Instructor/Coordinator: Michael C. Wolf
Course number: 800753
Type/hours: EX 2
Format: Virtual sessions (starting mid of April) and excursion to Brussels (23 to 27 June)
ECTS credits: 5 (Please make sure in advance that you are allowed to link these ECTS points to your individual study program)
Working language: English
Target group: Students at master's level, LFU:online
Application deadline: 28 February 2025 - Results of the selection process and communication to successful candidates will follow around mid-march
Executive summary
You are interested in European politics, history and culture? You would love to experience EU politics at first hand, looking behind the facades of the Berlaymont, the European Parliament and the Justus Lipsius in order to better understand international diplomacy? Maybe you even aspire a career in fields such as international politics, contemporary history, translation, or cultural studies? You can’t wait to connect your academic knowledge with practical insights and exchange views with the makers and shapers of the European continent? You feel pleasure in building international networks and cross-border friendships? If yes, the "Euregio Brussels School 2025" is definitely the right thing for you!
How to apply? Please find all details below!
Details
Learning Outcome
Students will learn about the functioning of the European Union and its main policies, starting from those EU-institutions and bodies that claim general and specific leadership-, agenda-setting, -steering as well as concrete legislative competences. They understand historic and legal patterns that led to the institutional framework of the political system of the contemporary EU, the practical unfolding of the EU legislative process and the complex formal and informal interest representation system surrounding it. Participants of the course are enabled to comprehend various multi-level-processes of political coordination in the framework of international and European Law and policy-making, and to explain those processes based on academic theories and on praxis.
Contents
The course promotes a theory-based, interdisciplinary and practice-oriented analysis of the European Union, its historical development, its constitutional and political structure and its current policy priorities. The learning programme is divided into three modules (Institutions, Policies and “Brussels Ecosystem”): the first online preparatory meetings will tackle the theoretical background, while in-person-lectures with practitioners in Brussels will tackle the practical aspects of the EU decision making process, having a strong focus on the current EU policies and politics (mainly drawing on the new European Commission's priorities). The core element of the course is a multi-day field trip to the heart of the European Quarter in Brussels. From there, the "Representation of the European Region Tyrol-South Tyrol-Trentino in Brussels" organizes a tailor-made learning program: different dialogue formats with high-ranking politicians, their administrations and various actors involved in the legislative and political processes (e.g. regional representations, think tanks, NGOs, lobbies) aim to provide a multifaceted yet comprehensive view of the essential aspects concerning the European decision-making process.
Methods
The first few sessions of the course serve to introduce the topics, bring all students together and provide them with a common theoretical framework, considering their different (inter)disciplinary knowledge, linguistic prerequisites and (transnational) educational traditions. Within the framework of the multi-day field trip to Brussels, participants are given the opportunity to personally exchange with representatives of various EU institutions and other stakeholders to familiarize themselves with European topics of contemporary interest by participating in various different workshop formats.
Assessment criteria and prerequisites
Active participation in all virtual and real life sessions, as well as speaking and written contributions before and during the excursion to Brussels. Thus, good (English) language skills are necessary (at least B2 based on thorough self-assessment).
Important remarks
The excursion will take place from Monday 23 June until Friday 27 June. Three (online) introductory and coordination meetings will take place (two in April and one in May). Full participation and compliance with all rules of the course are necessary in order to be eligible for receiving the attributed ECTS points.
Application and selection
Start and timeline
Virtual (preparatory) meetings:
- 15.04.2025
- 29.04.2025
- 29.05.2025
Excursion to Brussels:
- 23.06.-27.06.2025
The European Commission's support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents, which reflect the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.