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SEEDIG Youth School 2025

Growing Together – A Journey from Learning to Leading

...because meaningful change starts with informed and connected youth

What Is SEEDIG Youth School?


SEEDIG Youth School is a dynamic capacity-building initiative aimed at equipping university students and young professionals from 18 countries in SEEDIG region with foundational knowledge and skills in the fields of internet governance and digital policy.

The 2025 edition is structured in two complementary phases. The first phase consists of a moderated online Internet Governance Course developed by the Internet Society, offering a comprehensive overview of key stakeholders, infrastructure, and frameworks defining digital ecosystem. The second phase is an in-person, one-day event held in Athens featuring interactive workshops, expert discussions, and peer-to-peer exchange.

Successful participants will be awarded two certificates – one upon completing the online course and another for full participation in the SEEDIG Youth School.


As an additional benefit, all Youth School participants will have their participation costs covered for the SEEDIG 10 anniversary meeting and join a growing regional community committed to shaping digital governance across South Eastern Europe.
Scroll down to learn more!
Sponsors
Date & Venue
9 October 2025
Athens, Greece
Partners
Who Can Apply?
  • Age: 18-30 years old
  • Background: university students and young professionals
  • Language: fluency in English
  • Place of origin or residence: must be from one of 18 SEEDIG region countries
  • Motivation: demonstrated interest in internet governance, digital policies, and related fields
  • Commitment: available to complete an online course in September 2025 and to travel to Athens for active participation in SEEDIG Youth School on 9 October, and SEEDIG 10 Anniversary Meeting on 10–11 October 2025

Participation Costs

Selected participants will receive:
  • Free access to the Internet Society’s online Internet Governance Course
  • Full coverage of travel, accommodation, and meals for SEEDIG Youth School and SEEDIG 10 Anniversary Meeting
    • Process & Deadlines
    • Application: submit your application by 31 May 2025
    • Selection: SEEDIG Youth School organizing team will review all applications and announce selected participants on 8 June 2025
    • Participation slots: a total of 30 slots are available – 20 for outstanding applicants from the SEE region (excluding Greece) and 10 for top candidates from the host country, Greece

    • Online course: In September 2025, participants will enroll in a moderated Internet Governance Course delivered by the Internet Society. In addition to self-paced learning modules, the course includes weekly live webinars with thematic experts, offering participants the chance to engage directly and deepen their understanding.

      The course provides a comprehensive overview of internet governance, covering key areas such as its history, core policy principles, key actors and stakeholders, infrastructure, regulatory frameworks, multilingualism, and cybersecurity. It also explores the multistakeholder model and the developmental dimensions of internet governance.

    From Youth School To Bigger Stage

    SEEDIG Youth School is not your final destination – it’s your entry ticket into the digital governance space. As a participant, you don’t just complete a program – you step into a broader ecosystem of opportunities, visibility, and meaningful engagement. Here’s what awaits you beyond the Youth School:

    🧑‍🤝‍🧑SEEDIG community membership – you join the largest internet governance community in the SEE region

    🔟🎂SEEDIG 10 Anniversary Meeting – as we celebrate our first decade of regional collaboration, so do you – by sharing this important milestone with us and brainstorming on what comes next

    🫱🏻‍🫲🏽Networking opportunities – get the chance to engage with key stakeholders and policymakers, expanding your professional network and exploring new paths for advocacy, collaboration, and career development in the digital governance ecosystem
    📝Endorsements for fellowship applications – alumni may receive support letters or recommendations when applying to regional or global fellowship programs

    🐶Selfie with Umka – Meet SEEDIG’s beloved mascot, Umka! The most active and creative participants will get a chance to snap a selfie with Umka—because what’s a Youth School without some fun (and a boost to your social media presence)?
    CLICK HERE TO APPLY

    Agenda Coming Soon...

    Great things take time! Our team is working with top experts to craft sessions you won’t want to miss👩‍💻😎

    🔽Explore Past Editions🔽

    2024 EDITION

    30 graduating students
    CLICK

    2020 EDITION

    17 graduating students
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    2019 EDITION

    17 graduating students
    CLICK

    2018 EDITION

    12 graduating students
    CLICK

    2017 EDITION

    19 graduating students
    CLICK

    Alumni testimonials

    I’ve been a tech enthusiast for quite a while now, but my first acquaintance with the realm of Internet governance was at SEEDIG YS this year, and it has opened a whole new range of horizons for me. It has made me more aware of all the stakeholders that are involved in the Internet ecosystem, their respective roles and responsibilities, and all the ways in which Internet governance impacts various aspects of our daily lives.
    Irina Buzu
    Irina Buzu2020 alumna
    For me, the SEEDIG Youth School proved that efficient online education is possible and maybe even better! While I was tired of trying hard to focus on 2-hours-long monologues of my professors at the university to not to miss anything, the YS enabled us to learn well-curated content at our own pace and dive deeper into the new concepts that we’ve learned with a multinational and multidisciplinary team of participants. Besides successfully covering the basic knowledge and terminology of Internet governance, the programme also encouraged us to develop and share ideas about the most pressing issues around it.
    Zülal Erdoğan
    Zülal Erdoğan2020 alumna
    To me, the SEEDIG Youth School was the beginning of a journey and a continuous learning experience in the field of Internet governance. Going through rigorous yet exciting online & onsite activities made me gain enough momentum to keep getting involved in other events. The fact that I’m still in touch with the participants and I occasionally meet other SEEDIG members in international Internet governance activities shows how connected and carrying this community is. If you want to learn more about Internet governance, make new friendships or professional connections, SEEDIG Youth School is the perfect place to kickstart.
    Daniel Kalemi
    Daniel Kalemi2019 alumnus
    The SEEDIG Youth School was an amazing experience, which helped me learn a lot about many Internet governance-related issues. Meeting different people with all sorts of interests made me think more about the intersections of Internet governance and other fields. Moreover, we had awesome discussions and struck up lasting friendships.
    Aleksandra Ivanković
    Aleksandra Ivanković2019 alumna
    The SEEDIG Youth School it is one of my best workshops, the initiative is awesome, and the experience is priceless. I met a lot of interesting people and experts on different topics with different perspectives and opinions. I learned a lot about Internet governance and the activities in this region, where I plan to get more involved thanks to this programme.
    Marko Paloski
    Marko Paloski2018 alumnus
    I enjoyed the fact that despite coming from a social sciences background, I was able to get actively involved and share roles and responsibilities with all the other peers at the 2018 SEEDIG Youth School. Round tables and informal talks on the topic of Internet governance and artificial intelligence were particularly interesting for me. SEEDIG’s willingness to engage with individuals and organisations representing various stakeholders with a diverse level of involvement and skills was an important precondition for the productive dialogue in Ljubljana.
    Mirko Savković
    Mirko Savković2018 alumnus
    Being part of SEEDIG was a very interesting experience for me. I learned a lot of new things regarding cybersecurity and its future. The most important thing is that thanks to SEEDIG I would love to work and have a career in this field. I really hope that in a near future I will have the opportunity to meet again with experts of cybersecurity.
    Gesara Halili
    Gesara Halili2017 alumna