Coppieters Academy registration open

What is the Coppieters Academy?

The Coppieters Academy is a three-day intensive study programme at the heart of Europe’s political capital, in which participants gain an in-depth knowledge on the European Union through a series of lectures, interactive workshops and study visits.
The Coppieters Academy is an opportunity for participants to share and exchange ideas with prominent scholars and researchers, policy-makers at diverse European institutions and other experienced practitioners. The sessions will be practically oriented aiming to inspire and encourage participants to think critically, reflect, investigate and learn from each other.

2017 Edition:

This intensive course is designed to introduce students to European public policy on human rights, linguistic and cultural diversity, minority rights, self-determination, the principle of subsidiarity, and the process of European integration.
These topics are more pressing than ever as Catalonia and Scotland are on the path to independence; as the role of regions and cities is changing; as Euroscepticism, hate speech and discrimination of minority groups is on the rise; as European endangered languages remain marginalized; and as calls for constitutional reforms for a “Europe of peoples” are gaining popularity, to name but a few.
Participants will gain in-depth knowledge on interest representation, activities carried out with the objective of influencing EU policy formulation, and advocacy strategies, how to safeguard and promote your rights and how to be heard.

Goals?

• To improve, extend and update participants’ knowledge and understanding of European institutions and policy-making through in-depth analysis with a team of experts;
• To identify and understand the role of formal and informal channels of representation and advocacy by meeting representatives from these channels;
• To discuss and analyse European public policy issues with a special focus on diversity governance, minority rights, self-determination and the process of European integration;
• To experience ‘Brussels’ during (and after) sessions with EU practitioners and visits to the EU institutions.

Program:

Day 1 – 12 of September

09:30-10:30 What are minority rights?

11:00-12:00 The evolution of self-determination

13:00-14:30 Visit to the European Parliament

14:30-15:15 Session with Members of the European Parliament

16:00-17:00 Channels of interest representation

17:00-18:00 Workshop 1: Brexit and multiculturalism

18:00-19:00 Night Owl Session: team brainstorming and mapping ideas

Day 2 – 13 September

09:30-10:30 What is the Committee of the Regions?

11:00-12:00 Para-diplomacy and regional offices

13:00-14:30 Visit to a regional office

14:30-15:15 Language diversity protection in the EU

16:00-17:00 NGO Perspective: Human rights campaigning at the EU

17:00-18:00 Workshop 2: The European Parliament and the rise of the far-right

18:00-19:00 Night Owl Session: Group research

Day 3 – 14 September

09:30-10:30 Representation in new media

11:00-17:00 Group work & presentations

17:00-18:00 Certificate & award ceremony, evaluation of course, good-bye reception

Who?

It is open to 20 students of political science or related fields (post-graduate and undergraduate) interested in European affairs, international relations, (para)diplomacy, governance, human rights, peace studies, nationalism studies, cultural studies, and related social science fields/topics.

The event will be carried out in English. No interpretation will be provided.

Costs:
The price for Coppieters Academy 2017 is €250.

This fee includes: accommodation, reimbursement of up to €200 of travel expenses, breakfast, lunch, and coffee breaks, courses and materials, certificate of participation, goody bag with gifts, opportunity to publish best research paper as a policy paper.

Application

To apply, please fill out the Coppieters Academy 2017 Application Form and send it to us by email: info@ideasforeurope.eu

For more information, please get in touch: info@ideasforeurope.eu

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This Conference is financially supported by the European Parliament. The European Parliament is not liable for the content of the conference or the opinions of the speakers.

This conference is an initiative of the Centre Maurits Coppieters, University of Minho and Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Portugal’s national funding agency that supports science, technology and innovation under the auspices of the Ministry for Science, Technology and Higher Education).