International Relations: European Union Studies

Whether with the joint Brussels trip, meeting for a beer or helping each other out to study for exams, the strong bond among students made studying European Union Studies the most enjoyable.

Internship in Seoul
As I simultaneously studied a master in Asian Studies together with European Union Studies at Leiden, it was important for me to combine these two fields of interest in my master's research. Hence, I focused on the EU policy vis-à-vis China and specialised in the EU-China strategic partnership and the possible 2016 market economy status of China and its implications for the EU. It was a fascinating journey to find my own niche and my own interest. This helped me to pursue a placement with the EU Delegation in Seoul, where I am currently interning in the political section.

This programme is unique in the Netherlands. We first put together an interdisciplinary curriculum and then went looking for lecturers, rather than the other way round, as is often the case. I am also proud that we have managed to attract many people from the 'real world' to higher education, people with valuable hands-on experience. In the second semester the entire body of staff comes from outside the university. There are staff from the WRR (The Scientific Council for Government Policy), the SER (The Social and Economic Council of the Netherlands) and the House of Commons, including the Euro¬pean spokesmen from the CDA and PvdA, and a former Minister of Defence. These people are delivering complete courses. In addition, we also have an impressive list of guest lecturers. Of course, Leiden benefits from having both a physical and a personal close relation¬ship with the Hague. Close proximity to a centre of government is a great advantage for a course of this kind. The EU is occupying an increasing role in our lives. There is a growing demand in the Netherlands and elsewhere for high quality knowledge about the EU.”