EU*Connect Alumni Summer Academy 2026
The first-ever EU*Connect Alumni Summer Academy has come to a close! 14 participants from France, Germany, Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia, Alumni of the past four editions of our EU*Connect online campus, came together at the Europäische Akademie Otzenhausen for an intensive week of workshops, discussions, visits and a simulation on European decision-making.
The programme also took the group to Strasbourg, where they visited the Council of Europe and had the opportunity to exchange at the European Youth Centre with Pascale Trimbach-Rognon, Secretary General of the Franco-German Youth Office, MEP Oliver Schenk, Tobias Flessenkemper and Marius Schlageter, respectively Head of the Council of Europe's Youth Department and Policy Advisor. Back in Saarland, a fishbowl discussion with Dr. Deniz Alkan from the State Chancellery of Saarland offered another opportunity to reflect on the role of young people and civil society in shaping the future of Europe.
What made this week particularly special was seeing a community that had so far mostly met online come together in person. After many hours of joint learning and exchange across borders, the participants strengthened their connections, exchanged perspectives and created new ones. As our lecturer Paul Culley put it, they are now ready to “write a script for their common European future.”
A big thank you to our partner Europäische Akademie Otzenhausen for co-organising the programme and hosting us, and to the Franco-German Youth Office and the State Chancellery of Saarland for their generous support.
And a very special thank you to all our lecturers and guests who contributed their expertise and engaged so openly with the participants: Matthias Waechter, George Tzogopoulos, Pascale Trimbach-Rognon, Oliver Schenk, Tobias Flessenkemper, Marius Schlageter, Milana Holovan, Dr. Deniz Alkan and Paul Culley. And to Auriane Jousse and Rémi Mazet for the smooth organisation and coordination of the summer academy!
It was a real pleasure to see the EU*Connect community grow beyond the digital classroom - and to witness the energy, curiosity and commitment of a new generation of Europeans.