Editorial introduction: New European youth mobilities

Abstract

AbstractThis paper introduces and sets the context for a special issue on “New European Youth Mobilities: Motivations, Experiences and Future Prospects,” which derives from the European Union‐funded H2020 “YMOBILITY” project on current youth migrations and transitions across the European Union. It first introduces the YMOBILITY programme and its multimethod, comparative research effort. This is followed by a brief review of secondary data on the changing profile of youth migration and mobility in Europe. Then, we explore definitions of key terms central to the project, such as “youth,” “youth transition,” “mobility,” “skill,” and the notion of the “learning migrant”. The final part of the paper introduces the 6 articles that make up the special issue, highlighting their most significant findings and outlining their value as an integrated set that offers new insights into the role of mobile young people as students and workers within European societies.