The Network of Universities on Youth and Global Citizenship is a platform facilitated by the North South Centre of the Council of Europe that gathers youth partners from all over the world in an effort to develop a coordinated system of capacity-building activities that contribute to strengthen the interregional and global youth co-operation. The Network was created in 2011 and includes the University on Youth and Development (Spain); the University of Citizenship Participation (Uruguay), the African University on Youth and Development (Cape Verde and Kenya); and the Mediterranean University on Youth and Global Citizenship (Tunisia).

The Network provides an exceptional space for young people and youth organisations around the world to meet, debate, build their capacities and co-operate on youth policy related issues. The educational model developed in these Universities has been enhanced by its various partners and largely inspired by the Global Education Guidelines, systematized by the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe, and by the framework provided by Council of Europe Recommendation on education for global interdependence and solidarity. 

Every year the partners of the Network agree on a common thread to link the different universities. In 2016 partners agreed that the theme would be: “Connecting identities” For 16 years now, inspired in the principles of Ubuntu, the different universities have offered a space where young people and youth workers from all over the world come together as part of a global youth movement that works against exclusion and discrimination and for inclusion and diversity. This year’s theme would allow us to reflect on how youth organisations and youth work can accompany young people in such sensitive and meaningful processes of identity construction that ultimately define them as citizens and global citizens. 

The topic will also contribute to the fifth cycle of structured dialogue with youth people in the Trio Presidency (the Netherlands-Slovakia-Malta) between January 2016 and June 2017 “Enabling all young people to engage in a diverse, connected and inclusive Europe - Ready for life, Ready for society” and the Council of Europe’s Action Plan on Building Inclusive Societies (2016-2019).