We proudly participated in the kick-off meeting of the Erasmus+ KA220 project “DEMSYW – Digital Educational Materials for Sustainable Youth Work,” recently held in Malatya under the coordination of the AFAD Malatya Provincial Directorate of Disaster and Emergency Management. Through our involvement from the very beginning of this initiative, we reaffirmed our commitment to strengthening youth work with practical, technology-driven solutions that respond to contemporary social needs. By contributing to an international platform focused on sustainable youth development, we continue to expand IBU’s role as a reliable academic partner that supports resilience, learning innovation, and meaningful community impact across borders.

Within the DEMSYW project framework, AFAD Malatya serves as the coordinating organization, bringing together a strong consortium of partners that includes İnönü University (Türkiye), International Balkan University (North Macedonia), Asociatia Clubul Cailor Utilitari (Romania), and Institut Plus-Que-Parfait (France). Representing our institution, Assistant Professor Neslihan Ademi from our Faculty of Engineering, Department of Computer Engineering, and Belma Huseinoska, Assistant at our Project and Research Office, actively contributed to the discussions and planning processes. Their participation reflects the interdisciplinary approach we value at IBU, where academic expertise and institutional project capacity work together to ensure that international collaborations are not only well-designed, but also effectively delivered and sustainable in their outcomes.

During the meeting, we engaged in detailed discussions on the project’s activities, work packages, and implementation timeline, and we aligned with all partners on the importance of sustained coordination throughout the project period. With a shared focus on developing high-quality digital educational materials that can strengthen sustainable youth work practices, we emphasized the need for clear communication, structured delivery, and practical outputs that benefit youth-focused stakeholders. As we move forward, we remain dedicated to contributing our academic know-how, institutional experience, and collaborative spirit to ensure that DEMSYW achieves strong results, while further reinforcing IBU’s mission of quality education, innovation, internationalization, and student-centered development.