Call for Submissions: UfM Med Youth Lab

Following the success of its first edition, in 2025 UfM Med Youth Lab will focus on project development, combining online training with in-person workshops and a final pitch event in Tirana, Albania (29 Sept – 2 Oct 2025).

During the final pitch event, participants will present their projects and receive feedback from UfM stakeholders. Up to three project teams will be invited to join a follow-up online mentorship programme led by the Euromed Innovation Center of the Euro-Mediterranean University of Fes, Morocco.

The programme is fully aligned with the UfM Youth Agenda and aims to equip 60 young changemakers with tools for collaboration, leadership, and civic action.

Thematic Areas

• Through expert-led sessions, teamwork, and mentorship, selected participants will turn their ideas into impactful project proposals linked to three thematic clusters:
  • Youth & Climate Adaptation
    • The UNFCCC defines climate adaptation as “adjustments in ecological, social or economic systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli and their effects.”
  • Youth from Education to Work
    • Youth unemployment is a pressing issue across the Mediterranean, with the MENA region facing some of the highest rates worldwide—29% of youth at Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEETs).
  • Youth in Peacebuilding
    • In 2015, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2250, launching the Youth, Peace, and Security Agenda and recognizing the critical role young people can play in peacebuilding when they are meaningfully engaged.

Benefits

• Travel (flights, transfers, insurance)
• Accommodation
• Visa support and fees reimbursement
• Access to training materials

Eligibility Criteria

• To take part in the UfM Med Youth Lab 2025, applicants must meet the following criteria:
  • Be between 18 and 29 years old at the time of application
  • Be both a national and resident of a UfM Member State
  • Hold a valid travel document (e.g. passport) Have at least a B2 level of English, or equivalent ability to actively engage in discussions and group work
  • Not employed as a civil servant or by international/regional organisations
  • Be fully available to participate in both the online training and the in-person workshops in Tirana
  • Demonstrate relevant experience or strong motivation in one of the three thematic clusters.

Selection Criteria

• Preselection
• Evaluation
• You will be asked to select one of the three thematic clusters.
• About 20 participants per theme will be selected.
• Switching themes later is not guaranteed.

Application Requirements

• Only the first 300 eligible applications will be reviewed in full. Complete the online application form in English including:
  • Video (max 3 minutes in English) explaining your motivation and what you hope to learn
  • Copy of valid travel document

For more information, visit Union for the Mediterranean.