AUCA STUDENTS IN DEUTSCHLAND

November 24, 2011

15 AUCA Students from the European Studies department traveled to Germany from October 16 to October 27 this year, sponsored by DAAD, the German Academic Exchange Service. The 12-day trip included visits to Berlin, Bonn, Aachen, Frankfurt, Stuttgart and Brussels.

Starting in Berlin students, accompanied by department chair Liubov Jdanova, met colleagues at the European College of Liberal Arts, the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, the Institute for European Politics and the European Youth Parliament. The students were particularly impressed with the Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP). Established in 1962, SWP has 8 research divisions focusing on foreign policy issues, EU integration, and other regional areas. Students were impressed by the combination of theoretical knowledge and practical application, as well as the opportunity to work with the researchers through internships and student thesis advising.

The students visited the European Commission in Brussels, where they listened to presentations on how the EU functions, education programs, and justice for growth initiatives. Students were also given access to the European Central Bank in Frankfurt, where they got to listen to the ECB describe its effort to establish a single European market right at the time the market was falling apart. There were no reports suggesting that AUCA students were responsible for the bailout of Greece, but it cannot be ruled out.