Academic Year 2026/2027 to complete the Student Journey.
The goal of YUFE is for students to be allowed to design their own learning paths. As a result, YUFE students can finish their Student Journey in less than 4 semesters. If a YUFE student only takes a few courses and does not achieve all the requirements for full completion, they may receive Letters of Participation or single YUFE Star certificates instead. Please refer to FAQ 11 under the “Student Journey” section for further information on the requirements for rewards.
YUFE also offers single activities to students who are not enrolled in the YUFE Student Journey. These activities are announced on the YUFE website separately.
7. Will the academic courses I take up, as part of YUFE, be part of my curriculum (intracurricular)?
Ideally, we would want all of YUFE’s academic courses to be intracurricular. However, for the time being, this is dependent on the programme of the university in which you are currently enrolled. If you would like the ECTS of a YUFE course to become an intracurricular part of your degree, please check with your programme coordinator/director in advance.
YUFE offers students, staff and citizens the opportunity to take part in extracurricular activities in the areas of language training and civic and/or entrepreneurial engagement.
Once you have created an account for the Virtual Campus ›, you can use it to sign up for single YUFE activities.
No, you only need to be enrolled as a second-year Bachelor student or higher level at one of the universities of the YUFE Alliance in the Academic Year 2023/2024.
YUFE Student Journey
Yes, admissions are currently open only to active students from the YUFE universities.
At YUFE we reward personalised learning paths and you may receive either a YUFE Student Journey Certificate with Stars, a YUFE Certificate (with Star(s)), a YUFE Letter of Participation or a/multiple YUFE Star(s). For each of these rewards, different requirements are to be met. For instance, the YUFE Induction Courses are mandatory to complete within a set deadline and subsequently be able to enrol in the YUFE academic course or activity. These YUFE Induction Courses are short online materials and quizzes/surveys which aim to acquaint you with the YUFE Alliance in general.
Questions about your YUFE Mobility Star Journey can be addressed to: mobilitytstar.YUFE@uniri.hr
Please see the respective requirements illustrated below:
As of Fall 2023 call we are taking in all eligible applicants.
As a reminder, students eligible for the YUFE Student Journey will have 4 consecutive semesters to meet the requirements for the YUFE Certificate or create their own learning path. These 4 semesters period counts from the semester in which the student starts attending the YUFE courses/activities, therefore, from semester II of the Academic Year 2023/2024 for students who applied in Fall 2023.
Applications for the YUFE Student Journey programme will be open on the YUFE Virtual Campus › from 2 April – 24 May 2024. You will be able to apply by creating an account for the Virtual Campus, where you can submit all the necessary documents in the application form.
Application requirements
Eligible applicants must be registered as a student in one of the universities of the YUFE Alliance. Furthermore, a minimum B2 level of English proficiency is required of applicants.
Additionally, undergraduate students from the University of Essex need to have a minimum year mark of 50 in the first year of the course and students from the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid need to have a minimum grade average of 6/10 in the previous academic year.
Application steps
First, you will have to create an account for the Virtual Campus ›. With this account, you can apply for the Student Journey and sign up for single YUFE activities. The next call for enrolment onto the YUFE Student Journey on the YUFE Virtual Campus › will be opened from 2 April – 24 May 2024. You will be asked to upload your details and to agree with the YUFE co-creation agreement.
This is the first time that YUFE initiates this type of programme for students. It is interdisciplinary, open and flexible in nature, which then also leads to many organisational conditions that need to be met. All of these are currently being tested, and these first rounds of the YUFE Student Journey will essentially be used in order to assess which aspects of the programme need to be improved, and how this can be done. We hope to carry out this whole assessment and improvement process together with you as the focal point of our programme!
The YUFE Student Journey programme takes a maximum of 4 consecutive semesters, but it is up to each student to decide and plan the exact length of their own student journey.
The students, who applied in the Fall 2023 call, can either stay for one semester or as long as the maximum of 4 semesters, counting from semester II of the Academic Year 2023/2024. Each personalised learning path will be rewarded, as indicated in FAQ 11 under this ‘Student Journey’ section.
Yes, you can choose YUFE academic courses during the 4 academic semesters, starting with the semester in which you can begin attending the YUFE courses/activities. For example, if you applied and are admitted to the YUFE Student Journey programme in Fall 2023, you may start the academic courses (or any other offered YUFE activities) in semester II of the Academic Year 2023/2024. Then, the last semester in which you can be enrolled in academic courses is semester I of the Academic Year 2026/2027.
Ideally, we would want all of YUFE’s academic courses to be intracurricular and that these courses can replace your academic courses. However, for now this still depends on the programme of the university you are currently enrolled at. If you would like the ECTS of a YUFE course to become an intracurricular part of your degree, please check with your Programme Coordinator/Director.
YUFE Virtual Campus › serves as a hub for all opportunities offered to YUFE students. Once you become a part of the YUFE Student Journey, you will have access to catalogues of various activities (e.g. academic, language, volunteering, language), many of which are available online. Through these activities, you will be immersed in an international community created by YUFE which remotely works on various YUFE programmes.
In order to engage in physical mobility through YUFE, you will first need to secure a grant for physical mobility from your university through a dedicated call, or arrange (together with your university) other means of travelling and living abroad, at one of the YUFE communities. Students who have arranged mobility in this manner can subsequently register for physical courses at other partner universities through the YUFE Virtual Campus › Physical mobility arrangements must also respect the rules and regulations of the mobility funding scheme applied.
In such a case, we advise you to contact the mobility office at the university you are enrolled in so that you can together look for an alternative solution which will still allow you to partake in the physical mobility in YUFE. We will be working hard to ensure that all students who wish to engage in physical mobility can do so.
YUFE Star System
YUFE Stars are a type of “badges” which are awarded as a recognition of participation in different extracurricular activities offered by YUFE. The YUFE Star System consists of four different types of Stars: Mobility, Language, Civic and Professional.
The goal of all Stars is to encourage YUFE students to engage both in academic courses AND extracurricular activities in order to co-create their European (academic and professional) career and multilingual identity.
In order to obtain a YUFE Student Journey Certificate with YUFE one or more Star(s), you need to fulfil all the requirements of the Student Journey. You can see these requirements under FAQ 11 of the ‘Student Journey’ section.
- Mobility Star
The YUFE Mobility Star differs from the other Stars in that it has different levels. For each level of a Mobility Star you need to complete a minimum of 12 ECTS of academic courses at other YUFE universities or acquire one additional Star through activities offered by other YUFE universities.
- Language Star
Once officially enrolled within the YUFE Student Journey, you need to successfully engage in different activities in order to meet the requirements for the Language Star. In total, you have to complete four activities for your Language Star: one formal YUFE language course, two practice and experience activities, and one reflection activity (by completing at several stages the personal development plan on the Virtual Campus). All activities need to be accomplished during the (max.) 2-year YUFE Student Journey.
- Civic Star
The YUFE Civic Star will offer students a diverse set of activities through which they are engaged with YUFE communities. Depending on each of these activities, in order to obtain a Civic Star, the following requirements must be met:
For YUFE Help Desks; a participation of minimum of 50 hours is required; or
For Volunteering activities; a participation of 50 hours is required; or
For YUFE@Home, a minimum of one semester in the programme with active involvement with community is required.
- Professional Star
In order to obtain a YUFE Professional Star, the students need to:
- demonstrate a clear link to and/or an improvement of, at least 9 competences; 3 from each dimension of the European EntreComp framework.
- demonstrate to have worked/operated within a YUFE Professional Star activity in an international environment.
- demonstrate to have worked/operated within a YUFE Professional Star in a multicultural team.
- participate in a minimum of 60 hours of teamwork contributions and collaborative performance.
While participating in the Star activities, students will also have to work on a Personal Development Plan specific to each of the 4 YUFE Stars, in order to track their progress.
Your achievement will be assessed on the basis of your documentation and Reflection Report provided in the Personal Development Plan. In that report, you are expected to carefully document activities you have undertaken and reflect on your learning process.
You will be notified about this immediately after the YUFE Star is awarded. It will be visible in your YUFE Virtual Campus portfolio and later in your YUFE Certificate or your YUFE Star.
A YUFE Star is not automatically awarded, therefore you may fail in acquiring it. If there are seats available and if you can redo the activity(s) within the timeframe of your Certificate, you can take a second chance at attempting it.
The YUFE Stars are designed to demonstrate that, in addition to formal education in the form of academic courses, students are also strongly engaged in informal learning through various extracurricular activities. The YUFE Stars, as a part of the YUFE Certificate, can later be used to indicate competencies acquired through such activities.
You can use any Star on our resume to attest to the acquisition or development of the relevant competencies.
However, because the YUFE Star System is still being tested, the student cannot earn more than one Star of the same kind. So, the student will have to choose the activity and reflect on that one while pursuing that specific Star. Students can also participate in other activities, but they cannot obtain an additional Star of the same kind.
No, there is no such maximum. Students are free to earn as many YUFE Stars as they see fit over the 4 semesters maximum period of the YUFE Student Journey. However, there are only four different YUFE Stars (Civic, Professional, Mobility, Language), although the Mobility Star has different levels.
No, there will not be a special reward for that achievement, although we definitely commend the willingness to engage in all different types of YUFE activities!
No, Stars are obtained as a complete unit. The YUFE Mobility Star has different levels, but still each level requires fulfilment of the listed requirements and is essentially a complete unit. This does not mean you still cannot participate in different activities which are a part of the YUFE Stars System, but a Star is only obtained upon fulfilling all the requirements.
Language Star:
For some language courses ECTS credits are issued, but not for the YUFE Language Star itself.
– Formal learning: Some language courses will lead to ECTS but will not always be accepted as intracurricular (e.g. the university you are enrolled at decides which courses are accepted in your programme). These language courses still can be taken as extracurricular courses.
– Practice and experience: Most of the activities (e.g. virtual language café or tandem) do not lead to ECTS.
– Reflection: No ECTS awarded.
Professional Star:
While the activities do not lead to ECTS, they imply an average of 60 hours workload.
A YUFE Mobility Star is one of the four Stars within the YUFE Star System. Like the other Stars, it rewards engagement of YUFE students both in academic courses and extracurricular activities in order to create an educational offer which values all competences acquired by the students, regardless of the way in which they were acquired. The YUFE Mobility Star has different levels, each of which are earned through engaging in different kind of international activities.
Questions about your YUFE Mobility Star Journey can be addressed to: mobilitystar.YUFE@uniri.hr
The YUFE Mobility Star has different levels because it is not based on its own distinct activities, but rather on all the YUFE activities carried out in an international setting. Since the variety of these activities is very high, different levels of Mobility Star reward a broader set of students’ achievements.
There is no difference essentially; receiving one level of the Mobility Star already means that you have obtained a Mobility Star. Each additional level will simply be a higher level of the same Star. Levels are stackable, which means that every time you fulfil the conditions you receive an additional level; different levels do not have different requirements.
In order to obtain a Mobility Star level, you need to either acquire 12 ECTS through physical or virtual study mobility (completing academic YUFE courses at other YUFE universities) or acquire one of the three other YUFE Stars (Professional, Civic or Language) through activities offered or organised by other YUFE universities.
There are no separate Mobility Star activities; instead, a Mobility Star level is awarded based on other YUFE activities, which might be intracurricular (counted towards the required number of credits for a degree) or extracurricular (was in addition to the basic number of credits for a degree). For the purpose of awarding a Mobility Star level, there will be no distinction made based on whether an activity was intracurricular or extracurricular.
Since the YUFE Mobility Star rewards all the other YUFE activities when these are achieved in an international setting, the work and/or study load will depend on which activity the student is participating in. For academic (study) mobility the minimum is 12 ECTS points acquired, while for Professional, Civic and Language Star activities, please check the workload for each of these Stars.
If your activity is rewardable by any of the other YUFE Stars (Professional, Civic or Language) then it is also rewardable by a Mobility Star under condition that the activity is carried out in an international setting.
If you are participating in any of the YUFE activities, you are automatically eligible for a YUFE Mobility Star. There is no need for a separate enrolment; nevertheless, you must reflect on your international activities by using the personal development plan.
All the YUFE Star activities need to be completed in a maximum of 4 semesters, which is the maximum duration of the YUFE Student Journey. More information about this is provided in FAQ 6 of the ‘Students’ section and FAQ 15 of the “YUFE Student Journey” section.
ECTS credits are issued for some of the activities based on which a Mobility Star level is issued (e.g. academic courses, certain extracurricular activities), but for the Mobility Star itself ECTS credits are not issued.
Through the international dimension of various YUFE activities, you will be developing your intercultural competences, such as cultural intelligence, cultural sensitivity and empathy, cross-cultural communication and sensitivity to diversity. You will also work on your personal development through skills and characteristics such as adaptability and flexibility, autonomy and self-efficacy, confidence and interpersonal skills. Finally, you will also develop your professional skills and benefit from higher employability and international career outlook.
The Mobility Star is kind of a certificate which demonstrates you have been involved in YUFE international activities and have been immersed in an international and intercultural setting that YUFE offers. This can be valuable information for your potential employers, partners or co-workers, or educational providers.
Your Mobility Star will be visible to you in your portfolio on the YUFE Virtual Campus ›. Once you have completed the YUFE Student Journey, this Mobility Star will also be a part of your YUFE Certificate.
The Mobility Star will be listed as a non-academic activity in your YUFE Student Journey Certificates, along with a short description of your international activities and resulting competences.
It is possible to fail in the underlying activities that the Mobility Star is based on, and, by extension, in such a case you would not receive the Mobility Star. However, we hope that you will find all of the YUFE activities engaging and stimulating so there will be no reason not to complete them successfully.
The Personal Development Plan is used to assist in clearly reflecting your starting point, your YUFE journey and finally on the outcomes and benefits that the YUFE Star System had for you. For this reason, your Personal Development Plan questions for the Mobility Star will document your expectations at the beginning (before starting any of the activities), all the academic courses and other activities you complete during your progress and finally your perspective on the outcomes of the whole programme.
You can start your YUFE Language Star by registering for a course or activity that contributes to the YUFE Language Star: the first reflection will pop up in the Virtual Campus and enquires about your language profile, your goals and expectations.
During your YUFE Language Star journey, the courses and activities contributing to the Star will be added to your Progress Tracker and you will be able to review the requirements.
Questions about your YUFE Language Star Journey can be addressed to: languagestar.yufe@uantwerp.be
The YUFE Language Star comprises learning areas and goals leading to varied and active language skills. It is a threefold model consisting of formal learning, practice and real-life language experiences, complemented by reflections on the language acquisition process. This diverse approach values multilingualism and reflects the student-centred vision of YUFE and its connection to real life.
The global focus of the YUFE Language Star is on multilingual competence. In other words, you will further develop linguistic, sociolinguistic and pragmatic knowledge on how to use different languages appropriately and effectively for communication. You will understand the different ways in which languages are learnt through both formal and informal approaches. These rich linguistic experiences will help you appreciate cultural diversity and intercultural communication. You will learn the importance of having respect for a person’s individual linguistic profile and for a country’s official language or languages.
A language course is a formal learning activity designed and delivered by a trained and skilled teacher or lecturer. Learning outcomes are defined and admission requirements may apply. The course usually follows a structured outline in order to attain educational goals. Successful completion of a language course means that you pass the final exam according to preestablished objectives and criteria, and will be awarded a certificate and/or ECTS.
A Language Café is a low-stakes language learning opportunity that focuses on informal conversations and provides an opportunity to practice your speaking and listening skills in a small group setting. Language Cafés are led by student tutors (native or near native speakers of the target language) and take place once or twice a week. The tutors are not normally professional language teachers. They organise and facilitate conversations focusing on fluency. They do not provide individual feedback or grammatical and linguistic explanations (this is what you get in a language course) nor is the work assessed. During the sessions, different topics are discussed in small groups and participants are welcome to suggest themes and share ideas. Language Cafés are not suitable for true beginners. You should have at least A1.2 language proficiency to engage in simple conversations. There is no final exam or ECTS credit associated with Language Cafés.
If you want to use a Language Café for your YUFE Language Star, you need to acquire a Certificate of Attendance for regular attendance. Please check with the Language Centre organising the language cafés to learn about the requirements for a Certificate.
A Language Café and a Language Tandem are both informal and low-stakes language learning opportunities set in a peer-learning context. However, whereas a Language Café takes place within a small group and is led by a student tutor, a Language Tandem is a bilateral language learning format which is based on the regular exchange between two people only. The principle of a tandem is one of “give and take”: the native language of one partner is the target language of the other partner and vice versa.
Here is an example: If your native language is Spanish, and you want to improve your French language skills and learn more about francophone culture, you will be set up with a native French speaker who would like to improve their Spanish skills. You then meet on a regular basis to work and interact with each other in these two languages.
Language Tandems are not suitable for true beginners. You should have at least A2 language proficiency to engage in simple conversations. Language Tandems are not associated with exams or ECTS.
In order to use a tandem for your YUFE Language Star, you need to acquire a Tandem Certificate from the Language Centre. You need to set this up with the Language Centre when you start your Tandem.
No, the Language Star rewards different efforts you take in improving and practising your language skills. This is why there is a variety of initiatives in formal learning, peer learning, autonomous learning and real-life use of language skills. This variety is important, which is why repeated participation in the same type of activity is of course allowed but it will not count twice towards the YUFE Language Star.
Yes, some of the activities within the YUFE Language Star can also be used for other YUFE Stars and vice versa. Currently, this is possible for the following activities:
- If you conduct (a part of) your YUFE Professional Star activities in a foreign language (not English nor your native language), these activities will be acknowledged for both the YUFE Language Star and the YUFE Professional Star (provided it meets the respective requirements).
- If you conduct (a part of) your YUFE Civic Star activities in a foreign language (not English nor your native language), these activities can be acknowledged for both the YUFE Language Star and the YUFE Civic Star (provided it meets the respective requirements).
This is a very good idea! However, due to organisational as well as comparability reasons it is not yet possible to suggest your own language project as an activity within the YUFE Language Star.
No, you cannot use a language course you took outside YUFE or one you started/completed before your YUFE Student Journey in order to complete your YUFE Language Star.
You should complete all the activities within the two-year duration of the YUFE Student Journey.
The YUFE Language Star will be mentioned on your YUFE Student Journey Certificate. Furthermore, you will receive a Star certificate with a short description of the courses and activities you successfully completed.
A YUFE Language Star is an award for your achievements in your YUFE Language Journey. You obtain it by working in diverse ways on your language skills and cross-cultural competencies. Therefore, it is not a certificate for a single course, but a demonstration of a wide range of efforts to achieve multilingualism. We definitely encourage you to use it on your resume.
More information on the CEFR (the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) can be found on this webpage: ›
//www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages/home
To help you broadly assess your main language skills on the CEFR scale, you can use the following: Table 2 – Common Reference levels – Self assessment grid: //rm.coe.int/CoERMPublicCommonSearchServices/DisplayDCTMContent?documentId=090000168045bb52
You can also do a self-assessment through DIALANG at //dialangweb.lancaster.ac.uk/ This self-assessment test has five parts: listening, writing, reading, structures and vocabulary. For each part, your results are expressed on the CEFR scale.
You cannot take a language course designed as a foreign language acquisition course. These courses are not meant for native speakers.
If you are interested in taking a specialist language course, please check what language level it is intended for.
You are welcome to take an academic course in your native language. This choice, however, will not contribute to the YUFE Language Star.
English is the main language of instruction in the YUFE programmes and is therefore not considered as a foreign language. This means that academic courses in English do not count towards a YUFE Language Star.
Language courses in English for Academic Purposes and/or English for Specific Purposes, however, are considered foreign language courses (for non-native speakers of English) and do count towards your YUFE Language Star.
For the self-study component in the Practice and Experience part, you are welcome to take any Open University course listed in the “Languages Category” as long as it is in a foreign language (not English nor your native language).
A YUFE Professional Star is one of the four stars of the YUFE Star System. It rewards YUFE students’ commitment to work on personal and professional development activities. These activities focus on acquiring an entrepreneurial mindset, identifying opportunities to improve existing solutions or develop new alternatives, as well as implementing positive change, all with a strong problem- based orientation.
Questions about your YUFE Professional Star Journey can be addressed to: professionalstar.YUFE@uc3m.es
There are two ways to get the YUFE Professional Star: by completing either a Challenge Team or the Entrepreneurial Training Programme.
- Challenge Team: intensive teamwork process to solve a real challenge by providing a novel and innovative solution with a collaborative, multidisciplinary and multicultural approach. You can find more information in the following link.
- Entrepreneurial Training Programme: this option requires to successfully complete the following activities: MOOCs, Entrepreneurial Talks (Talk Shows) and a YUFETHON. More information on the following link.
The Professional Star is related to the European Entrepreneurial Competences which are recognised by employers as being important for a great variety of jobs. Additionally, participants will have been trained in how to recognise ideas and opportunities, in how to mobilise resources and take action. Abilities that are highly valued by employers.
Alongside the YUFE Open Programmes, YUFE students will have access to YUFE-wide extracurricular activities paired to an innovative recognition system based on four types of YUFE Stars. YUFE Civic Star will be awarded for completing a module of community volunteering and social engagement (YUFE @Home, YUFE Help Desks or YUFE Skills Initiative).
Questions about your YUFE Civic Star Journey can be addressed to: CivicStar.YUFE@uef.fi
A YUFE Civic Star is a way to prove your personal and professional development reached while completing a module of community volunteering and social engagement during your YUFE studies. It shows you have taken part in civic activities and thus contributed to the society.
When working for the Civic Star, you will be developing your personal, social and learning to learn competences as well as citizenship competences.
Namely, you will learn to work with others in a constructive way, understand the codes of conduct and rules of communication in different environments, deal with complexity, critically reflect and make decisions, learn and work both collaboratively and autonomously and show tolerance, express and understand different viewpoints, and create confidence and feel empathy.
In addition, you will learn to act as a responsible citizen and participate in civic and social life, based on the understanding of social, economic, legal and political concepts and structures, as well as global developments and sustainability, understand the European common values, be aware of diversity and cultural identities in Europe and the world, participate in democratic decision-making at all levels and civic activities as well as support for social and cultural diversity, gender equality and social cohesion, sustainable lifestyles, promotion of culture of peace and non-violence, a readiness to respect the privacy of others, and to take responsibility for the environment.
Yes, or it is even more: a proof that you have completed a module of community volunteering and social engagement while intentionally developing your personal and professional abilities related to European identity and values.
No, it is also possible to do certain activities online or in the university you are currently enrolled at.
No, this is not (yet) possible.
No, you cannot use a civic activity you took outside of the YUFE Student Journey or one you have started/completed before your YUFE journey in order to complete your Civic Star.
YUFE Open Programme
YUFE aspires to be an open and inclusive European University for all. YUFE put an important emphasis on online and blended mobility already ahead of the Covid-19 pandemic. . Naturally the Covid-19 pandemic and its restrictions on gatherings and mobility ensured that YUFE made even more online courses and activities available. During the Academic Year 2020/2021 more than 100 academic courses took place online, essentially giving you a virtual mobility experience within a European University. Physical exchanges are possible again, and YUFE is supporting students with limited mobility to experience YUFE as a student in one of the partner universities.
YUFE aspires to be an open and inclusive European University for all. YUFE put an important emphasis on online and blended mobility already ahead of the Covid-19 pandemic. Naturally the Covid-19 pandemic and its restrictions on gatherings and mobility ensured that YUFE made even more online courses and activities available. During the Academic Year 2020/2021 more than 100 academic courses took place online, essentially giving you a virtual mobility experience within a European University. Now that the Covid-19 pandemic is over, the virtual courses are still available.
YUFE aspires to be an open and inclusive European University for all. YUFE puts an important emphasis on online and blended mobility. During the Academic Year 2020/2021 more than 100 of the academic courses took place online, essentially giving you a virtual mobility experience within a European University, this will be easier to combine with a part time degree. Upcoming academic year, the virtual courses are still available.
Yes, YUFE courses and activities are made available from all YUFE universities. As a YUFE student or learner you can decide which ones you would like to participate in and where. You can choose to study at multiple YUFE universities since many courses are offered online.
As a student, registered within a programme at one of the YUFE universities you can choose from the courses at any of the other YUFE universities as part of your university’s programme. You are also free to choose other courses or activities as extracurricular undertakings at any of the other YUFE universities. However, in order to take part in YUFE as a YUFE student, you need to be enrolled at a YUFE university first (as a 2nd year Bachelor or above).
As a YUFE student you are free to choose your own learning path, however if you take up at least 12 ECTS for YUFE courses from another YUFE university you are on track to pursue the YUFE Mobility Star and the YUFE Student Journey Certificate. YUFE encourages you to take up additional courses and activities at other YUFE universities, but there is no minimum regarding to how many other universities you need to visit.
All courses in the YUFE catalogue will be offered to you as YUFE courses. Some will be accepted as part of your university programme, others will be taken as extracurricular activities. The nature of the academic courses varies from history to biology. We intend to offer a broad, interdisciplinary range of courses within the focus areas of “European Identity”, “Digital Societies”, “Citizen’s Well-Being” and “Sustainability”.
The focus in Academic Year 2020/2021 was mainly on “European Identity and Responsibilities in a Global World”, as YUFE’s first focus area. The focus in Academic Year 2021/2022 will continue to be on YUFE first theme but will also be on “Citizens’ Well-being”, YUFE’s second theme. From 2022 onwards, also ‘Digital Societies’ and ‘Sustainability’ will be applicable.
Yes, in order to take part in YUFE, you need to be proficient enough in English to participate actively in an international academic environment. This means that you have a B2 level of English on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). This the level most universities require to be enrolled in the programmes they offer in English. All YUFE students and staff are encouraged to learn more foreign languages.
In order to be a YUFE student you need to be enrolled in a programme at a YUFE university. You will therefore be paying the tuition fee for your degree from that university. There are no additional fees to be a YUFE student.
In order to be a YUFE student you need to be enrolled in a YUFE university. There is no additional tuition fee for participation in YUFE programmes and activities. Tuition fee refers only to the university you are enrolled at, which can vary from university to university.
No, YUFE does not charge you extra to be a YUFE student. You will only pay your university tuition fees, no matter in how many YUFE courses or activities you partake.
In order to be a YUFE student you need to be enrolled at one of the YUFE universities. You will therefore be paying the tuition fee from that university. There are no additional fees to become a YUFE student, other than usual costs of living.
Yes, you can apply for an Erasmus+ mobility grant for your physical mobility to one of the YUFE partner universities. However, YUFE does not (yet) offer its own stipends or scholarships.
Our aim is to make participation in YUFE as easy as possible and to make YUFE studying tracks as smooth as possible. If you are a YUFE student, participating in YUFE will not prolong your studies in case you can take up YUFE academic courses as part of your study programme.
In case you are not sure if the ECTS from YUFE academic courses will be accepted as part of your programme, we advise you to contact your Programme Director (or equivalent) to discuss your participation in YUFE courses and activities.
In order to take part in YUFE programmes and activities you do not have to pass any additional assessments or exams, other than the exams or assessments of the courses you chose.
YUFE so far does not offer an entire study programme. The question of intermitting study programmes therefore mainly refers to the study programme you are enrolled in. YUFE students and learners can take up multiple courses within YUFE offering, as part of their study programmes or as an extracurricular activity. YUFE is meant to bring an added value to your academic track.
Most YUFE courses will lead to credits (ECTS) that are recognised by all YUFE universities. YUFE students are advised to check with their Programme Directors (or equivalent) if a YUFE courses and its credits is accepted as an intra curricular part of their degree programme.
As a YUFE student, you enter a diverse European environment that strives towards shaping the future of Europe. Unlike a regular exchange, you have the opportunity to combine your academic endeavours with language courses, professional training and civic engagement. You will truly be a part of society, no matter where in Europe you are. With YUFE, you do not only have the opportunity to engage with the expertise of one or two universities, but of ten leading, research-driven institutions.
The YUFE project is built on four focus areas: European identity and responsibility in a globalised world, Digital society, Citizen’s well-being, and Sustainability. You can specialise in one of the focus areas through the YUFE open programmes, by enrolling to YUFE courses and taking part in YUFE activities.
YUFE expects a reasonable commitment from students, which could be higher than following a regular university degree. YUFE for example stimulates students not just to take up some courses at another university, but to actively engage in society through civic engagement and professional activities.
Likewise, as YUFE is still in its early stages, it is extremely important that YUFE students are willing to try something new. This means taking the good and excitement of the European University, with any hiccups that might happen. Students have to be motivated to contribute to European identity and provide constructive feedback to help make YUFE into a new model of university.
Diversity, as well as inclusivity is extremely important to YUFE. Therefore, YUFE is not looking for a specific kind of people to participate in its activities. We hope to reach all different kinds of people as students and learners. As YUFE is still in its early stages, it is extremely important that YUFE students are willing to try something new. This means taking the good and being excited to be part of the European University, with any hiccups that might happen. Students have to be motivated to contribute to European identity and provide constructive feedback to help make YUFE a new model of European university. We hope to welcome students that are motivated to be trained in an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary way. In this vein, we ask you to be open to various perspectives and to be willing to step outside of your academic bubble.
Absolutely! Being part of YUFE does not exclude you from taking part in any other activities such as a regular exchange programme. One of the possibilities within YUFE is to take on a Mobility Star. This means that you can take on a set of courses at another university, be it through physical mobility (like a regular Erasmus exchange) or through virtual mobility (via online platforms) or in a blended form. Being a YUFE student will have a start and an end date but that period can be longer than the standard 6 months of a regular exchange.
Most YUFE courses will lead to credits (ECTS) that are recognised by all YUFE universities. The number of credits (ECTS) you can take from YUFE courses is determined by your university’s Programme Director.
All YUFE achievements are stated in the YUFE Student Journey Certificate with Star(s) that will express the competences acquired by participating in YUFE activities.
YUFE is not only a network of young and innovative universities, but also works together closely with private companies and NGOs, including those in the in the employment sector. YUFE certificates show employers that the student is ready to go the extra mile, has high language capabilities, is determined and innovative, independent, yet a team player and is experienced in working in an intercultural community.
YUFE has a broader set of courses with different angles and viewpoints than one university can offer. You are in a classroom with students from ten different universities, all coming from different backgrounds. You will not only make friends all over Europe, you will actually get to learn more about their different cultures, get in touch with citizens all over Europe through civic engagements, and take part in special employment opportunities. Additionally, YUFE students will have access to many of the resources of ten leading universities. For some students, for whom it is hard to study abroad, YUFE makes an international learning experience and exchange possible.
The first three years of YUFE are a pilot. Since YUFE is starting something completely new in a short time frame, whilst simultaneously ensuring the right quality and opportunities, YUFE in its first year can only welcome approximately 200 students. At the end of the three-year period, we aim to have more than 500 YUFE students and even more YUFE learners (non-traditional students and lifelong learners). These numbers should make it possible to give a wide range of students with different interests and backgrounds the opportunity to participate in YUFE.
YUFE’s mission is to transform European higher education by establishing the leading model of a student-centred, open and inclusive European University. Our diversity and inclusivity vision are at the core of the YUFE identity. It is the foundation on which we are built; a tangible message and thread that runs through the heart and mind of our organisation.
Throughout YUFE’s governance structure, various stakeholder groups from the YUFE quadruple helix (universities, government, citizens and businesses) as well as students are incorporated. YUFE especially puts students firmly at the centre of decision-making and implementation. The President and Vice-President of the YUFE Student Forum are for example on the YUFE Strategy Board (our Alliance’s highest decision-making body) with the Student Forum President taking the role of Vice-Chair.
However, YUFE’s inclusivity concretely means for you a diverse cohort of students and staff, paying attention to and valuing diverse backgrounds and experience. YUFE provides diversity-sensitive as well as group-specific coaching to students and staff from under-represented or disadvantaged groups.
YUFE’s diversity and inclusivity (D&I) strategy will involve promotional material expressing YUFE’s commitment to diversity and inclusion and will set up a D&I Code of Conduct, D&I Training, D&I Grants, D&I Ambassadors & role models.
YUFE promotes a zero-tolerance approach to any form of discrimination on the basis of, but not limited to, ethnic background, sex, gender identity, age, sexual orientation, disability, religion or belief, socio-economic status, caring responsibilities, refugee status. YUFE also recognises that individuals have multiple aspects to their identity and this intersectionality has an impact on their experiences, opportunities, participation and outcomes.
YUFE does not only offer virtual or physical mobility, but also combinations of these. Naturally, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic and its restrictions on movement, online activities were an important part of the YUFE way of working. Creating a student community online is indeed a big challenge and will push all institutions involved to new levels. Exploring innovative IT communication tools and promoting new ways of social interaction and cooperation trough the YUFE Virtual Campus ›, will be key. Now the Covid-19 pandemic is over, the virtual courses are still available.
Whilst at the moment ways of grading and assessment are not harmonised within YUFE academic partners, education and communication staff of the YUFE universities are working together intensively in order to establish common frameworks. YUFE is planning to build guidelines for teachers in learning teaching and assessment, to reflect the ‘YUFE philosophy’ in the classroom.
The housing situation is very different at the different YUFE places. The housing staff of each university will help organise the housing of YUFE students according to the local needs and opportunities.
YUFE also has an exciting citizen engagement initiative called YUFE@Home, where citizens can host students or staff on a YUFE journey.
Challenge-based learning (CBL) is a framework for learning while solving real-world challenges. The framework is collaborative and hands-on, asking all participants (students, staff, citizens and businesses) to identify ideas, questions, and challenges, whilst gaining in-depth subject area knowledge, developing 21st-century skills, and working together with their community.
YUFE universities are all academic institutions with a primarily academic focus. YUFE courses and programmes will therefore all be primarily academic. YUFE does aim to set up an enhanced cooperation in vocational education and training, but in a multidisciplinary setting applying academic knowledge.
Combining a vocational education with YUFE is not the main goal of YUFE, but YUFE is inclusive and will not by definition exclude diverse and motivated students whatever their background is. A separate programme will be developed.
A YUFE student needs to be enrolled as a student in one of universities in the YUFE Alliance in order to be eligible to apply for enrolment onto the YUFE Student Journey or to continue participating in the YUFE Student Journey. This means that when you graduate you no longer can participate or enrol onto the YUFE Student Journey.
Parents
In order to be a YUFE student you need to be enrolled at a YUFE university. You will therefore be paying the tuition fee from that university. There are no additional fees to be a YUFE student.
As a YUFE student, whether you will participate in the open programme or in an independent course or activity, you will enter a diverse, European environment that strives toward shaping the future of Europe. Unlike a regular exchange, you will have the opportunity to combine your educational mobility with taking on a language course, professional training and civic engagements.
The YUFE project is built on four focus areas in which you can specialise through the open programmes and through independent courses and activities, namely: European identity and responsibility in a globalized world, digital society, citizen’s well-being and global health, and sustainability. With YUFE, you do not only have the opportunity to engage with the expertise of one or two universities, but of ten leading, research-driven institutions.
YUFE does not (yet) offer its own stipends or scholarships. However, you can apply to ERASMUS+ or any other stipend or scholarship plans from your own university or country.
Our aim is to make participation in YUFE as easy as possible. In case the YUFE courses will be part of your study programme participating in YUFE will not necessarily prolong your studies. We advise you to contact your university’s degree programme director/coordinator or equivalent to discuss if YUFE courses and activities can be an intra curricular part of your degree programme.
Most YUFE courses will lead to credits (ECTS) that are recognised by all YUFE universities.
We advise you to contact your university’s degree programme director/coordinator or equivalent to discuss if YUFE courses and activities can be an intra curricular part of your degree programme.
YUFE expects a reasonable commitment from students, which could be higher than following a regular university degree. YUFE for example stimulates students to not just take up courses at another university, but to actively engage in society through civic engagement and professional activities.
Likewise, as YUFE is still in its early stages and is still piloting its educational offer, it is extremely important that YUFE students are willing to try something new. This means taking the good and excitement of the European University together with any occasional problems that might occur. Students have to be motivated to contribute to European identity and provide constructive feedback to help make YUFE into a new model of university.
We are continuously trying to find ways to make YUFE as inclusive as possible, as we think everyone should have the opportunity to benefit from the YUFE offerings and to contribute to the future of Europe. For example, we are very aware that moving abroad or travelling might not be a possibility for everyone. Therefore, we offer as much as possible virtual course offerings in case physical mobility is not an option.
The housing situation is very different at the different YUFE universities. The housing staff of each university will help organise the housing of YUFE students according to the local needs and opportunities.
YUFE also has an exciting citizen engagement initiative called YUFE@Home where students and staff on a YUFE journey are hosted in local community accommodation.
The YUFE programme is a strong asset on a student’s CV since alongside academic education it also entails skills training and engagement with societal and entrepreneurial actors.
Yes, in order to take part in YUFE, you need to have a B2 level of English. The main language in the YUFE programmes is English, and a B2 level of English on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is needed in order to participate in all courses and activities. All YUFE students and staff are encouraged to learn more foreign languages.
As this is a very much country-by-country basis, we suggest to contact your university’s Erasmus office, who have expertise with students going abroad and any legal and medical challenges and solutions that come with it.
At each partner university both the YUFE decentral admission officer and the Erasmus coordinator will be there to give students information and help where needed.
Staff
YUFE wants to encourage exchange between its members and to create a dynamic process of mutual learning between all partner universities. Everybody working at a YUFE university, so academic and non-academic staff, can be seen as YUFE staff, even if they are not (yet) involved in the YUFE process directly.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, physical exchange has become harder and YUFE has decided to delay all physical staff exchanges. Instead, we have focused on online opportunities such as taking part in the YUFE Academy, online webinars or staff trainings.
YUFE provides an unprecedented opportunity for all involved to take part in a form of mobility and exchange with ten young and innovative universities in Europe. YUFE does not only facilitate exchanges, but also new learning processes and development opportunities such as challenge-based learning and cooperation between staff, students, citizens and businesses.
YUFE will offer staff development opportunities at all levels. Amongst others, YUFE will offer career tracks and a professional mobility scheme to foster collaboration of both academics and non-academics.
We are excited for you to join YUFE on this journey! We are currently still working on developing some exciting calls for YUFE staff. Once ready, all offers will be published on the website. Deadlines are indicated in each call. Selection procedures may vary from call to call.
Faculties benefit from organising YUFE courses through mutual exchange and best practice sharing with other institutions. It is naturally also always advantageous to have a diverse and heterogeneous group of students and learners, which YUFE facilitates. Lastly, YUFE courses foster long-term cooperation between YUFE partners.
There is no fixed limit to the number of participants to date. This depends on the respective measures of staff development. All programme offers, once ready, will be available on the website.
The first staff related call will offer positions for postdocs. A first call will be published in fall 2020 with a starting date for the first cohort in 2021. Each university is planning to offer at least one postdoc position, thus 10 positions per year may be available in the near future. Calls for other staff groups will follow.
Individuals however can make use of the mobility schemes as soon as travel restrictions are no longer in place.
The first cohort of postdoc researchers will start in 2021. Each university is planning to offer at least one postdoc position, thus 10 positions per year may be available in the near future. Calls for other staff groups will follow. Positions will be published in fall 2020, with application instructions, on the website.
YUFE offers early career track positions for PhDs as well as the opportunity to be physically and virtually mobile through your PhD.
We believe that taking part in YUFE expands the career paths of university employees.
YUFE will therefore offer career paths to all university staff with an international dimension. New opportunities for exchange and work shadowing, such as short visits to YUFE partner universities, will become available soon. Offers will be posted on the Staff Portal, which is currently under construction, as well as on the individual webpages and employment portals of the YUFE partners.
YUFE Staff Weeks promote YUFE values, mobility across YUFE partners and mutual learning. They are a core element in implementing the policies of the different work packages on the ground by bringing together experts and those interested in building the YUFE university. Staff weeks have a minimum duration of 2 days. Their thematic programme features different formats (presentations, debates, round tables, break-out sessions, workshops, job shadowing) and may as well include experts from other YUFE universities.
Offers, which are still being developed, will be posted on the YUFE Staff Portal on the Virtual Campus as well as on the individual webpages of the YUFE partners.
You can apply for YUFE’s “job shadowing programme” where you visit a colleague at another YUFE university to learn how similar tasks are organised, by writing an email to the Institutional Coordinator of the YUFE partner institution that you would like to visit. In this email, you describe your background and the plans for your visit. The Coordinator forwards your request to your counterpart. After you and your counterpart agree on an appropriate date of your visit, you apply within your institution for Erasmus staff mobility funding. Please keep in mind that there might be fixed deadlines for the application process in your institution.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, all physical summer schools had to be postponed. We are currently working on summer and/or winter schools to be launched shortly. All other offers including online courses as well as the YUFE Academy will be posted on the YUFE Virtual Campus in the coming months.
YUFE does so far not have any mobility allowances itself. There are however opportunities to finance mobility via the existing Erasmus schemes. Please get in touch with the relevant people within your university for more information.
All YUFE partners share the view that the academic and professional staff in the YUFE universities are the key enablers of the YUFE Alliance.
By adopting a joint staff development policy, the YUFE partners commit themselves to realising the vision of a European University, enabling the development of all staff members with regards to their knowledge, skills and talents and to empower all staff to build YUFE into a young, student centred, non-elitist, open and inclusive university.
YUFE promotes a zero tolerance approach to any form of discrimination on the basis of, but not limited to, ethnic background, sex, gender identity, age, sexual orientation, disability, religion or belief, socio-economic status, caring responsibilities, refugee status. YUFE also recognises that individuals have multiple aspects to their identity and this intersectionality has an impact on their experiences, opportunities, participation and outcomes.
We are so happy you are excited about getting in touch with colleagues at the other YUFE universities! YUFE is currently working on a Staff portal that will offer a special feature on research collaboration opportunities. In the meantime, requests on research collaboration can be send to the individual universities’ international offices and to the YUFE Institutional Coordinator.
The principles of YUFE’s recruiting practises are outlined in the YUFE Recruitment Policy. YUFE partners share the view that academic and administrative staff, together with the students, citizens and businesses, are the key enablers of the YUFE Alliance.
Having adopted a joint staff development policy, YUFE partners commit themselves to realising the vision of a European University, enabling the development of all staff members with regards to their knowledge, skills and talents and to empower all staff to build YUFE into a young, student centred, non-elitist, open and inclusive university.
YUFE promotes a zero tolerance approach to any form of discrimination on the basis of, but not limited to, ethnic background, sex, gender identity, age, sexual orientation, disability, religion or belief, socio-economic status, caring responsibilities, refugee status. YUFE also recognises that individuals have multiple aspects to their identity and this intersectionality has an impact on their experiences, opportunities, participation and outcomes.
The YUFE Academy in 2020 will be an exciting online sequence of lectures and workshops travelling along the YUFE campi on “European Identity”, YUFE’s first focus area, which will give participants a “feel” of YUFE. This first YUFE Academy will be open to all interested parties. The programme and all details for registration will be published soon on the YUFE Website.
Yes, YUFE finds virtual, blended and physical mobility extremely important. YUFE put an important emphasis on online and blended mobility already ahead of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, naturally the Covid-19 pandemic and its restrictions on gatherings and mobility have ensured YUFE has made even more online courses and activities available. YUFE’s offers are currently elaborated and can be found on the YUFE Staff Portal, once launched.
The four YUFE Focus Areas are:
- European identity and responsibilities in a global world
- Digital societies
- Citizens health and well-being
- Sustainability
Our focus areas correspond with some of today’s greatest global challenges, and those likely to face our societies in the future, in Europe and elsewhere. By bringing together research, education, industry and citizens, we will work towards solutions that benefit every European citizen and region.
The YUFE Alliance and its individual partner institutions welcome all initiatives to participate in YUFE mobility measures. However, a willingness to participate does not automatically constitute a right to participate. Participation in mobility schemes is subject to a successful application. If you want to participate in one of the measures offered, please get in touch with your superior, for approval, and YUFE Institutional Coordinator, for more information.
Our ultimate goal is for you to receive a YUFE certificate showcasing you have participated in a YUFE mobility measure. We are still working on what a specific YUFE certification will look like. Thus, participation in YUFE mobility measures will for now be certified by the institution hosting the corresponding programme.
We are excited for you wanting to be part of multiple YUFE programmes. Participation in staff weeks or other mobility measures need to be approved by your home institution. Please contact your Institutional Coordinator for more information on this matter as well as your superior for approval. The YUFE Alliance itself does not set up any restrictions or limitations on the amount of times you can participate.
Travelling with your entire team to another YUFE institution depends on the respective measures and its requirements. Additionally, a university must be able to afford absence of an entire team for a specific amount of time. Therefore, issues like these need to be decided on a case-by-case basis.
We are excited for you wanting to be part of YUFE! This is a great question, and we are still looking into the practicalities of whether time spent at another YUFE university could count for your limitation periods.
We are excited for you wanting to be part of YUFE! This is a great question, and we are still looking into the practicalities of who is responsible whilst you are at another YUFE university. For now, we would suggest you to contact the relevant people within your institution on your institution’s insurance policy.
Yes, we want to stay in touch with you! The YUFE Talent and Expert portal, which is currently being developed, will function as a platform for all further exchange and discussions. Similarly, a YUFE Alumni Association will be set up in the near future.
Yes definitely! YUFE aspires to be an open and inclusive European University for all. YUFE put an important emphasis on online and blended mobility already ahead of the Covid-19 pandemic. Naturally the Covid-19 pandemic and its restrictions on gatherings and mobility have ensured YUFE has made even more available online.
We are currently working on a 2-day online programme in autumn 2020 on “Service and support structure for international researchers and staff”. Other offers will be on “International doctoral collaboration”, “Institutional Governance and Strategic Management”, “Financial Issues in Higher Education”, “Making Education Accessible for Students with Disabilities” to name a few. A full catalogue of offers will be placed on our Staff Portal.
We are currently working on a 2-day online programme in autumn 2020 on “Service and support structure for international researchers and staff”. Other offers will be on “International doctoral collaboration”, “Institutional Governance and Strategic Management”, “Financial Issues in Higher Education”, “Making Education Accessible for Students with Disabilities” to name a few. A full catalogue of offers will be placed on our Staff Portal.
Moreover, YUFE offers plenty of opportunities to engage at the different universities. Please have a look at YUFE in our Cities, such as take part in the YUFE Helpdesks, the YUFE @Home programme etcetera. and all activities offered at your institution.
YUFE programmes are offered to full time as well as part time staff members.
In order to participate in YUFE it is beneficial to understand and speak English at B2 level at least (following the CEFR framework). There are language courses offered at each YUFE university open to YUFE staff members.
There are no costs associated to being a YUFE staff member, apart from any costs involved in physical mobility activities. However, for any physical mobility activities, Erasmus grants might be available.
Although it can be anticipated, that a firm commitment towards the YUFE alliance, i. e. a participation in YUFE activities, such as staff weeks, further education and training opportunities will lead to an upgrade in personal skills, the YUFE alliance cannot address questions related to salaries of individual staff members at partner universities. Negotiations about salaries are not a subject of YUFE as an Alliance but of individual staff and their respective employer.
YUFE staff members benefit in a twofold manner. For staff, YUFE will be a means of developing their careers within the European environment. University management staff together with students, citizens and business professionals will collaborate in knowledge-creating teams, which will lead to an individual upgrade of skills that in turn will be beneficial for the YUFE Alliance as a whole.
YUFE expects a reasonable commitment from its staff and students, which could be higher than a regular job. YUFE for example stimulates staff to not just focus on mobility and work placements at another university, but also to actively engage in society through civic engagement and professional activities and take up academic courses.
Likewise, as YUFE is still in its early stages, it is extremely important that YUFE staff are willing to try something new. This means taking the good and excitement of the European University, with any hiccups that might happen. Staff have to be motivated to contribute to European identity and provide constructive feedback to help make YUFE into a new model of university.
Diversity and inclusivity is extremely important to YUFE. Therefore, YUFE is not looking for a specific kind of people to participate in its activities. We hope to reach all different kinds of people as staff, students and learners.
As YUFE is still in its early stages, it is extremely important that YUFE staff are willing to try something new. This means taking the good and excitement of the European University, with any hiccups that might happen. Staff have to be motivated to contribute to European identity and provide constructive feedback to help make YUFE into a new model of university. We hope to welcome staff that are motivated to work in an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary way. In this vein, we ask you to be open to various perspectives and to be willing to step outside of your academic bubble.
The YUFE Staff Portal will become a resource for all universities and public and private organisations across Europe looking for highly-skilled, responsible and resilient employees to fulfil the needs of the ever changing workforce. Via the YUFE Staff Portal, universities, other education providers, research institutes, companies, public bodies and non-governmental organisations in the ten regions will list their vacancies and funding opportunities on the YUFE Staff Portal.
The YUFE Staff Portal is currently being developed and will be available shortly. Please bear with us in the meantime.
YUFE considers all phases of a career a journey, and supports its staff members through training and coaching to move forward in their professional career = on their journey.
The YUFE Alliance welcomes ideas and initiatives on projects, learning opportunities, topical staff weeks etc. As a first step, please get in touch with your Institutional Coordinator.
If you would like information on your institution’s active YUFE Alliance staff, please get in touch with your Institutional Coordinator.
Citizens
There is no use in gaining knowledge without putting it to good use. Our students are looking for volunteering opportunities, co-living options and local challenges that can use fresh insights, and your experience in taking their theoretical knowledge into reality.
If you have a challenge you would like help with or a question, you can send it to our helpdesks, once up and running.
Simultaneously, YUFE also provides you with opportunities to test and upgrade your skills by taking courses through the YUFE Virtual Campus, which is still being developed.
Among many other ways, you can offer assistance or guidance in the YUFE volunteering programme or participate in the YUFE @Home co-living scheme.
Once the YUFE Citizens’ portal is up and running you can check the current opportunities in your local area there. There will always be initiatives you can join. Also, please let us know how we can help you and your city as YUFE.
Helpdesks will be available online and/or physically and at pop-up events in the cities where the 10 YUFE universities are located. The first YUFE Help Desks will be launched in May 2021.
YUFE students and staff are encouraged to participate in volunteering activities offered on the YUFE Volunteering platform. This includes assisting local citizens with doing groceries, maintaining the garden and providing company for those who feel lonely, such as through co-living solutions offered via YUFE @Home. Perhaps you do not need any assistance, but would like to learn or practice your foreign language skills, or teach a foreign student or staff more about your language or culture?
Another important component in YUFE are the YUFE Helpdesks and YUFE Challenge Teams. Through both mechanisms, YUFE students and staff, amongst others, try to help solve local and global challenges. Do you have a challenge you would like to submit?
YUFE started as an initiative by the European Commission. YUFE received a pilot grant for three years from the European Commission, and therefore supplies a large part of the YUFE’s funding. Because all YUFE partners are so committed to YUFE and its vision, all YUFE partners provide a lot of additional funding themselves too. Finally, many national funding bodies were convinced of YUFE’s ideas and provided additional funding.
Carrying the responsibility that comes with helping out requires adequate matching and safeguarding. At YUFE we try to carefully balance the act of safeguarding people in society, whilst keeping volunteering inclusive and accessible for all. We are currently working on guidelines for this process. We do not envision that all volunteering requires a selection process, but some activities might require a “certificate of conduct” or specific degrees (e.g. when giving medical or legal advice). This would be the case for YUFE students and staff, but also citizens hosting YUFE students and staff for example. Once the activities are launched, these guidelines will be in place and accessible for all.
That is great! We are so pleased you can help create a closer link between YUFE students and/or staff and the local community. YUFE @Home will be launched in 2021. We will update the relevant contact information here at that time.
Businesses
YUFE students are beneficiaries of a multinational and multidisciplinary challenge based education. They have not just taken part in an exchange programme but combined their educational mobility with language courses, professional training and civic engagements. YUFE students have developed resilience and entrepreneurial skills to face the future of their personal and professional life.
YUFE students have experience working closely together with businesses and citizens in the YUFE Challenge Teams. All skills that they can use in a professional environment.
We are very keen on your interest in hiring YUFE students. However, we do not yet have an answer to this question as it is also dependent on national regulations. For now, please get in contact with the nearest YUFE academic partner.
When it comes to integrating a YUFE student with other employees, YUFE students have experience working closely together with businesses and citizens in the YUFE Challenge Teams.
We are very keen on your interest in hiring YUFE students. However, we do not yet have an answer to this question as it is also dependent on national regulations. For now, please get in contact with the nearest YUFE academic partner.
We are very keen on your interest in hiring YUFE students. However, we do not yet have an answer to this question as it is also dependent on national regulations. For now, please get in contact with the nearest YUFE academic partner.
We are very keen on your interest in hiring YUFE students. However, we do not yet have an answer to this question as it is also dependent on national regulations. For now, please get in contact with the nearest YUFE academic partner.
We are very keen on your interest in hiring YUFE students. However, we do not yet have an answer to this question as it is also dependent on national regulations. For now, please get in contact with the nearest YUFE academic partner.
We are very keen on your interest in hiring YUFE students. However, we do not yet have an answer to this question as it is also dependent on national regulations. For now, please get in contact with the nearest YUFE academic partner.
We are very keen on your interest in hiring YUFE students. Please get in contact with the nearest YUFE academic partner.
We are very keen on your interest in hiring YUFE students. Please get in contact with the nearest YUFE academic partner.
YUFE Challenge Teams gather students, researchers, experts from both the public and private sector, and citizens from different fields working together to achieve one or various feasible and innovative solutions to a social, scientific or technological targeted goal. These are not meant to address one company short term profitable challenge but, in case of industry, more a sectorial or collective challenge which resolution would benefit to a group.
For a company to become a part of a YUFE Challenge Team, please contact your nearest YUFE academic partner.
Of course the involvement of a YUFE student helps to establish a collaboration but it is not a free entry to campus, The scope of the collaboration needs to be address and its particularities agreed upon.
YUFE offers two programmes to enhance entrepreneurial skills: Chellenges Teams and the Entrepreneurial Training Programme. You can find more information in the following link.
We are very keen that you express interest in working together with YUFE. YUFE is developing 4 innovation platforms based on: Citizens wellbeing, Digital societies, Sustainability and European identity and responsibilities in a global world.
If you would like any further information please get in contact with your nearest YUFE Institution.
YUFE is willing to help with knowledge and research capacity and academic teams’ contributions, therefore, it would depend on the funding opportunities you are thinking on and the alignment of the expertise that the Alliance can provide.
Government and Policy Makers
YUFE calls for representatives of the local community to cooperate to ensure that benefits of internationalisation are spread throughout society and are available to everyone. Politicians can help in defining the purpose and goals of the YUFE Help Desks, volunteering activities and in developing the YUFE @Home co-living scheme, but also in providing administrative support, helping in disseminating the information on YUFE activities etc.
YUFE will be beneficial for everyone in society. Following the quadruple-helix process, YUFE wants to cooperate to ensure that the benefits of internationalisation are spread throughout society and are available to everyone, including disadvantaged groups in society. By working together on the same goal, society as a whole will become more equal with opportunities for groups they could otherwise not engage in. For example, the single mother who can enjoy an exchange experience from her home through virtual courses on the YUFE Virtual Campus. Citizens seeing nothing other than people speaking different languages in their city, will now be able to get legal or medical advice from them through YUFE volunteering, or cooperate in solving one of the local challenges through the YUFE Help Desks or Challenge Teams.
YUFE is so far only a pilot project of the European Commission with funding committed only for three years. To achieve its ambitious goals, YUFE partners have already been investing a lot of their own resources into the European University. They have also been able to acquire some local and national funding. Naturally, any additional funding allows YUFE to achieve more in a shorter timeframe.
Additionally, YUFE can always use more active engagement from everyone within society. Therefore helping disseminate YUFE’s message and actions are key in getting as many citizens as possible involved.
That is great! We are so pleased you want to help create a closer link between YUFE and the European community. Please contact YUFE’s Management Office at info@yufe.eu.