End poverty in all its forms everywhere. Ensure that everyone has equal rights to economic resources, access to basic services, and social protection.
Between October 2023 and July 2024, as well as throughout 2024, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași (UAIC) actively engaged in initiatives aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 1 (SDG 1): No Poverty. These efforts encompassed academic research, international conferences, and community outreach programs aimed at reducing poverty and promoting social inclusion.
Conferences Addressing Poverty:
EU-PAIR Conference 2024: Held in June 2024, the third edition of the EU-PAIR Conference focused on the challenges and dynamics of the European administrative area. A study presented at the conference evaluated the effects of unemployment benefits on poverty and inequality in EU member states. EU-PAIR Conference 2024 | EU-PAIR
GEBA 2024 Conference: The XVIth International Conference on Globalization and Higher Education in Economics and Business Administration, organized in 2024, included discussions on trends in insurance entrepreneurship, addressing economic factors related to poverty. GEBA Annual International Conference (Oct 2025), Globalization and Higher Education in Economics and Business Administration Annual International Conference, Iași Romania – Conference
Jean Monnet Project – NextStepEU: This project aimed to enhance students’ understanding of the European Union’s role in combating poverty and social exclusion, aligning with the course themes on social inclusion and employment equality. KoFEAA lectures | NextStepEU
University anti-poverty programmes:
UAIC runs institutional projects aimed at equity/inclusion in higher education – https://www.uaic.ro/uaic-sprijina-incluziunea-si-mobilitatea-studentilor-printr-un-nou-proiect-finantat-din-fondul-social-european/ a European-funded project to support inclusion and mobility that provides additional financial support for students with reduced opportunities, explicitly targeted at vulnerable students.
Publication of practical guides for students produced within projects under titles such as „Incluziune socială pentru o educație echitabilă” (https://www.uaic.ro/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/D1_RAPORT-CNFIS-FDI-2023-0577.pdf) https://cariera.uaic.ro/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Lisman_Assante_2023_ghid_de_automotivare.pdf.
https://www.uaic.ro/international/programul-erasmus/programul-see/ The project was implemented under Education, Scholarships, Apprenticeships and Youth Entrepreneurship programme and was financed by European Economic Area Financial Mechanism 2014-2021. Its main objective has been to develop the cooperation with institutions from the Donor States through the academic mobility of students, as well as of teaching and administrative staff in order to exchange good practices, acquire new knowledge and valuable information on a large scale, and thus balance the disparities between Romania and the EEA countries.
https://info.uaic.ro/rezultate-ale-cercetarii/proiectul-ius-smart-a-inceput-inscrierea-studentilor-in-grupul-tinta/ „Educația juridică și antreprenorială – cheia succesului în afaceri! (IUS SMART)”, POCU/829/6/13/140103
The IUS SMART project aimed to support the operation of 21 new businesses by developing monitoring mechanisms and providing support to ensure the sustainability and maintenance of the 65 newly created jobs, for a period of at least 6 months after the completion of the financing.
Long-term goals: Developing legal and entrepreneurial skills for 350 students from UAIC and encouraging the establishment and development of small and medium-sized enterprises operating in economic sectors with competitive potential identified according to the SNC or in areas of smart specialization according to the SNCDI.
https://www.uaic.ro/competentele-viitorului-pe-piata-muncii-skills-up/
Project Description – SKILLS-UP
Project Title: Skills for the Future in the Labour Market (SKILLS-UP)
Project Code: CNFIS-FDI-2023-F-0496
Domain: Alignment of educational offer with labour market demand, career counselling and guidance
The SKILLS-UP project was developed to support the alignment between higher education outcomes and labour market requirements, while strengthening students’ employability and career readiness. Within this framework, the project focused on assessing the labour market insertion rate of the 2023 UAIC graduates, as well as on identifying the expectations of both employers and graduates regarding current labour market dynamics. At the same time, it contributed to the development of students’ employability skills through structured career counselling activities and training sessions addressing relevant professional competencies.
An important component of the project consisted in fostering stronger connections between the academic environment, the economic sector, and public and private stakeholders. Through these interactions, the project aimed to support the continuous improvement of university curricula and to facilitate direct engagement between students and potential employers. In parallel, the project ensured the effective management of human, financial, and logistical resources required for its implementation, thus contributing to its operational efficiency and sustainability.
In addition to this initiative, UAIC has been actively involved in projects funded through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) and the Erasmus+ programme, which include a strong social inclusion component. Relevant examples include projects such as “Inclusion through Higher Education” (2023) and “Equal Opportunities in Higher Education” (Erasmus+, 2024), both of which aim to enhance access to education and promote equal opportunities for diverse student groups.
Through these actions and policies, UAIC demonstrates a strong and consistent commitment to addressing social inequalities and supporting inclusive access to higher education. By combining financial support mechanisms, social partnerships, and educational initiatives, the university contributes to reducing disparities and fostering an inclusive academic environment. These efforts reinforce UAIC’s role as an institution actively engaged in promoting sustainable development and social responsibility within higher education.