03.12.-07.12.2015

The Bonn-Brussels Excursion

The AUC and Tuebingen CMEPS students went on their second excursion from December 3rd to 7th 2015. In Brussels the students met with representatives from European decision making bodies. They had inspiring discussions with a member of the European Commission on democracy deficits in the Union, as well as with a representative from the legal department on Human Rights in Europe and finally with a representative from the European External Action Service on migration and security policy. In addition, the participants met for a highly stimulating meeting with the MENA program director of the International Crisis Group (ICG) who offered them some insight in the practice of policy analysis and policy advice. Later that night, the students had the opportunity to receive input from four journalists from the Deutschlandfunk in a popular bar in Brussels’ city center. The following trip to Bonn started with a two-hour walk on the “Path of Democracy” through the former government area. The students had then time to visit the German History Museum. On its last day the group met with representatives from the Bonn International Center for Conversion (BICC) and discussed strategies of the promotion of peace. They then met with a senior researcher at the German Development Institute (GDI) who gave the students an insightful lecture on how to connect research and practice. Before travelling back to Tuebingen, the students visited the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and discussed the challenges of German aid.