Session VII: Investing in Future: Empowering Young Generation through Education and Mobility

Mobility is one of the key components of Eastern Partnership with the potential of durable societal impact to the benefit of all the sides involved. Visa liberalization and temporary labour/circular migration can deliver most visible and tangible benefits to the citizens of these countries offering clear opportunities to those who seek better education, business contacts, cultural exchange. Mobility can particularly empower the young generation.

In this sense, the EaP aims at enhancing the quality of education in partner countries by focusing on modernization and reforms in line with European Higher Education Area. Closer links between education, research and innovation, on the one hand, and market demand and opportunities, on the other, will enhance smart specialization and will help improve economic competitiveness of each partner.

The deepest impact of mobility is psychological: the citizens of the countries with advanced mobility with the EU acquire a sense of belonging to Europe. What are the lessons learned from this long process and what are the opportunities still to be exploited from 2020?