From 4 until 9 March 2013, the European Interdisciplinary Study Programme of the Natolin (Warsaw) campus of the College of Europe organised a study trip to Brussels, Luxembourg and Bruges. This was for 83 students following the Governance, Single Market and EU as a Global Actor Majors of the Natolin programme.
All students visited the European Parliament, where they met, among others, the former European Parliament President Mr Jerzy Buzek MEP and Mr Joseph Daul MEP, Chairman of the Group of the European People's Party in the Parliament.
Splitting up into their majors, students made visits to all the major EU institutions, other key actors in Brussels, as well as major think tanks and high profile civil society organisations. Highlights included a meeting with Commissioner Janusz LEWANDOWSKI in the European Commission (Berlaymont building) and visits to the Permanent Representations of Greece, Lithuania and Ireland to discuss the Council of Ministers’ trio programme (Governance), visits to the European External Action Service and to UN Brussels (EU as a Global Actor), and visits to the European Commission’s Legal Service in Brussels and to the Court of Justice of the European Union in Luxembourg (Single Market).
Students were also able to use free time to conduct their own individual research for their master theses by visiting the EU Commission Central Library and arranging private meetings with EU civil servants, MEPs, lobbyists and other relevant figures. Those interested in pursuing careers in the EU Civil Service also visited the European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) to find out more about the application and selection process.
At the end of the trip, students made a visit to Bruges, where they attended a programme of lectures, a welcome address from the Rector of the College and enjoyed the chance to meet and party with their fellow-students from the Vaclav Havel Promotion.
