Enhancing employability through academic mobility and internships

4 December 2024, Marseille – The UfM participated in the HOMERe Conference held in Marseille, France, under the theme “International Mobility as a Driver for Employability and the Professionalisation of Careers.” The event, organised by HOMERe France, gathered stakeholders from various countries across the Euro-Mediterranean region and focused on the role of academic mobility and internships in boosting employability and enhancing career prospects for young people, especially in the context of south-north, north-south, and south-south mobility.

The conference highlighted the importance of mobility in improving graduates’ employability. Discussions centred on the challenges and opportunities presented by internships, particularly in strengthening the connections between universities, students, and companies. Participants engaged in brainstorming workshops using the World Cafe method, leading to the development of strategies to address barriers to mobility and enhance the impact of the HOMERe programme.

Best practices shared during the event included integrating the HOMERe mobility mission into broader local employability initiatives and creating independent associations to unite internship departments of higher education institutions and companies. The conference also explored the potential of dual degree mobility and the establishment of networks, such as the Mediterranean Network of Engineering and Management Schools (RMEIM), to support internships across the Mediterranean region.

The afternoon session of the conference included a public conference organised by HOMERe France in partnership with the UfM. This part of the event featured insightful discussions on the benefits of international youth mobility in the Mediterranean, with a focus on developing skills for socially and environmentally responsible sectors. The session also included workshops on how international mobility serves as a driver for employability and professionalisation, with expert speakers from across the region.

The conference concluded with the reaffirmation of UfM’s support for the HOMERe programme and the exploration of its expansion to additional countries, particularly Spain and Italy. Furthermore, new partnerships were formed, including initial contacts between the Mediterranean New Chance network (MedNC) and the HOMERe national associations, with plans for a joint event in Alexandria in November 2025. Looking ahead, UfM will continue to support these initiatives, with further opportunities for collaboration and funding under consideration.