From 31 October until 4 November 2012, the 120 students of the Vaclav Havel Promotion of the European Interdisciplinary Study Programme of the Natolin (Warsaw) campus of the College of Europe made a study trip to Istanbul (Turkey).
Organised in association with Kadir Has University, situated on the banks of the Bosporus, the study programme was entitled “Beating its own Path – Turkey as an Independent Regional Power.” The students took part in a series of lectures and debates organised in the excellent facilities of Kadir Has. After an opening conducted by the Rectors of the College of Europe and of Kadir Has, the sessions were led by highly respected academics from leading Turkish universities and a representative of the Turkish Ministry of European Affairs. Subjects covered included internal political and social questions, the geopolitical role of Turkey in the region and the world as well as the relationship between Turkey and the EU.
Students also made a number of project visits in smaller groups in order to investigate more specific issues. These included visits to the Third Sector Foundation of Turkey (TUSEV), to the Women’s Cooperative Filmmor, to the Hrant Dink Foundation, the Economic Development Foundation (IKV) as well as a seminar on Migration in Turkey organised with the Institut français d’études anatoliennes and another on Turkish Musical Heritage and Diversity at the Orient-Institut Istanbul.
The visit was concluded by an evening boat party on the Bosporus organised by the Turkish students of the Promotion to which all students and staff were invited.
