How can Europe become a tangible experience for young people? For eleven students from Viennese vocational schools, the answer in early June 2026 was clear: through encounters, exchange, and collaborative learning with a partner class from Antwerp. The students had previously taken part in our “Brussels Challenge”. With creative contributions on sustainability, social justice, and Europe’s future, they impressed the jury and earned the opportunity to travel to Brussels as part of the Erasmus+ enterEurope VET2. Together with their Belgian partner class, they worked on European topics and exchanged experiences from their school and vocational training lives. The programme also included visits to the European Parliament, the Parlamentarium, the Vienna Liaison Office in Brussels, and the House of European History, as well as a meeting with an Austrian Member of the European Parliament. A particular highlight was the joint visit to Antwerp, where the Belgian students designed and led an interactive city tour for their Viennese guests.
For the students, Europe became more than just a topic discussed in the classroom; through personal encounters and exchange, it became a lived experience.