From 1 until 11 September, the Development Office organised for the second year in a row, a Summer Seminar on EU Affairs for MA Degree students of the Moscow European Studies Institute (ESI). The ESI is a joint initiative of the Russian Federation and the EU, created at the prestigious Moscow State University for International Relations (MGIMO). This Institute (for more information: http://www.eurocollege.ru) is now entering into its third year of activity in close cooperation with the College.

The first week of the seminar was devoted to courses developed upon request of the ESI, such as simulation exercises on negotiation between EU and Russia, training in intercultural communication skills (etc.), while the second week provided for visits to EU institutions and to NATO, as well as to the Russian Representation to the EU. These visits generated interesting and vivid exchanges between the Russian postgraduates (issuing from various Russian ministries and some NGOs) and their interlocutors, especially given the present political relations with Russia. The handing over of the participation certificates to the ESI students was the occasion for a closing dinner in Brussels. 

On 24-26 September 2008, the College of Europe hosted the 36th Meeting of Deans and Directors of Diplomatic Academies and Institutes of International Relations, the yearly reunion of the International Forum on Diplomatic Training (IFDT). Established in 1972, the IFDT is an informal gathering of the heads of diplomatic schools from all over the world devoted to the discussion of recent trends in diplomacy and diplomatic education.

This year's edition focused on "New Challenges to Diplomatic Training". It took place at the Egmont Palace in Brussels and at the College of Europe in Bruges, marking the success of the College’s Master's programme EU International Relations and Diplomacy Studies. Since its launch in 2006 this programme provides its graduates with in-depth knowledge of the European Union as a global actor, as well as skills in international negotiations and diplomacy.

The European Studies in Asia (ESiA) network initiated the “EU through the Eyes of Asia” project, a pioneering attempt to scientifically measure media, public and elite perceptions regarding the EU in the Asian region, a project that has generated a wealth of data regarding EU perceptions in China, Japan, Korea, Singapore and Thailand. In cooperation with the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) and the National Centre for Research on Europe (NCRE – New-Zeeland), the Development Office of the College of Europe organised a 4-days  Workshop (September 1-5) to train 20 young researchers from Europe and Asia to use the findings of this study in their own planned or existing research work. Relevant information about this project can be accessed on the ESiA website.

As a way to contribute to the reform process in South-eastern Europe, the College of Europe and the TRANSFUSE Association jointly launched the Leadership Development Programme in 2006 for young people from the region, as well as broader Europe and the US, who aspire to play an active role in the future of their countries. Every year thirty candidates receive a scholarship from the European Fund for the Balkans to take part in the initiative.

The third edition of the Leadership Development Programme started on august, 30 with a two-week long summer academy, hosted in Berlin at the Bosch Stiftung and at the Neuhardenberg Castle. The programme offered practical training components focussing on negotiations, project management and presentation skills with a series of sessions and debates on the EU and its role in the world and in South-eastern Europe. In the coming months, participants will work in small cross-border groups to implement joint activities on EU-relevant topics in their home countries. The final event for this third promotion of LDP will be a five-day Seminar organised by the Development Office and Transfuse in Brussels and Bruges in April 2009.

Within the framework of a technical assistance contract with DG COMM of the European Commission, the Development Office organised an Annual General Meeting (AGM) for 130 members of the EUROPE DIRECT Network, representing 21 countries in Budapest, Hungary on 17-19 September 2008. The programme entitled ‘The EU’s role in the world’ featured high level speakers, such as Péter Balázs, Jean Monnet Chair at the Central European University and former European Commissioner, and László Kovács, Commissioner for Taxation and Customs Union, who closed the meeting. Two more AGMs will take place in Athens, Greece on 8-10 October on the topic ‘The renewed Social Agenda of the EU’, and in Lisbon, Portugal on 22-24 October on ‘The EP elections 2009’. Annual General Meetings are important yearly events of the EUROPE DIRECT Network as they bring members together for several days of learning, exchange of best practices and networking.

The EU-wide EUROPE DIRECT Network, is made up of 480 Information Centres, 380 European Documentation Centres (of which two at the College in Bruges and Natolin) and 700 Team Europe speakers. The Network’s helpdesk has been based at the Development Office since 2005. More information can be found on: http://ec.europa.eu/europedirect

The Development Office is happy to announce that Juliette Coin, former intern in our Office, has joined the project management team as a new Project Manager. The Development Office says goodbye to Aurélie Courtier, Chiara Tardivo, Anke Schuster, Peter Anckaert and Rosario Acosa and wishes them success in their career.