From Natolin to Geneva: Aytaj’s commitment to addressing migration challenges

Before she ever stepped foot in the College of Europe, Aytaj Mohsumzade was already deeply committed to fostering youth engagement and promoting EU-Azerbaijan relations. As the Community Manager for the Young European Ambassadors network, Aytaj worked to connect young people across Eastern Europe and the EU, fostering civic activism and cross-cultural understanding. She was passionate about strengthening partnerships, but knew that to create lasting change, she needed a deeper academic foundation. The EU4Youth programme scholarship at the College of Europe in Natolin was the perfect opportunity to bridge that gap.

When Aytaj first heard about the scholarship, it felt like a lightbulb moment: “I had always heard about the College’s amazing reputation and about EU4Youth, especially from my Erasmus+ days, but I didn’t know they supported students’ education in this way. I was lucky enough to attend an info session in Baku, where I learned about this scholarship opportunity – it just clicked that I had to go for it.”

Aytaj’s time at Natolin proved to be a game-changer. She describes it as both academically and personally challenging: “Everything about Natolin stretched me – my professors made me question everything I thought I knew, my classmates showed me new ways of seeing things in different cultural perspectives.It was challenging in the best way, constantly pushing me to grow.”

College of Europe in Natolin – navigating the complexities of migration

Migration was one of the major topics during Aytaj’s studies at Natolin. Through seminars, workshops, and discussions with guest speakers, she delved into the complexities of this issue.

“I heard a lot about migration and gained many perspectives, including from classmates who were writing their master’s theses on migration. Now, I feel a strong pull toward making a difference in this field, and my current role at UNHCR is just the beginning. At the College of Europe in Natolin I explored numerous migration crises affecting Europe, which provided a strong foundation in the challenges and diverse perspectives tied to these issues. I learned about many migration crises happening across Europe, so it felt reassuring to have knowledge of various situations when stepping into this role.”

The EU4Youth scholarship also gave Aytaj the freedom to engage fully with her academic and extracurricular pursuits: “The EU4Youth scholarship was so impactful – it genuinely made a difference in my time at Natolin. It took away the financial pressure, so I could focus fully on my studies and all the unique opportunities there – like the French classes, engaging workshops, and guest lectures. Having that support in place allowed me to just dive in, connect with people, and make the most of what the College had to offer, academically and beyond.”

From Natolin to Geneva – turning knowledge into action

Today, Aytaj works as a Communications Intern at the UNHCR in Geneva, the ‘diplomacy capital’.  She encourages others to embrace every opportunity, fully immerse themselves in new experiences, connect with diverse individuals, and allow these experiences to shape their personal and professional growth.

“The knowledge and skills I gained at Natolin have been invaluable, also supporting my work in my current role with UNHCR. The skills I developed, especially in managing sensitive topics and delivering complex information clearly, continue to shape my approach to challenges and develop my engagement with others, both professionally and within my community. This scholarship was about more than education – it was a chance to expand my worldview, to learn alongside future leaders, and to gain a new, more nuanced understanding of Europe, that I could bring back to my community.”

The EU4Youth Phase III Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship programme, funded by the European Union and the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry, is implemented by the Central Project Management Agency (CPVA) in the Eastern Partnership countries, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine. The programme will run until mid-2025 and aims to provide technical assistance to governmental and non-governmental organisations to tackle youth unemployment and improve employability.

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