The Municipality of Coimbra, the Metropolitan Region, the University of Coimbra and the Polytechnic University signed a collaboration protocol to create a Citizens' Assembly dedicated to the problem of youth retention in the region. This initiative comes as a response to the difficulty in retaining educated young people in the territory.
The protocol involves the four entities in a joint effort to face the challenge of depopulation and the flight of qualified young people. The Citizens' Assembly will function as a space for dialogue and reflection to find concrete solutions that encourage young people to remain in the region after completing their studies.
The Coimbra region has faced for years a structural problem related to the emigration of young people, many of whom leave the territory after completing their academic education. This partnership between the municipality, the metropolitan region and the two universities aims to create conditions so that young people can find employment opportunities and quality of life locally.
The collaboration protocol establishes the basis for the operation of this Citizens' Assembly, which should bring together citizens, experts and representatives of the involved institutions to discuss and propose measures aimed at reversing the cycle of loss of young population in the Coimbra region.
