Promote European Dialogue
Create spaces where young Romanians engage with current European and global issues through debate, reflection and interdisciplinary exchange.
An alumni-led Romanian organisation that opens access to the European Forum Alpbach and helps young people participate in the conversations shaping Europe.
Students and young professionals founded Initiative Group Alpbach Romania in 2013 because they wanted Romania to have a visible and lasting presence at the European Forum Alpbach.
"The Initiative Group Alpbach Romania is an apolitical, nongovernmental, non-profit, independent and humanitarian association" that encourages educational cooperation between Romania and the rest of Europe.
"Formed by EFA alumni, our organisation supports students and young professionals in understanding Europe's interconnected challenges and contributing directly to current debates and solutions."
"To empower Romanian youth to become engaged European leaders, capable of contributing to meaningful dialogue and positive change on European and global issues."
IGAR raises funds, connects Romanian participants to an international learning environment and supports the multidisciplinary exchange that builds long-term civic and professional confidence.
"To provide scholarships enabling young Romanians to participate in the annual European Forum Alpbach, facilitating encounters with outstanding personalities from across the world."
Create spaces where young Romanians engage with current European and global issues through debate, reflection and interdisciplinary exchange.
Strengthen educational links between Romania and other European countries through partnerships, outreach and scholarship opportunities.
Raise funds for scholarship packages that allow Romanian participants to attend the European Forum Alpbach and join a global network of peers and mentors.
Support conversations across politics, economics, science, culture and the arts so participants can work across disciplines rather than in isolation.
Help students and early-career professionals access international learning, leadership and career-building opportunities.
The scholarship programme shows IGAR's work most clearly. The team funded five participants in 2023, funded five more in 2024 and then funded six in 2025.
Romanian participants joined the forum from backgrounds including diplomacy, climate and energy.
The cohort expanded the organisation's reach into entrepreneurship, NGOs and academia.
With sponsor support, IGAR increased the number of funded places and brought in voices from STEAM, anthropology and journalism.
EFA 2025 matters most here. It shows the scale of the forum, the seriousness of the selection process and the quality of the Romanian participation that IGAR helped fund.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO RECHARGE EUROPE?"
IGAR secured 6 scholarship packages valued at EUR 2,900 each, bringing the total 2025 commitment to EUR 17,400.
The forum welcomed 4,700 participants from 127 countries, including 500 scholarship holders selected from more than 7,000 applications.
IGAR used the EFA25 platform, anonymized evaluation, the EFA Rating Scheme and final interviews to choose the final 5 Romanian candidates.
Romanian scholarship holders joined seminars such as Beyond the Hype and Center of Gravity, took part in the Alpbach Ideas Camp and developed proposals around disinformation, governance and technology.
IGAR did more than fund access. The team also created direct encounters around the Romanian delegation, including conversations that connected scholarship holders with public-interest leaders and Romanian institutional actors.
During EFA 2025, Foreign Affairs Minister Oana Toiu met IGAR and the Romanian scholarship holders in an open fireside chat. The report says the meeting gave participants a direct dialogue with a representative of the Romanian Government and strengthened the connection between the IGAR community and Romanian institutions that support young professionals in the European sphere.
Scholarship-holder reports repeatedly name Elena Calistru as one of the most memorable people Romanian participants met at the forum. They describe in-depth discussions with her, highlight her session on the annulment of elections in Romania, and mention the IGAR-organized lunch that extended that exchange beyond the formal programme.
IGAR works as a focused volunteer-led organisation with support from alumni, partners and a broader European network.
IGAR turns sponsorships, partnerships and volunteer work into scholarship access for Romanian youth.