The European Security and Strategy Study Track (ESSST) has been conceived in response to the growing need in Europe for expertise in the multidimensional facets of security. 

Wars erupting on the EU’s external borders and within its neighbourhoods are a stark reality, carrying long-term and significant implications for the EU, its Member States, and its institutions. 

The new study track deploys Natolin’s expertise to equip its students with knowledge necessary to address some of the most pressing contemporary global challenges. The College of Europe in Natolin has three decades of expertise in EU’s external relations with a special focus on the EU’s neighbourhoods. Natolin’s unique location at the EU’s external eastern border and in NATO’s North-Eastern flank offers a unique perspective
on Central, Eastern and Northern Europe.

Key features:

• Interdisciplinary understanding of Europe’s functioning
• High-level analysis of security, defence, crisis management, and power dynamics
• Study of strategic reasoning and decision-making 

European Regional Studies

At Natolin, students benefit as well from a unique combination of their security studies with the European Regional Studies programme, which ensures proper appreciation of political, economic, social, cultural, and historical
dynamics within selected regions, concretely the Northern, Central, and Eastern Europe.

Upon successful completion of the track, ESSST students will receive a degree in European Interdisciplinary Studies with the mention “European Security and Strategy”. The programme is scheduled to be launched in the 2026/2027 academic year.

Structure

The study track will be implemented across the entire academic year, in both semesters. The ESSST elements will represent approximately 20% of all courses and of all hours to be delivered in the EIS programme. All of the ESST constituting programme elements will be accessible to the ESSST students only. The same assessment rules will apply to the EIS and ESSST students.

Contents

The list below may be amended following any changes to the EIS academic programme until September 2026. The first and second semester study trips are an integral part of the academic programme, participation is obligatory and students are expected to attend all related conferences and activities. They count for 4 ECTS (2+2).
 

First semester

• Core course
  • MICHTA, A. - Security and Military Challenges in Europe (20h, 4 ECTS)
     
• Contextual course
  • WIGELL, M. - Geo-economics (10h, 0 ECTS)
     
• Workshops
  • MILEVSKI, L. – Making Sense of Strategy (8h, 0 ECTS)
  • ZAMPIERI, F. - Geopolitical Risk Analysis (8h, 0 ECTS)
     
• Simulation game
  • SCHUMACHER, T. - EU Foreign Policy-Making in Times of Conflict in the EU's Neighbourhood (10h, 2 ECTS)
     

Second semester

• Core courses
  • GRESSEL, G. – Security and Conflict Management (20h, 4 ECTS)
  • MONAR, J. – EU Internal Security: A European and National Challenge (20h, 4 ECTS)
  • STODDARD, E. – Changing Character of Warfare from Antiquity to the Present Day (20h, 4 ECTS)
     
• Specialist courses
  • CHRISTIE, E. H. - Defence Economics (20h, 4 ECTS)
  • DĘBSKI, S. - Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Central European Strategic Thought And Practice (20h, 4 ECTS)
  • DELETANT, D. – Spies, Files (20h, 4 ECTS)
  • GILES, K. - Contemporary Russian Foreign and Security Policy (20h, 4 ECTS)
  • KALENSKÝ, J. – The EU and the Geopolitics of Disinformation and Digital Communication in the Neighbourhood and Russia (20h, 4 ECTS)
  • LANOSZKA, A. – War and Conflict in the Post-Soviet Space (20h, 4 ECTS)
  • POPOWSKI, M. - Building Resilience of the EU: Defence Policy, Economic Security, Internal Security, Climate Change and Civil Protection (20h, 4 ECTS)
  • RILEY, A. – EU Security in an Economic Context (20h, 4 ECTS)
  • TARDY, T. – NATO and European Defense Policy (20h, 4 ECTS)
     
• Compact seminars
  • BOURIS, D. – EU-Middle East Relations: Conflict, Peace and Security (10h, 0 ECTS)
  • FRANZA, L. – Energy Security and Conflict in the EU’s Southern Neighbourhood (10h, 0 ECTS)
  • FREYTAG VON LORINGHOVEN, A. – Challenges of Multilateralism and Intelligence Cooperation (10h, 0 ECTS)
  • JANKOWSKI, D. - The EU and Geopolitics of Technology (10h, 0 ECTS)
  • JERMALAVIČIUS, T. – Terrorism and Hybrid Warfare in the EU and its Neighbourhood (8h, 0 ECTS)
  • VIMONT, P. – The EU and Crisis Management in Practice (8h, 0 ECTS)
     
• Simulation game
  • TARDY, T. – NATO’s & the EU’s response to War in Europe (8h, 0 ECTS)