Extra-curricular activities

Extracurricural Activities

EPS programme offers much more than lectures and seminars within the walls of universities. Students meet European policy-makers, lobbyists, and analysts in the EU capital during the Brussels Field Trip and take advantage of the internationalized academic environment on the occasion of the Barcelona Research Seminar and Oxford Spring School.

In addition to these three integral events of the EPS programme, students might participate in various workshops of their choice (e.g., leadership and career workshops), be in touch with the public and private sectors through guest and extra-curricular seminars, and with academics of all around the world through rich visiting mobility.

Furthermore, a wide range of social and culture activities is offered believing that the experience is the best way to get familiar with the culture, society, and politics of Europe.

Brussels Field Trip

During the first semester of the study period, a two-day trip to Brussels offers students the chance to get in contact with stakeholders in the core of EU decision-making and to better understand the day-to-day operations of the “EU capital”. During the event, students meet experts from EU institutions, think tanks, NGOs, and consultancies including EPS Alumni based in Brussels.

Students arrange and cover travel and accommodation for the event themselves.

Online Research Seminar

A  one-day online research seminar gathers first-year students and academics from all partner universities in order to provide extensive feedback on student MA research proposals. The research seminar takes place in late May of the first year of studies. Although the period is highly demanding for students, the aim of the event is to make the MA research proposal as robust as possible and to make a good start on the thesis production in the 2nd-year. 

The online feedback event will be held in groups with two academics and a number of students with 30-minute sessions per student to discuss

• literature to which the thesis contributes;
• research gap/problem;
• research question;
• research feasibility. 

A student might articulate in the pre-recorded video presentation any component of the research they are struggling with, thus indicating they would welcome an in-depth discussion of that particular aspect or aspects. 

Barcelona Research Seminar

Barcelona Research Seminar takes place in January of the 2nd-year of study. It is a two-day event that gathers 2nd-year students from all EPS universities including research presentations of students, interactive lectures, methodological workshops, sessions with Alumni, and social activities. Students present the advanced MA thesis research including research question/hypothesis, theory, research design, preliminary findings, and method to be used.

Presenters get feedback from other students and academics based on a pre-recorded video presentation submitted in early January. Concrete instructions on how to proceed with submission of the video are sent through email in the December preceding the seminar. At the research seminar itself, students should be prepared to deliver a heavily abbreviated version of the pre-recorded presentation in person (full details advised shortly prior to the event).

Students arrange and cover travel and accommodation for the event themselves.

Oxford Spring School

In spring, the selected 2nd-year students (through the EPS Consortium committee and Europaeum call for papers) have an opportunity to present their MA research and/or take the role of a discussant in the Oxford Spring School, a unique student event and academic experience.

The call for applications is open in January/February at the Europaeum website and it is only for 2nd-year students applying for the research presentation. 2nd-year students might be accepted as a presenter or a discussant based on the quality and/or relevance of the application to the call. In case there are not enough successful applications from 2nd-year students, a second call for 1st-year students to participate as discussants will be launched.

For selected students actively participating in the event, travel and accommodation for the duration of the Oxford Spring School are subsidized by the EPS Consortium. The accommodation is arranged by the Europaeum Association. The EPS Consortium covers reasonably priced flight tickets from partner cities (Barcelona, Krakow (potentially Katowice), Leiden, and Prague). Students make their own travel arrangements.

You will be reimbursed (in part or in full) once the Oxford Spring School is finished. You will be asked to send all your travel documents to the Europaeum (office@europaeum.org). Keep all the bills and documentation for reimbursement.

Please note that you may need to get a visa to travel to the United Kingdom. It is highly recommended to start the visa procedure as early as possible.

Last updated 15. 4. 2023.