Erasmus: ESN Sassari’s 20th Anniversary Celebrations Conclude

The 20th-anniversary celebrations of the ESN (Erasmus Student Network) Sassari association culminate with an event hosted by the University of Sassari: from September 18 to 20, the city will host ESN Italia’s "3rd National Platform 2026." This is the highlight of the entire celebratory program and marks the second time the event has been held in Sassari, following the 2015 edition. The event will open on Friday, September 18, at 11:00 AM in the ERSU conference hall on Via Coppino.

ESN Sassari originated within the University of Sassari, and over the past twenty years, it has built a relationship with the university that goes far beyond mere official endorsement. The university hosts the association's activities in its facilities, its Mobility and International Relations Office actively collaborates on welcoming international students, and ESN volunteers are an integral part of the support system for the Erasmus+ students who choose Sassari as their destination each year. In the 2024/25 academic year alone, 352 international students were welcomed, while 578 students departed from Sassari for universities across Europe and the globe. It is no coincidence that some former ESN Sassari members now work within the university's Mobility and International Relations Office; this serves as concrete proof of how volunteering within the association fosters professional skills that can be put to use within the university itself.

It is on this foundation that ESN Sassari has grown over the past twenty years into a partner recognized at the national level by ESN Italia—which brings together 53 university sections and over 8,000 volunteers—and at the European level by ESN International, Europe's largest student organization and an official partner of the European Commission for Erasmus+ programs. The 20th-anniversary celebrations—which have already featured the official ceremony on March 20th in the *Aula Magna* and the "Eurotrip" event on June 6th in *Piazza Università*—have received the patronage of the University of Sassari, the Autonomous Region of Sardinia, the Metropolitan City of Sassari, the Municipality of Sassari, and ERSU.

The National Platform—an event organized by ESN Italia four times a year in various Italian cities—will bring nearly 200 people to Sassari, including members of the National Board, delegates from the 53 local sections, and external guests.

The opening conference, scheduled for September 18th at 11:00 AM in the ERSU conference hall, will bring together delegates from the University of Sassari, ERSU representatives, and representatives from Eurodesk and *Carta Giovani Sardegna*, alongside numerous other institutional guests. They will engage in a discussion—facilitated by the "Voice Up" project—regarding opportunities for young people, active citizenship, and institutional support for university studies and international mobility.

For Sassari—a city that welcomes over 3,000 international students annually—and for its university, which has supported ESN Sassari’s growth leading up to this milestone, the National Platform stands as tangible proof of a collaboration that continues to generate value for both the university and the city as a whole.