The Erasmus Destination of the Year award is given to a city’s Erasmus Student Network that is seen giving exceptional efforts in supporting student mobility at the “city level”.

A testament to the “members of the Erasmus generation”, the award plays a role in striving for the organisation to provide more and better European mobility programs.

“The Erasmus Destination of the Year is more than just another initiative or competition. It is proof that student organisations are making a positive change in society and internationalisation,” noted the comms manager of ESN International, Lina Mohorić.

Porto is the third city to achieve the accolade, following the inaugural award going to the northern Greek city Thessaloniki and last year’s winner being Ghent in Belgium.

The city welcomes over 4,000 international students each year, according to ESN.

Beating out finalists Istanbul, Nicosia, Sevilla and Sofia, ESN Porto was honoured for its collaboration with institutions, the Porto municipality and local partners to create a “quality mobility experience”.

Vitor Bizarro, ESN Porto’s president, said the title was a “corroboration of more than 30 years of work between [the organisation] and other local… institutions”.

“[They] tirelessly work every day to make the ‘Invincible City’ the best place to go on Erasmus,” he said.

The award was given to Porto after they, along with other finalists, presented their city at the Erasmus general meeting in Sevilla.

The deciding jury included representatives from the EAIE and the European Commission, among others.

“Transporting the essence of the international student experience in Porto to the stage of EGM Sevilla was extremely rewarding.

Porto’s ESN team accepting the award. Photo: ESN

“The validation from over 1,600 members of the ‘Erasmus Generation’ serves as a powerful affirmation of our collective efforts and the significance of this recognition,” Bizarro added.

ESN said that Porto “breathes the Erasmus spirit” in its announcement.

“The title is a corroboration of more than 30 years of work”

“At the centre of this spirit is ESN Porto and its volunteers’ invaluable support of the Erasmus+ program and mobility in general.

“The work of their student association serves as an example and inspiration for anyone working in internationalisation,” the announcement asserted.

Portugal has been climbing in popularity both in Erasmus+ and as a full-degree destination, with a record number of international students choosing it in 2021/22.