From Iași to Skövde: TUIASI student leading sustainable change across Europe
Between 1–3 October 2025, students from the INGENIUM European University alliance met in Skövde, Sweden, for the FutureProof: Youth Action for Sustainable Change workshop – a project coordinated by Raluca-Maria Țâbuleac, PhD student in Environmental Engineering at the “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iași (TUIASI).
FutureProof is one of 10 winning projects selected under the INGENIUM Student Partnerships programme, an initiative designed to empower students to co-create sustainability-focused projects across Europe. Supported by the INGENIUM Student Sustainability Board, the project aims to strengthen student leadership, climate literacy, and innovation for sustainable development across the alliance’s ten partner universities.
FutureProof: youth-led sustainability in action
The FutureProof initiative promotes hands-on learning and international cooperation by combining workshops, debates, field visits, and creative educational design. Its main objectives are to:
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enhance sustainability leadership and climate literacy among students,
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foster peer learning and intercultural collaboration,
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and create transferable educational tools for sustainability awareness.
Earlier this autumn, the FutureProof team met in Iași in September 2025 for a coordination session hosted by TUIASI, where the group finalized the workshop plan and drafted the initial concepts for a sustainable escape room – an interactive educational game designed to raise environmental awareness.
Highlights from Skövde
During the three-day workshop in Sweden, students took part in a diverse programme blending theory, practice, and innovation:
- Keynote discussions on entrepreneurship and sustainability in higher education, led by experts from Drivhuset, XAMK, and the University of Skövde;
- A field visit to Volvo’s engine plant, where students explored how green transitions and circular economy principles are integrated into modern manufacturing;
- The interactive Climate Fresk workshop, mapping the causes and impacts of climate change;
- The “Voices for the Planet” student debate, promoting intercultural perspectives on sustainability;
- Co-creation of the INGENIUM Student Sustainability Toolkit and Action Roadmap — alliance-wide resources for implementing campus sustainability actions;
- And the design of the Sustainable Escape Room, an educational game to raise awareness about sustainability challenges in an engaging, interactive way.
From project to platform: the INGENIUM Student Sustainability Hub
A key long-term outcome of FutureProof will be the creation of the INGENIUM Student Sustainability Hub – a digital platform for collaboration, idea-sharing, and the continuation of alliance-wide student initiatives. Through it, the outputs developed by the FutureProof team – including the Toolkit, Action Roadmap, and educational tools – will be accessible to all INGENIUM universities.
Student leadership that inspires
By coordinating FutureProof, Raluca-Maria Țâbuleac exemplifies the strong role TUIASI students play within European collaborations. Her leadership bridges academic learning with real-world impact, showcasing how young researchers can connect technology, environmental awareness, and community engagement to drive change across borders.
“Our goal is to empower students to become active changemakers who drive sustainability through knowledge, creativity, and collaboration within their universities and communities.,” said Raluca-Maria Țâbuleac, project coordinator and member of the INGENIUM Student Sustainability Board.
About INGENIUM
INGENIUM European University brings together ten partner universities across Europe, including TUIASI. Through initiatives such as Student Partnerships, INGENIUM strengthens international cooperation, student engagement, and innovative solutions addressing global sustainability challenges.
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