On May 13, 2025, the Iscte-CVTT hosted the Multiplier Forum of the "Inclusion+ : Tackling the challenges of Erasmus+ mobility inclusion and diversity at higher education level", coordinated by Thais França (CIES-Iscte) and funded by the Erasmus+ Agency.
The event brought together more than 30 participants — researchers, international relations professionals, student support staff, representatives from municipalities, and civil society organisations — from different parts of the country in a space for reflection, collaboration, and genuine exchange on inclusion in Erasmus+ mobility.
The event took place in a hybrid format, with Thais França and Liana Azevedo, from CIES-Iscte, facilitating the in-person session in Lisbon, while João Caramelo, from the University of Porto, and Cosmin Nada, also from CIES-Iscte, coordinated and supported the online participation — ensuring that the conversation reached everyone, regardless of their location.
The afternoon began by giving voice to those who matter most: the students themselves. First-hand testimonies were shared about what it means to try to participate in Erasmus+ mobility while living with a disability or carrying caregiving responsibilities — stories that revealed practical barriers, but also possible pathways towards a more inclusive Erasmus+ programme. The Inclusion+ team then presented the project’s main outcomes: the storytelling report built from lived experiences, the tools co-created in the Collaborative Labs, the action roadmap for higher education institutions and cities, and the prototype of a mobile application designed with and for students with disabilities — enabling them to navigate their host city with greater autonomy and confidence.
However, the Forum was not merely a presentation event. Above all, it was a moment of collective work. During a participatory session, attendees — specialists, professionals, and partners — engaged deeply with the Inclusion+ tools, questioning what may appear simple on paper but proves difficult in practice, identifying where collaboration between universities and cities can be most transformative, and imagining the changes they hope to see one year from now. The message that remained throughout the event is the one that runs across the entire project: inclusion is a collective responsibility. Universities cannot achieve it alone. Cities cannot achieve it alone. And students should not have to solve everything on their own. The Multiplier Forum represented another important step towards this shared responsibility.
Soon, the final versions of the documents presented during the event will be available on the project website, where the first podcast episodes can already be accessed.
You can also follow the project’s activities on LinkdedIn.
