Employability Beyond Borders

“Employability Beyond Borders” is coordinated by Sapienza Università di Roma (SUR) and co-coordinated by Aix-Marseille Université (AMU) and Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM).

The project is conceived and implemented by six students:

• Milena Buffoni & Lara Savini (SUR)
• Warren Lawson Wingrove & Aya El Jazouli (AMU)
• Claudia Pardo García & Carolina Koening Donate (UAM)

United by a shared concern—the gap between academic training and professional orientation—the team designed a project that complements existing university Career Centre services through an innovative peer-to-peer model. Created by students for students, the initiative promotes practical career awareness, strategic thinking and transnational exchange within the CIVIS Alliance.

The project primarily addresses students in:

• Political Science
• International Relations
• Languages
• Related social sciences and humanities fields

However, participation remains open to all students interested in employability and career planning.

Each conference hosts approximately 50–80 participants, lasts two hours, and is conducted in English, with language interpretation support available upon request. All events provide hybrid access, enabling both in-person and online participation.

Beyond practical career advice, each conference also presents the opportunities offered by the CIVIS Alliance, situating employability within a broader European academic framework.

Opening Conference: Universidad Autónoma de Madrid – 15 September 2025

The project was successfully launched at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid.

From 13–16 September 2025, four organisers (SUR and AMU) undertook a three-day mobility to co-organise and facilitate the event. A preparatory kick-off meeting defined objectives, timelines, and responsibilities.

Held at the beginning of the academic year—when international (Erasmus and other) students were highly present—the Madrid conference embodied the project’s “beyond borders” spirit. The two-hour session concluded with a networking refreshment and internal monitoring meeting to evaluate strengths and areas for improvement.

Research Phase: Aix-Marseille Université – April 2026

In April 2026, the project enters its research phase at Aix-Marseille Université.

Organisers conduct remote and on-site research examining AMU’s employability strategy, including:

• Visits to the Career Centre
• Analysis of current and past employability initiatives
• Interviews with students regarding satisfaction and effectiveness

The findings will be synthesised and presented at the final conference, ensuring that the project evolves through evidence-based reflection and institutional benchmarking.

Closing Conference: Sapienza Università di Roma – May 2026

The project will culminate at Sapienza Università di Roma in May 2026.

Organised by SUR students, the final conference will welcome representatives from Sapienza’s Career Centre and the president of a local NGO. It will serve as a dissemination platform for research results and as a forum for dialogue between students, academia and civil society.

The project responds to a widespread challenge: many students struggle to identify career paths aligned with their academic background and personal strengths.

Main Objective: Increase students’ awareness of career opportunities and improve employability.
Specific Objective: Support students in political science, languages and international relations through peer-to-peer career guidance.

Its added value lies in:

• A student-driven methodology grounded in peer education.
• A transnational dimension, connecting Madrid, Marseille and Rome.
• An evidence-based approach, integrating research into practical events.
• A sustainability strategy, providing QR-coded materials linking to conference presentations and a comprehensive employability guide accessible without time limits.

Beyond Borders, Beyond Limits

“Employability Beyond Borders” is more than a sequence of conferences. It is a collective experiment in transnational student cooperation. It affirms that employability is not merely about entering the labour market—it is about understanding one’s trajectory, articulating ambitions, and navigating complexity with confidence.

By connecting Madrid, Marseille, and Rome, and by empowering students to guide one another across disciplines and cultures, the project transforms career orientation into a shared European endeavour.

In doing so, it demonstrates that employability—like education itself—knows no borders.

Project Duration: September 2025 – May 2026

Structure:

• Opening Conference – Madrid (15 September 2025)
• Research Phase – Marseille (April 2026)
• Closing Conference – Rome (May 2026)

Format: Hybrid (Onsite & Online)
Language: English (interpretation available upon request)
Target Group: Primarily Political Science, International Relations, Languages students (open to all)

“Employability Beyond Borders” demonstrates that professional orientation is not an individual struggle but a shared journey—strengthened by cooperation, reflection and dialogue across Europe.