The programme was inaugurated by Prof. PhD. Nicoleta Popa, UAIC Vice-Rector for International Relations, who emphasized UAIC's role in fostering international excellence. Participants described the three-day journey as both challenging and deeply rewarding.

Focused on Mastering Erasmus+ KA2 Project Design, the programme combined expert-led training with hands-on teamwork, covering the full project design cycle:  from needs analysis and Theory of Change to work package structure, budget, and concept note pitching. By the final day, four concept notes had taken shape, each supported by a partially formed EC2U consortium ready to be further developed toward submission.

Reflecting on the professional impact, a researcher from the University of Coimbra noted: “I’m very grateful for this opportunity... it is actually contributing a lot to my own job development as a researcher. I used to apply for funding, but never in this way. It was so clarifying.”

Another participant from the University of Pavia highlighted the unique, inclusive atmosphere of the incubator: “To build in these few days a very inclusive experience... we kind of are committed to deliver something in this period, and I think that’s very important. It is a very big privilege to have all this time dedicated to this question.”

The emotional and professional arc of the week was captured by a participant who described the experience as “a gift that keeps giving,” adding, “It was like a really tough day [at first] because it was a lot of work and it was intense. It felt like it’s crushing... but the next day you feel capacitated, empowered... You felt more relaxed with the Eramus+ vocabulary.”

“These past three days have been truly remarkable, marking our transition from conceptual ideas to concrete project frameworks,” stated the EC2U Local Coordinators from the UAIC. “The high level of engagement seen in the final pitches leaves no doubt about the future success and impact of these joint initiatives.”

The event was designed as a strategic opportunity for academic staff to conduct mobility related to seed projects, ensuring the EC2U mission extends beyond its immediate members to the broader regional innovation ecosystem. As one participant concluded, “We feel like an empty spot in ourselves because we know this is going to end. But the best part is that we take it within ourselves.”

The initiative was led by EC2U Local Coordinators Petronela Spiridon-Ursu, Ioana Serafinceanu, and Genoveva Rosu, with the institutional support of UAIC and in collaboration with the senior trainers from the national network of ANPCDEFP, Oana Moșoiu and Beniamin Brânzaș. The workshop united participants from across the EC2U Alliance (UAIC, University of Coimbra, University of Pavia, and Ivan Franko National University of Lviv), alongside local experts from the University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Grigore T. Popa" and the “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iași.

 If you are curious about the atmosphere at the Project Writing Incubator, please take a look here