by InTrieste
Applications open Sept. 9 for Students4Cooperation, with Italian and Slovenian high school students invited to develop projects addressing shared regional challenges.
The third edition of Students4Cooperation, a cross-border competition for high school students in Italy and Slovenia, will open for applications on Sept. 9, offering young people the chance to develop collaborative projects aimed at strengthening ties between the two neighboring countries.
Organized through the Interreg VI-A Italy-Slovenia 2021–27 program, the initiative is open to upper secondary school students across the program’s eligible border region. The competition is supported by the Friuli Venezia Giulia regional government and is part of the European Commission’s Youth4Cooperation initiative.
Barbara Zilli, the regional councilor for finance, said the program encourages students to identify challenges and opportunities within their communities and transform them into proposals for cross-border cooperation.
Applications will remain open until Oct. 31, while project submissions are due by Dec. 18. An initial evaluation will conclude with the publication of shortlisted teams on Jan. 29, 2027.
For the first time, the competition’s final stage will be held in person. On March 19, 2027, selected teams will present their projects before a jury at the Regional Auditorium in Trieste, where the winning proposals will also be announced.
The judging panel will include a representative from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy, alongside young professionals involved in other Interreg programs and organizations promoting youth participation in the cross-border area.
The European Commission has also featured Students4Cooperation in the official program for the 2026 European Week of Regions and Cities, taking place in Brussels from Oct. 12 to 14. The initiative will be showcased at the “Youth for Cooperation: Shaping the Future of Regional Cooperation” exhibition stand.
Winning students will receive a study trip to Brussels in May 2027. Organizers are also exploring the possibility of presenting the winning project during events linked to Italy’s presidency of the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR), scheduled to take place in Trieste in spring 2027.
Further information and application details will be published on the Interreg Italy-Slovenia website.
