EUROPEAN STUDIES

The first European conference of the Hamburg Vigoni Forum took place on February 24th and 25th, 2022 in Hamburg. The conference took up the theme of the kick-off workshop at Villa Vigoni at the end of 2021: the importance of sovereignty and identity for European integration in general and current integration politics in particular. In view of the major current challenges facing the EU, the aim of the format was to work out the ongoing relevance of the concepts for a "Europe of the citizens."

The Hamburg-Vigoni Forum wants to bring research and politics into dialogue in an innovative way. The main focus is on the overall concept of integration policy: "Space - Sovereignty - Identity", the well-known narratives of integration and disintegration that have not yet been adequately questioned in terms of their relevance for concrete concepts for the future of European policy.

Here you can read a report (German) on the event and find the recording of the Hamburg Vigoni Forum European Conference.

The Hamburg-Vigoni's publication Europa: Raum - Souveranität - Identität [Europe: Space - Sovereignty - Identity, German] is recommended for all those involved and interested in European politics. You can read about current challenges as well as suggestions which were generated through the exchange within the Hamburg Vigoni Forum and the commitment of scientists from all over Germany, including Prof. Dr. Heidbreder, head of the European Studies course at the OvGU.

For two years we have been living under exceptional and difficult conditions due to the Covid 19 pandemic. We've changed not only our individual routines but also the way we work and study.

Because of these unprecedented circumstances we are facing, we have been looking for strategies to better navigate this new reality where Corona is a part of our lives.

We fully understand that it has been a great challenge for students to study during a pandemic, therefore we would like to know more about your current situation.

In addition, we hope to be able to offer you the opportunity to experience the perspectives of other students and to learn from each other.

We have prepared this questionnaire. You are welcome to give us your name or remain anonymous.

Regardless of whether you are studying European Studies or another course in Magdeburg, your answers are welcome.

We look forward to hearing from you!

The Bachelor's and Master's degree program in European Studies at Otto von Guericke University in Magdeburg has enjoyed great popularity for many years and prepares future graduates for work in national, European or international administrations, companies, foundations, associations or non-governmental organizations. In addition to teaching theoretical content on policy-making in the European Union, the program also focuses on practice-related elements. On January 24, such an opportunity presented itself to the students in the context of an exchange with the Brussels Representation, which took place in virtual space due to corona. This event was part of an ongoing project by the Master students, in which formal interviews on EU policy-making are conducted with experts working in different EU fields.

The presenter was Daniel Wentzlaff, Deputy Head of the State Representation, who explained the tasks and working methods of the Representation of Saxony-Anhalt to the EU and also touched on the eventful history of the property at 80 Boulevard Saint-Michel, which once served as the GDR embassy. Afterwards, there was a lot of interest from the students in the content of the internship and in general about life in the city of Brussels. Some of the audience might later do an internship at the Representation and we may see some soon working in Brussels.