Language and professional skills for a European and international career

During their academic year in the European Interdisciplinary Studies programme at the Natolin campus, our students can take advantage of the extensive offer of the Natolin Languages and Intercultural Dialogue Center and the Natolin Careers and Professional Development Office. Both feature comprehensive tailor-made solutions to prepare College of Europe graduates for their future European and international careers.

The Natolin Languages and Intercultural Dialogue Center currently offers courses in 8 languages — English, French, Russian, Arabic, Polish, Spanish, Italian, and German. From its very conception, the center has been focusing on delivering effective language instruction alongside with exam preparation, language skills for the job market and — above all — future careers. The language skills and cultural knowledge acquired through participation in these courses have been proven to help our graduates to successfully pursue careers in such areas as diplomacy, academia, international organisations or think tanks.

In addition, participants receive support in academic writing and can prepare for the first and second semester study trips by also learning the language and some of the customs of a particular region, for example Russian for the Eastern Neighbourhood or Arabic for the Southern Neighbourhood. The offer includes regular courses with classes twice a week and tutorials provided on demand. All students of the Natolin campus, irrespective of their participation in the language courses, may take a language proficiency test and receive a certificate in accordance with the CEFR scale.

Before the start of the academic year, Natolin students may also take part in the Summer Language Academy. The Academy offers intensive English and French language courses designed to help students reach the required level of competency to take full advantage of the bilingual academic environment of the College of Europe.

The main task of the Natolin Careers and Professional Development Office is to support our students in mapping, understanding and successfully entering today's complex job market. It offers:

  • A Professional Skills Programme for developing key skills through a process of assessment centers and development workshops on time management, communication, cross-cultural communication, negotiations, public speaking, diplomatic protocol, system-thinking etc.;
  • "Meet the Professionals" events where students have a chance to network with professionals from different sectors and learn about the career prospects in various areas;
  • EPSO, BlueBook and other tailored trainings for employment in EU Institutions;
  • Career coaching: facilitating planning of individual career paths based on personal preferences and strengths, supporting the creation of professional CVs, helping to write impactful cover letters and prepare for job interviews (individual tutorials, interview simulations).