Development Office Newsletter: Issue N°4 2010

Successful pilot training for EEAS diplomats

The first specialised training programme for national diplomats and EU officials who are joining the European External Action Service (EEAS) took place at the College of Europe’s Bruges campus from 30 August to 3 September 2010.
The targeted one-week training covered the structure and main policy areas of the EEAS as well as related interactive workshops and exercises.
The programme combined training sessions on both substance and skills, delivered by academics and practitioners from the College of Europe in cooperation with the Netherlands Institute of International Relations ‘Clingendael’, the Centre for Political and Diplomatic Studies in Oxford and the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna. Participants from national foreign services and the EU institutions also benefited from the opportunity to network, exchange experience and explore a new EEAS ‘esprit de corps’.
In addition, the College had the great pleasure to welcome Ambassador Poul Skytte Christoffersen, Special Advisor to High Representative Ashton on the EEAS, and Ambassador Carlos Fernández-Arias Minuesa, Spanish Representative to the Political and Security Committee, as high-level speakers.
The evaluation of the training programme by the participants was very positive. 
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Summer Seminar for Russian students

25 students from the European Studies Institute (ESI) of MGIMO-University in Moscow have been selected for the 2010 ESI Summer Seminar taking place at the College of Europe Bruges campus from 30 August till 10 September.
During practical sessions, the participants will have the chance to improve their EU knowledge and negotiation skills. In the second week, among other things, they will visit the European Institutions in Brussels and Luxembourg as well as the NATO Headquarters in Brussels and meet with the Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the EU.
The Development Office of the College of Europe organises this 4th edition of the Summer Seminar based on a cooperation project with the Moscow State Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia (MGIMO-University). The ESI Master Programme has three specialisations: EU Law, EU Economics  and  EU Politics and Policies.
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Inauguration of first centre on international and EU port law

Portius – the world's first law centre with focus on international and EU port law opened on 7 September at the Castle of the Counts in Ghent.
The audience included high-level representatives of the four supporting partners, the College of Europe, the University of Ghent, the Port of Ghent and the Port of Zeebrugge, and other important local and international stakeholders. On behalf of the College of Europe, Mr. Jan De Mondt, Director of Administration and Finance and Acting Director of the Development Office welcomed the participants.
Port law is essential to the functioning of maritime and inland ports, traditional gateways to global trade. It combines port-related aspects of maritime and transport law, international law of the sea, public law, economic law, labour law, environmental law and various other branches of the law.
Portius is conceived as an independent educational institution, focussing on EU and International Port Law and aiming to bring together a network of Port authorities, practicing lawyers and academics.
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