From 20 to 22 May, ENHANCE Buddies from across the alliance came together in Berlin for their second annual community meeting — three days of learning, co-creation, and connection hosted at TU Berlin.
The ENHANCE Buddies programme sits at the very heart of what ENHANCE stands for: putting student stories at the centre. As peer-to-peer mobility ambassadors, Buddies share their authentic experiences of studying abroad — the highs, the challenges, the personal growth — to inspire fellow students to take that first step and explore what the ENHANCE network has in store for them. In doing so, they perform a quietly remarkable service for their peers: cutting through the noise with honest, relatable stories from people who have been there.
This year's meeting reflected that spirit in every session on the agenda.
Three Days of Learning and Co-Creation
The meeting kicked off with a focus on peer-to-peer influence — reflecting on impact, discussing how to reach students who face barriers to mobility, and brainstorming new ways to spread the word on campus. Thursday was dedicated to professional development, with a peer-led Skills Lab, a workshop on intercultural sensitivity led by Jocelyn Keller (TU Berlin), and a session on sustainable entrepreneurship with startup mentor Anastasia Patsouri. The meeting closed on Friday with content creation, next steps, and the award of ENHANCE Certificates of Engagement to every active Buddy.
Carrying the ENHANCE Torch
What makes the Buddies programme special is not the content they post or the certificates they earn — it is the commitment behind it all. These are students who have chosen to give back, to turn their own experience of studying abroad into something useful for the peers sitting next to them in lectures, wondering whether an international exchange is really possible for someone like them. The answer, time and again, is yes — and it is the Buddies who deliver that message most convincingly.
The expectations shared by Buddies ahead of this meeting say it all. They came to Berlin wanting to collaborate, to exchange what works across universities, to sharpen their skills, and to help shape the programme's next chapter. That kind of ownership — of a programme, of a mission — is exactly what ENHANCE hopes to cultivate.
Want to Become an ENHANCE Buddy?
The ENHANCE Buddies programme is open to any student who has taken part in a mobility opportunity within the ENHANCE Alliance — whether a semester abroad, a Blended Intensive Programme, a summer school, or another short-term exchange. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
