CIFE's Master programmes feature the slogan "Learning and Living Europe". Can you tell us what this means more specifically for the EUGOV Master?
Studying European and international studies in three different countries opens up a view beyond national borders and sensitises students to different national perspectives and characteristics. With France, Germany and Belgium, EUGOV students experience European politics in three key EU countries. The trimester in Brussels also offers an intensive, first-hand experience of European political decision-making processes and brings the subject to life, especially as we will be meeting many professionals in the EU institutions and in the Brussels bubble in general and gaining an insight into their work. Finally, EUGOV students will of course also have the opportunity to see a lot of Europe - on the beautiful Côte d'Azur, in the heart of Belgium and in vibrant Berlin.
For the academic year 2025/26, the 2nd term of the EUGOV Master will take place in Brussels for the first time. Can you tell us what future students can expect from this trimester?
After laying the historical, institutional and theoretical foundations during the first term, in the second trimester we will focus on a series of current policy issues and case studies and zoom in on specific aspects of European politics. In addition to the in-class courses and workshops, we will primarily be visiting EU institutions and policy-related organisations to exchange with experts and EU professionals. Students will also take part in career and networking events and meet CIFE alumni who are now working in the “Brussels bubble”. Last but not least, there will be the traditional study trip to Strasbourg, Luxembourg and/or Geneva to visit further European and international institutions.
Could you tell us a bit more about the "applied" parts of the programme?
We attach great importance to supporting students in translating their theoretical and academic knowledge into practice. For instance, in the course on theories of international relations, students are asked to analyse current issues and conflicts of IR with the help of existing theories. When we work on the EU’s external trade policy, students not only learn about the theory but they also have to present case studies on the EU’s trade relations with major partners such as the United States, China or the United Kingdom.
Another aspect of “applied” is certainly our interdisciplinary approach: as in practice, problems are normally complex and not “sorted” according to economics, politics, culture… In addition, we are convinced that academic knowledge alone is no longer sufficient to equip our graduates for today's job market. To start a successful career, you need a wide range of practical skills and competences. For aspiring policy officers in European and international organisations, these include, among others, intercultural competences, a grounded knowledge of project management and first-hand experiences in writing reports, briefings and speaking notes.
Let me give you a few examples: at the end of the first trimester, the EUGOV students first attend a workshop on negotiation skills, a few days later they can directly apply these skills in an EU Council simulation game. During the Brussels trimester, they will take part in an intensive workshop to equip them with some of the key skills required for working in an EU institution. Here they learn how to follow EU policies in real time and produce fact sheets and policy briefs. Finally, the EUGOV students will also delve into the specific aspects of Project Cycle Management which is the method that the EU applies for managing projects of its numerous funding instruments.
Can you share a few highlights of this year's programme? And what to expect for 2025/26?
That's not an easy question, because a lot happened this past year and there have been several highlights! For example, the visit to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office in London, with a briefing by the Head of Europe Research Group on the current state of the EU-UK relations. Or the many interesting briefings in Brussels on current EU policy issues, including a brilliant briefing at the EEAS on EU measures against foreign information manipulation and interference. In Berlin, we learnt how German European policy is made in the EU Coordination Department of the Federal Foreign Office, while at the same time a UN peacekeeping conference with more than 130 international delegations was taking place in the building. At all these events, we received first-hand information on relevant topics and were able to exchange ideas with decision-makers and gain insights into their field of work, which is much more exciting than ‘just’ attending lectures at university. In 2025/26, we will again visit many professionals in interesting institutions and delve deeper into the most pressing issues in EU politics, such as security and defence, ecological transformation and EU enlargement. I am already looking forward to this!
That leads us to another question: What qualifications are important for EUGOV applicants to succeed with their application?
To study in the EUGOV programme, you should have at least a BA degree and a clear interest in European and international affairs. There are no predetermined profiles. Above all we value a candidate's ability to adapt to different environments, their intellectual and cultural curiosity and their ability to live together, without of course overlooking their academic level.
Many of our students have a political science or international relations background, or come from the field of applied linguistics, economics or law. But in principle, you can apply with any kind of discipline - I would say that the interdisciplinary character is one of the biggest assets of our Master programmes. If you aim at embarking on a European career or would like to work in the field of European or international politics, this is the right place for you. You must have a good command of both English and French. If on top you can also speak some German, the third working language of the EU, you can even choose our trilingual option.
Is there a typical career profile for which this Master prepares for? And could you give us a few examples of jobs that recent graduates have succeeded in?
The career paths after graduation are as diverse as the profiles of our students. However, most of our graduates work in the field for which we have prepared them – European and international affairs, either in an EU or international institution, or in a national government agency, for example in the field of EU coordination or foreign relations. One of our graduates from last year is now at EPSO, another is currently doing a traineeship at the European Court of Auditors, and yet another graduate has recently been working as a defence analyst at the Permanent Representation of Luxembourg to the EU. Meanwhile, CIFE has a wide network of alumni in European and international institutions. However, the range of possible career paths is much larger than that, depending on the profile and ambitions of the students. From last year's group, for example, one is working as a business consultant, one as a researcher, one in an NGO... For most graduates, it takes one to two years to find their dream job, with most getting their foot in the door through internships and traineeships. That’s why career coaching and training is one of our priorities during the course.