The EMERGE European University Alliance invites NGOs, Third Places, schools, public institutions, community hubs, and practitioners to join a European mentoring network supporting community-engaged internships and fellowships.
This initiative forms part of EMERGE’s mission to empower the margins of Europe through regional and global engagement.
As a European Universities alliance under the Erasmus+ programme, EMERGE places societal and territorial engagement at the centre of education and research. Community-engaged placements are one of the key instruments through which this mission becomes tangible.
Why Join the EMERGE Mentor Network?
EMERGE placements are co-designed with organisations and built around real community priorities.
They are not predefined university exercises. They respond to your needs.
Through this framework, your organisation can:
- Strengthen Organisational Capacity
Students and researchers can contribute to developing new initiatives, evaluating existing programmes, conducting applied research, documenting impact, or addressing concrete community challenges. The goal is long-term added value aligned with your strategic priorities. - Shape Research and Learning Agendas
Community partners co-define research questions and learning objectives. Your expertise is recognised as equal in the knowledge creation process. This reflects EMERGE’s commitment to inclusion and solidarity as core values - Strengthen Your Role as a Knowledge Partner
EMERGE recognises community actors as co-creators of knowledge, not passive hosts. This approach aligns with the Alliance’s objective of engaging the margins and reimagining institutional models - Increase Visibility and Strategic Positioning
By joining the network, your organisation becomes part of a transnational alliance of nine universities across eight countries. This creates pathways for long-term collaboration and European peer exchange. - Engage in European Peer Learning
Exchange practices with academics and practitioners across Europe working on inclusion, regional development, sustainability, multilingualism, and social innovation.
What Are Community-Engaged Internships and Fellowships?
Community-engaged placements are built on reciprocity, co-creation, and shared responsibility.
Community-Engaged Internship
A student collaborates with your organisation on a defined community challenge such as inclusion, sustainability, education, digital transition, or regional development. Outcomes may include practical tools, programme development, pilot initiatives, or structured documentation.
Community-Engaged Fellowship
A Master’s or PhD student conducts research in partnership with your organisation. Research questions are co-defined, and outputs include both academic results and practice-oriented deliverables supporting evidence-based decision-making.
These models contribute directly to EMERGE’s strategic objectives of educating the margins and connecting the margins through collaborative and intercultural learning.
Professional Development Opportunity
Online Mentor Training and Certification
As part of the mentoring framework, EMERGE offers an online training programme designed to strengthen competences in:
- mentoring and supervision
- community-engaged learning
- community-engaged research
- ethical collaboration and reciprocity
- facilitating reflection
- managing university–community partnerships
The training:
- is delivered online in an accessible format
- supports your professional development beyond student supervision
- contributes to organisational growth
- leads to a Certificate of Completion
Participation is strongly recommended for organisations new to mentoring, though not mandatory if you already have experience or an existing placement offer.
Who Can Join?
We welcome expressions of interest from:
- NGOs and civil society organisations
- Third Places and community hubs
- Schools and education providers
- Public institutions and local authorities
- Practitioners in community work, civic engagement, social innovation, culture, sustainability, and regional development
Both experienced mentors and organisations new to mentoring are encouraged to participate.
How the Process Works?
EMERGE offers flexible pathways to join the mentoring ecosystem.
Pathway 1 – Expression of Interest
Submit a short online form describing your organisation and areas of interest.
Pathway 2 – Direct Invitation by a University Partner
If your organisation already collaborates with an EMERGE university, your cooperation can be integrated directly into the EMERGE framework.
If You Already Have a Placement Proposal
If you have a concrete internship idea or a research topic suitable for a Master’s or PhD fellowship, you may submit it directly. There is no need to wait for the full training cycle.
After Joining
Next steps may include:
- Clarifying expectations and capacities
- Participation in mentor training
- Co-designing internships or fellowships aligned with your needs
- Matching with students or researchers
- Ongoing support before, during, and after placements
Submitting an Expression of Interest does not create a contractual obligation to host a placement. It is the first step toward structured and supported cooperation.
Existing Mentor Network
EMERGE has already established a growing internal mentor database composed of organisations across partner regions that have expressed interest in community-engaged internships and fellowships.
This database is accessible to EMERGE partner universities and relevant institutional stakeholders for coordination and matching purposes. Access is managed to ensure data protection, quality assurance, and alignment with the Alliance’s governance framework.
If your organisation joins the network, your profile may be included in this internal database to facilitate structured matching with students and researchers across the Alliance.
Access the EMERGE Mentor Database
How to Apply?
Complete the Expression of Interest form:
EMERGE – Expression of Interest Mentoring for Community-Engaged Internships & Fellowships
Online Information Session
Interested organisations are invited to join an online information session where the EMERGE framework, mentoring model, and participation pathways will be presented.
Date: 27 April 2026
Time: 14:00 CET
Registration: Register for the Online Information Session
Participation is optional but recommended.
Join EMERGE
By joining the EMERGE mentor network, you contribute to:
- Ethical and reciprocal community engagement
- Collaborative and impact-oriented research
- Inclusive and multilingual education environments
- Strong partnerships between universities and society
EMERGE connects 126,000 students and 10,800 staff across Europe . Through this call, community organisations become active partners in shaping inclusive, resilient, and regionally grounded higher education.
Because empowering the margins is not a slogan. It is a structural commitment.