YUVA was honoured to participate in the 2nd edition of the Middlesex University Mauritius Professional Fair, held on Tuesday, 11 November 2025, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the university campus.

The event brought together employers, organisations and a vibrant student community ranging from Foundation to Postgraduate levels. For YUVA, it offered a meaningful platform to present its work, connect with emerging talent and explore future partnerships with like-minded institutions.

This report provides an overview of YUVA’s participation, student engagement, internship interest, collaboration opportunities and recommended next steps.

About the Professional Fair

The Middlesex University Mauritius Professional Fair is designed to bridge the gap between academia and the world of work. It gives organisations the space to:

• Increase visibility among students and staff
• Engage directly with potential interns and future employees
• Showcase their mission, values and opportunities

For students, it is equally valuable. The fair enables them to:

• Discover different industries and career paths
• Understand what organisations expect from graduates and interns
• Build early professional connections and networks

The fair was hosted in the university library, with each organisation allocated a booth comprising a table, two chairs and display space for one roll-up banner. This setting created a focused yet approachable environment where students could move freely from booth to booth and hold meaningful conversations with representatives.

YUVA’s Objectives at the Fair

YUVA’s presence at the Professional Fair was guided by several key objectives:

1. Increase awareness of YUVA’s activities among the student community.
2. Identify students interested in internships and volunteering opportunities.
3. Start building a pipeline of potential young leaders and contributors.
4. Explore partnerships and collaborations with other organisations present.
5. Strengthen YUVA’s position as a trusted, youth-focused organisation within the Mauritian ecosystem.

The team ensured that the booth was welcoming, informative and well-prepared with materials that clearly explained who YUVA is, what it does and how students could get involved.

Student Engagement and Interest

Throughout the fair, the YUVA booth attracted a steady flow of students from diverse academic backgrounds and levels of study. Many were drawn by curiosity about YUVA’s work, while others had already heard of the organisation and wanted to know more.

Students showed particular interest in:

• The types of projects and activities YUVA is involved in
• Opportunities to gain practical experience alongside their studies
• Ways they could contribute to social impact initiatives
• The possibility of aligning internships with their academic requirements

The conversations were not superficial. Students asked thoughtful questions about impact, learning outcomes, time commitment and how their specific skills could be used. This reflects a growing maturity in how young people are approaching internships and early career choices.

Internship Registrations and CV Submissions

One of the strongest outcomes of the day was the number of students who took concrete steps to engage with YUVA.

• Many students registered their interest in internships directly at the booth.
• Others shared their CVs on the spot or indicated that they would email them shortly after the event.

This indicates not only curiosity, but genuine intent. Students are actively looking for meaningful, real-world experience where they can apply their knowledge and grow both personally and professionally.

From YUVA’s perspective, this creates a valuable talent pool. These students represent potential:

• Interns for ongoing and upcoming projects
• Volunteers for events and community activities
• Future ambassadors who can speak about YUVA’s mission within their peer networks

Capturing this interest through sign-up sheets and CVs is only the first step. The follow-up phase will be crucial in turning this interest into committed, structured engagement.

Interest from Other Organisations and Collaboration Opportunities

In addition to student engagement, YUVA also attracted the attention of other organisations present at the fair. Representatives from various sectors expressed interest in:

• Partnering on specific projects or campaigns
• Co-hosting events, workshops or awareness sessions
• Creating joint internship programmes or shared training opportunities

These early conversations highlighted strong alignment around youth development, employability and social responsibility. While these discussions are at an exploratory stage, they open the door for YUVA to:

• Amplify its reach through strategic partnerships
• Offer richer, more varied experiences to interns and volunteers
• Leverage shared resources for greater community impact

Formalising these opportunities will require follow-up meetings, clear agreements and project planning. However, the fair has already laid a solid foundation for future collaboration.

Visibility, Branding and Reputation

The Professional Fair also served as a powerful visibility exercise for YUVA. By maintaining a consistent, professional and approachable presence, the team was able to:

• Communicate YUVA’s identity and purpose to a large number of students in a short time
• Position the organisation as accessible, student-friendly and impact-driven
• Strengthen brand recognition within the university space

Students left the booth with a clearer understanding of:

• Who YUVA is
• What YUVA does
• How they can personally be part of that journey

Such clarity is invaluable. It ensures that future interactions with students are built on an accurate understanding rather than vague impressions.

Reflections and Key Learnings

From YUVA’s perspective, several important insights emerged from the day:

1. Students value purpose-driven work
   Many students spoke about wanting to do something meaningful, not just tick a box for an internship requirement. YUVA’s focus on real-world impact appears to resonate strongly.
2. Clear role descriptions are essential
   Students were eager to know what exactly they would be doing as interns. Having well-defined roles, responsibilities and learning outcomes will help in converting interest into confirmed placements.
3. Visibility in academic spaces matters
   Being physically present on campus, in a structured event like this, builds trust faster than online outreach alone. The face-to-face element remains very powerful.
4. Collaboration potential is high
   The presence of multiple organisations in one place revealed significant scope for joint initiatives, especially around youth, education and employability.

Next Steps and Follow Up

To fully realise the value of the Professional Fair, YUVA can focus on the following next steps:

• Organise and review all internship registrations and CVs.
• Shortlist candidates based on current and upcoming organisational needs.
• Communicate clearly with interested students about timelines, processes and expectations.
• Schedule follow-up conversations with organisations that expressed interest in collaboration.
• Map potential joint activities or projects that align with YUVA’s mission and capacity.

Additionally, with the upcoming MDX JobFest 2026 scheduled for Tuesday, 10 February 2026, YUVA can begin preparing strategically to build on the momentum created at this year’s Professional Fair.

Conclusion

YUVA’s participation in the Middlesex University Mauritius Professional Fair 2025 was both meaningful and productive. The event provided:

• Strong visibility among a diverse student population
• A high level of interest in internships and involvement
• Promising conversations with other organisations for future collaboration

Beyond numbers and registrations, the fair reaffirmed something important: young people are eager to learn, willing to contribute and hungry for purposeful opportunities. With thoughtful follow up, YUVA can transform the connections made at this fair into long-term relationships that benefit students, the organisation and the wider community.