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  • The European Union - Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

    Belgium and France

    CEPA faculty-led program on the European Union
  • Academic Field(s)

    Business and Economics

  • Destinations

    Brussels and Strasbourg

  • Duration

    32 days

  • Accommodation

    3-star hotel in Brussels and the European Study Center (ESC) Strasbourg

A broader understanding and enhanced knowledge of Europe’s past and present is essential for today’s economic and political leaders in order to succeed.

The focus of this program is to provide students with a broader horizon of the fundamental differences, diverse traditions, and common concerns of the EU member states.

Excursions and visits to important European political, economic, and financial institutions, as well as to multinational and local companies will play an integral role and allow for direct interaction with local experts.

This program includes classroom space at the European Study Center (ESC) Strasbourg.

  • DAY 1

    • Overnight flight to Brussels, Belgium (group flight can be booked separately)

  • DAY 2-4: BRUSSELS

    Stay 3 nights at a 2-star hotel in Brussels

    • Arrival at Brussels Airport (BRU)
    • Check-in at the hotel and orientation session by your CEPA On-Site Coordinator
    • Guided walking tour of the EU quarter in Brussels to get a first overview of the European institutions and EU politics
    • Welcome dinner at a Belgian restaurant
    • Visit the European Parliament, the only directly elected body of the European Union
    • Visit the European External Action Service (EEAS), the European Union’s diplomatic service, to learn about the Union’s Common Foreign and Security Policy
    • Visit the European Commission, which is, alongside the European Parliament and Council of the European Union, one of the three main institutions governing the European Union
    • Visit to the U.S. Mission to the European Union, which works with the North American and European allies to ensure joint security through political and military cooperation

  • DAY 5: LUXEMBOURG

    Stay 27 nights at the European Study Center Strasbourg (Château de Pourtalès)

    • Visit the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg, which ensures that the law is observed in the interpretation and application of the treaties establishing the European Communities and of the provisions laid down by the competent Community institutions
    • Check-in at the Château and first orientation session by your CEPA On-Site Coordinator

  • DAY 6-8: STRASBOURG - THE ALSACE REGION

    • Comprehensive orientation session to get to know the new environment, its neighborhood, and the staff at the Château
    • Visit the exhibition “The Lieu d’Europe” to get a first overview of Europe, the European Union, and its institutions
    • Guided walking tour of Strasbourg, the “Capital of Europe”
    • Guided bus tour along the Alsatian wine route, “Route du Vin”, during the day with stops in some Alsatian villages, a guided tour of the Haut Koenigsbourg Castle, and a visit to an Alsatian winery (tasting included)
    • Traditional “Tarte Flambée” dinner at an Alsatian restaurant
    • Classroom available for 3.5 hours at the Château for a class session
    • The afternoon is free for your course projects

  • DAY 9: STUTTGART

    • Visit an automobile production plant, e.g. Mercedes Benz in Sindelfingen or Porsche in Stuttgart, to learn about its production and the importance of the automobile industry in Southern Germany and the Alsace region
    • Free time in Stuttgart

  • DAY 10-15: STRASBOURG

    • Classroom available for 3.5 hours at the Château for a class session
    • Scavenger hunt organized by your coordinator to discover a lot of important and beautiful places in Strasbourg
    • Guest lecture at the Château, e.g. held by a representative of ADIRA, to learn about their business relations network in the region
    • The afternoon is free for your course projects
    • Classroom available for 3.5 hours at the Château for a class session
    • Visit the U.S. Consulate General to learn about its mission in creating educational, commercial, and cultural exchanges between the United States and the north-eastern French regions of the Alsace
    • Free weekend in and around Strasbourg
    • Classroom available for 3.5 hours at the Château for a class session
    • Visit the Council of Europe, seeking to develop common and democratic principles based on the European Convention on Human Rights regarding the protection of individuals since 1949

  • DAY 16: HEIDELBERG

    • Visit a company on the way to Heidelberg, e.g. Peter Huber Kältemaschinen GmbH, the technology leader for high-precision thermoregulation in research and industry
    • Guided tour of the famous Heidelberg Castle to learn about its fascinating history
    • Group dinner at a German restaurant

  • DAY 17-21: STRASBOURG

    • Classroom available for 3.5 hours at the Château for a class session
    • Guided tour of the Alsatian or Historical Museum to learn about the region’s history
    • Visit the International Institute of Human Rights, working for the promotion and protection of human rights through training and research
    • The afternoon is free for your course projects
    • Classroom available for 3.5 hours at the Château for a class session
    • The afternoon is free for a directed study project
    • Free weekend to explore Strasbourg and the region on your own. You may take the train to the German university town of Freiburg or the German spa town of Baden-Baden.

  • DAY 22: NATZWILLER

    • Classroom available for 3.5 hours at the Château for a class session
    • Admission to the former concentration camp Struthof, located in the Vosges Mountains and the only camp established by the Nazis on French territory

  • DAY 23: FRANKFURT

    • Visit the German Bundesbank, the European Central Bank, or the Deutsche Börse Group in Frankfurt to get an insight into the European and German banking sector
    • Visit the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin), which brings together the supervision of banks and financial service providers, insurance undertakings, and securities trading

  • DAY 24: STRASBOURG

    • Classroom available for 3.5 hours at the Château for a class session
    • The afternoon is free to work on your course work

  • DAY 25: VERDUN

    • Guided tour of Fort Douaumont, Douaumont Ossuary, and the battlefields. Fort Douaumont was the largest and highest fort on the ring of 19 large defensive forts protecting the city of Verdun, France since the 1890s.

  • DAY 26-29: STRASBOURG - KEHL

    • Classroom available for 3.5 hours at the Château for a class session
    • The remainder of the day is free for you to make your own travel experiences
    • Free weekend to explore the area or to work on class projects. Paris, for example, can be reached within 2 hours with the TGV train.
    • Classroom available for 3.5 hours at the Château for a class session
    • Visit the Euro-Institute, an organization specialized in continuing education and consulting on cross-border cooperation. You will learn about cross-cultural communication during a lecture on “Cultural Diversity”.

  • DAY 30: FREIBURG

    • Visit the Solar Info Center in Freiburg, providing advice and support for developing innovative information centers and technology parks for renewable energy and energy efficiency in Germany and abroad
    • Guided tour of the Heliotrope house located in Vauban, a district of Freiburg. The Heliotrope is an environmentally friendly house designed by the German architect Rolf Disch. Like a sunflower (heliotrope), the house turns towards the sun to maximize gained solar energy.

  • DAY 31-32: STRASBOURG

    • Classroom available for 3.5 hours at the Château for a class session, final discussions, reflection, and wrap-up of the program
    • Free afternoon for last explorations of Strasbourg
    • Farewell dinner at an Alsatian restaurant
    • Departure from Frankfurt International Airport (FRA)
  • What’s included in this sample itinerary:

    Academic and professional excursions with special presentations • cultural excursions and field trips with local, bilingual guides • entrance fees and reservations • accommodation at the European Study Center Strasbourg (triple or twin rooms for students; single room for the faculty) and in a 3-star hotel (twin rooms for students; single room for the faculty) • classroom space • daily breakfast • welcome and farewell dinner • 2 additional group dinners • local transportation by private bus as needed • public transportation passes in Brussels and Strasbourg • on-site coordinator during excursions • orientation sessions • time to study, instruct, and explore • free weekends to explore Strasbourg and the surrounding region

  • Program fee starting at € 2,950 per participant based on a group size of 15
  • All program fees are calculated to include participation of one accompanying faculty or group leader.
  • Prices are based on a minimum number of 15 or 20 paying participants.
  • The actual quote for a tailored program will vary depending on different factors, for example: the actual program dates, the final participant number, the duration of the program, the visits and excursions included, as well as varying exchange rates

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