IES Abroad European Union Summer - Politics & Economics

The courses I took this summer were some of the most in-depth I have ever taken. The classes do not only rely on reading scholarly articles but also hands-on experience. In the EU Seminar course, we roleplayed the Commission, Parliament, and Council of Ministers to learn how bills get passed. For our overall final, the entire group (35 people total) was involved in a Model EU (I represented Italy's interests.). We tackled real issues, such as tariffs and aiding Ukraine. We also took numerous field trips, including to a Ukrainian mission. It was one thing to read about the 7 branches of the EU but quite another to visit the EU Parliament in Straßburg, the Swedish Parliament in Stockholm (where we met a representative and learned about recent NATO involvement), and the Commission, Council of Ministers, and EEAS in Brussels, the latter of which was in the midst of figuring out the Iran-Israel 12-day crisis. IES arranged all of the travel details perfectly, and we had some fun field trips in addition to plenty of free time to explore the cities. I have never looked at waffles the same way since. Belgium and Sweden were 2 countries I never would have seem without this program, and given Freiburg's location, France and Switzerland were easy to reach.

I had an amazing time while studying abroad in Freiburg, Germany for IES European Union Summer Study Abroad Program! I had the opportunity to travel to so many countries that I wouldn't have ventured to otherwise. I had lifelong connections with the other students that traveled abroad with me and I absolutely love the faculty and staff at this location. The courses were definitely immersive and eyeopening, to say the least. The coursework is manageable and still gives you time to explore and enjoy your time abroad! This program will help you get out of comfort zone as it did for and genuinely contribute to tour growth. If you're thinking of studying abroad, I strongly encourage choosing this program!

I loved the EU summer program. The course-related excursions were informative and fun, and the staff at the EU Center was so helpful, even with non-academic related questions. I wish I had spent more time in Freiburg, because I spent every weekend traveling.