EES – Autumn School Krakow – Brussels

TEU, with the Office of Bogusław Sonik MEP and The Higher School of Business – National Louis University, Nowy Sącz, has been organising European Expert Seminar since October 2005 for students of social sciences, economics, and law not just from TEU, but from all universities in Krakow as well as around Poland. Its aim is to look into the activities of the EU as a whole.

The annual week-long Autumn school is a discussion-study programme which takes place in Krakow and Brussels.

This cyclical programme is designed to show how the EU functions, and shows the modus operandi of the EU in situ. The school includes visits to key institutions of the EU with specialists from Poland and the Union.

The project is co-ordinated by Tischner European University and the Office of Bogusław Sonik MEP. Partners include: The Higher School of Business – National Louis University, Nowy Sącz, and The University of Silesia, Katowice. I edition: Student Self-Governing Body of the Jagiellonian University; II edition: Student Self-Governing Body of the Pedagogical University (PU).

The financing of the project was mostly funded by a grant from the Office of Bogusław Sonik MEP. Monies were spent on travel and board during the seminar.

I edition, Krakow, Brussels, 1st-8th October 2005

The study-discussion seminar was attended by 38 students from TEU, the Jagiellonian University (UJ), the University of Economics (UE), the Higher School of Business – National Louis University in Nowy Sącz and the Univeristy of Silesia in Katowice. Students who qualified for the programme first had to write an essay on a European theme.

In Brussels students met Polish representatives to the European Union and the European Parliament, and could observe the day to day functioning of certain commissions. They were also given the opportunity to meet delegates from each of the aforementioned institutions and hear lectures on the roles they are engaged in, ranging from Union finance to regional politics, policy towards the east and other important issues. Amongst the lecturers and the Polish and European specialists were Hans Gert Poettering (the then leader of the EPP-ED party at the European Parliament), Prof. Vytautas Landsbergis MEP, Prof. Marek Grela (the then Polish ambassador to the EU), Dr. Jan Olbrycht, Dr. Przemysław Żurawski vel Grajewski, Dr. Janusz Lewandowski MEP (the then Chairman of the Budget Commission at the European Parliament), Dr. Rafał Trzaskowski, Dr. Krzysztof Szczerski and Dr. Artur Wołek.

II edition, 27th September – 5th October 2006

 28 students reading international relations, political studies, sociology, and related subjects from TEU, UJ, PU, UE and others took part in the intensive lecture programme in Kraków as well as a series of meetings and lectures with representatives from various institutions in Brussels.

During the lectures at TEU, many respected academics, such as Bishop Prof. Tadeusz Pieronek, TEU Rector Dr. Jarosław Gowin, Dr. Katarzyna Kosior, Dr. Arkady Rzegocki, Dr. Przemysław Żurawski vel Grajewski, Dr. Mikołaj Budzanowski, and Dr. Wojciech Prażuch introduced students to the issues at hand. The lectures in Krakow tackled problems such as institutional reforms of the EU, European politicians, the position of Poland and newcomers to the EU and religion in Europe.

In Brussels students met with Polish representatives to the EU and the European Parliament and also – a new element introduced to the programme – the European Commission and the Collège d’Europe in Bruges. Participants also visited Gent. The lectures at the main MEP headquarters in Brussels were given by politicians and specialists of note. Amongst those invited to meet students were: Bogusław Sonik MEP, Dr. Jan Olbrycht MEP, Elmar Brok (Chairman of the Commission of External Relations at the EP), Andrzej Kośnikowski (assistant to Commissioner Danuta Hübner), Dr. Rafał Trzaskowski, Dr. Kamila Kloc-Evison, Dr. Marek Evison, Dr. Wojciech Wrona, Robert A. Golański and others.