„MEET THE ESN“ – PROMOTION OF STUDENT VOLUNTEERING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NOVI SAD

Under the title “Meet the ESN”, the University of Novi Sad organized an event dedicated to student volunteering, with special emphasis on the activities and opportunities offered by the Erasmus Student Network (ESN). The event took place in the Rectorate Building, on December 15, 2025, and was organized by UNS International Relations Office and Research and Project Management Office, within the support of the Erasmus+, ESN-AIR and EUGLOH projects.

The programme was focused on promotion of student volunteering within ESN, and the role of student volunteers in the process of internationalization at the University of Novi Sad. The audience also had the opportunity to learn about the personal experiences of several former and current ESN members and buddy volunteers, who also talked about the set of soft skills and accomplishments gained through their volunteer work. Furthermore, this was also an occasion to present international student mobility opportunities, talk about ways to gain international experience during university studies, and offer insight into possible professional development through the students’ ESN engagement.

The event was attended by the students of the University of Novi Sad who previously participated in the Erasmus+ mobility programme, and faculty coordinators for international cooperation. Foreign Erasmus+ students, currently on their academic mobility period at the University of Novi Sad, also joined in during the second part of the event dedicated to informal networking, organized for their better integration into the local academic community, and establishing contacts with local students with the support of ESN volunteers.

The event started with an introduction given by Ivana Vujkov, head of UNS IRO, who also announced the upcoming Erasmus+ calls for student mobility, followed by a presentation by Filip Marinković, coordinator of international relations and event moderator, who spoke about the significance of volunteer work for the University of Novi Sad and its connectedness with wider processes of internationalization. The programme also included a presentation given by Nina Jojić about EUGLOH and mobility opportunities offered within this European University Alliance, as well as a presentation by Tamara Opranović, current coordinator of the buddy programme, who talked about the activities of Novi Sad Erasmus Student Network and its role in supporting incoming and outgoing students at UNS.

Finally, the programme was concluded with the presentations from former and current ESN volunteers Una Galečić, Marija Murgaški, Elena Arsin, Anđela Stanišić, and Nikolina Manojlović, who talked about some of their personal experiences, motivation and benefits gained through their volunteer work.

All students interested in joining Erasmus Student Network can contact the University of Novi Sad International Relations Office for more information about how to join and participate in this kind of volunteer work.

The event “Meet the ESN” has once more confirmed the importance of student volunteering as an important segment of University internationalization, as well as the key role of the Erasmus Student Network in creating an inclusive, open, and internationally oriented academic environment.