The future of young people along the Danube: New career guidance project

Pécs, 23 September 2025 – The Central Danube Development Agency Nonprofit Ltd. (CDDA) and the University of Pécs (UP) jointly organised the opening conference of the PATHS ("Personalised Approach to Territorial Life and Career Support") project within the framework of the Danube Transnational Programme. The aim of the event is to present the initiative, worth more than €2.5 million, which is being implemented in 9 countries of the Danube region in cooperation with 13 partners, and its ambitious objectives.

The PATHS project focuses on a personalised career guidance and life planning approach, with a particular emphasis on young people living in rural and disadvantaged areas. The project aims to address gaps in support services, reduce school dropout rates, mitigate rural depopulation and promote lifelong learning opportunities.

Renowned experts gave welcoming speeches at the two-day conference. Dr Zoltán Koltai, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Teacher Training and Rural Development at the University of Pécs, emphasised that supporting young people is not just an educational issue, but also key to the future of the region. The PATHS project offers innovative and comprehensive solutions in this regard.

Stephen Jonathan Halligan, representative of the Danube Region Programme Managing Authority, also gave a speech, explaining that new projects related to career guidance for young people are crucial for the development of the Danube region. 

Andrea Mária Grónay, Executive Director of CDDA, emphasised that the PATHS project responds to social, economic and educational challenges simultaneously. Its aim is to enable young people to find opportunities for development and prosperity not only abroad or in large cities, but also in their own immediate environment.

During the morning plenary session and roundtable discussion of the conference, Hungarian and international experts shared their experiences of supporting career choices based on self-awareness. In the afternoon, Hungarian participants were introduced to experiential learning methods, self-awareness development tools and career orientation board games, which they can later use in their own regions. The partner and the SCOM meeting also took place in the afternoon where all the consortium partners had a chance to meet for the first time in person and discuss actual tasks and questions related to the project implementation.

The PATHS project is part of the European Union's Danube Transnational Programme and aims to help young people lay the foundations for a successful career.