Launching the EUINSPIRE Project – Young People Co-Creating the Future of Europe
On Friday, 27 February 2026, the Faculty of Political Science of the University of Sarajevo, together with partners, officially launched the international project EUINSPIRE – Engaging Young People and Citizens in Shaping Policies for a Reformed Europe, which will run until February 2028.
The EUINSPIRE project brings together partners from four countries: the University of Ljubljana (Faculty of Social Sciences) as project coordinator, the University of Sarajevo, the University of Rijeka, the University of Belgrade (Faculty of Political Sciences), and the Institute for Political Management (IPM). The project will run for 24 months.
At the beginning of the project, the partners held a virtual kick-off meeting to review the project’s key objectives, present the planned activities, and coordinate the framework for cooperation.
What is EUINSPIRE?
EUINSPIRE addresses the growing challenge of democratic disengagement and declining political participation among young people, particularly in the Western Balkans and across the European Union. The project aims to strengthen youth engagement in discussions on EU policies and empower young people to become active participants in democratic processes. The project is built on approaches such as policy co-creation, experiential learning, and the use of innovative digital tools that enable young people to take an active role in debates on the future of Europe.
A central element of the project is the development of the EUINSPIRE online multiverse, an interactive participatory platform designed to support the co-creation of EU policy recommendations and foster inclusive dialogue between citizens and policymakers. The project also places special emphasis on strengthening democratic values, civic participation, and cooperation between young people, educational institutions, and decision-makers.
Who is the project intended for?
EUINSPIRE brings together several stakeholder groups, with a particular focus on young people:
- Secondary school students (aged 15–19)
- Through workshops, Model EU simulations, and other participatory activities, young participants will gain knowledge about democracy, EU institutions, and active citizenship, while becoming familiar with EU decision-making processes.
- University students (aged 19–28)
- Students will take part in the implementation of activities, support the organisation of Model EU sessions, and actively contribute to the co-creation of ideas and recommendations related to future European policies.
- Teachers, professors, and youth activists
- This group will participate in training programmes designed to equip them with pedagogical tools and methodologies for teaching about the European Union, democratic participation, and civic engagement.
- The wider public and policymakers
- The project will encourage dialogue between young people, policymakers, and the wider public on the future of the European Union and on opportunities for meaningful youth participation in democratic processes.
What can we expect from the EUINSPIRE over the next two years?
Over the course of the project, a wide range of activities will be implemented to strengthen youth participation and improve understanding of European policymaking processes, including:
- the development of the EUINSPIRE online multiverse, – an interactive platform enabling users to explore EU priorities and co-create policy recommendations,
- Model EU simulation sessions, where secondary school and university students will take on the roles of decision-makers and engage in simulated EU decision-making processes,
- national and regional student conferences dedicated to discussions on EU policies and the future of European integration, an international summer school on EU governance, policies, and democratic participation,
- the development of educational materials and a training curriculum for education professionals,
- the EUINSPIRE Policy Engagement Fair, presenting key EU policy areas and opportunities for youth participation through interactive activities,
- the BALKANcast podcast series, focusing on issues related to EU integration and democratic participation in the Western Balkans,
- a PhotoVoice exhibition, showcasing young people’s perspectives on European society through photography.
Through these activities, the EUINSPIRE project will create meaningful opportunities for young people to actively contribute to debates, ideas, and recommendations related to the future development of the European Union.
The project concept and application were supported by the Directorate for European Integration of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Federal Ministry of Education and Science, Humanity in Action BiH, the Civil Society Promotion Centre, the Foreign Policy Initiative BiH, and the Pan-European Union of BiH.
The EUINSPIRE project team at the Faculty of Political Science of the University of Sarajevo includes Prof. Dr. Nedžma Džananović, Prof. Dr. Sead Turčalo, and Dr. Sanel Huskić.
The EUINSPIRE project (101252803 – EUINSPIRE – CERV-2025-CITIZENS-CIV) is co-funded by the European Union under the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme. The views and opinions expressed within the project are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union or the European Commission.
