4 September 2026
As evening falls across Europe, students from different YUFE partner universities gather online. At first, a few are unsure about speaking up. Eight weeks later, they are exchanging jokes, discussing cultural traditions and making plans to stay in touch. This is the spirit of the YUFE Online Language Cafés: a welcoming space where practising a language quickly becomes a means to connect with peers from all over Europe.
Learning Through Conversation
During the 2025–2026 academic year, YUFE offered 18 Online Language Cafés in French, Dutch, German, English and Spanish. Students from all 10 YUFE universities joined weekly online sessions at lower-intermediate, higher-intermediate or advanced levels, guided by a fellow student from the YUFE alliance. Through discussions, games, quizzes, breakout rooms and culturally relevant topics, tutors created an informal environment in which participants could speak freely, make mistakes and build confidence.
Participants repeatedly praised their tutors’ enthusiasm, patience and encouragement. “I definitely believe in myself more after just a few sessions,” said Liliana. “Our tutor Celia encouraged us to share our thoughts and was very supportive. We actually became a group of friends!” Mariam had a similar experience: “It gave me more confidence to speak German, and I met amazing people, especially our tutor Elina. She was very sweet and motivating.”
“The feedback shows that the Online Language Cafés not only strengthen language skills, but also create real friendships between European students,” says Maxime Peeters, programme coordinator at the University of Antwerp. “Both tutors and participants return for new editions and regularly express how grateful they are for the programme.”
An Enriching Experience for Tutors
The tutors, joining from any YUFE university and from a wide range of study programmes, also grow through the experience. Before leading an Online Language Café, they complete a training programme designed specifically for this role. It prepares them to facilitate online groups, encourage participation and work with students from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds. By planning and leading the sessions, tutors develop organisational, intercultural, communication and leadership skills, while gaining valuable experience they can highlight on their CV and draw on far beyond the programme.
Yasmine, a French tutor from Sorbonne Nouvelle University, underlines that Online Language Cafes are amazing civic engagement activities. “They teach patience, adaptability, listening, and empathy”. María, from UC3M, adds that it is an incredibly enriching experience, not only from a teaching perspective but also on a human level. “It allowed me to connect with students from different countries and backgrounds, witnessing their progress and growing confidence week after week. Designing creative and engaging sessions challenged me to be more dynamic, adaptable, and culturally aware as a teacher.”
A Growing YUFE Community
The initiative has continued to flourish since its launch in 2024. Nearly 600 students have already taken part, while 41 tutors have supported their peers. The offer has grown from Spanish, French and English to include Dutch and German, with Finnish being added in the next academic year. In recognition of their contribution to community and civic engagement, the tutors and programme coordinator received the YUFE Civic Star.
For many students, an Online Language Café is their first encounter with YUFE. Because the activity is open to all students from every partner university, it offers an easy and accessible way to experience the alliance in action. Many participants later continue their YUFE journey through OpenYUFE, a YUFE minor or the YUFE Bachelor.
The Online Language Cafés show what multilingualism can look like in practice: students learning from one another, gaining confidence and building genuine connections across borders. One conversation can become a friendship, a new skill or the first step into the wider YUFE community.
