The European Studies study trip to Brussels is an annual initiative of Professor Jean Crombois’ senior-level course Topics in European Politics, part of the European Studies major. Over several days, students visited key political institutions in Brussels, met with alumni and stakeholders, and exchanged ideas about the future of European politics and the field of European Studies.
Each year, the trip is based on the central theme of the course. Last year, the focus was on Russia/China relations and EU members states’ foreign policy. This year, students analyzed each institution, meeting, and policy discussion through the lens of the evolving role of national security in the EU after the war in Ukraine.
As student Stela Terziyska said, “This trip felt like seeing myself in the future. Thanks to the alumni meeting that was organized on our last day there, I could really imagine what it would be like to work in Brussels and build a career connected to the EU institutions.”
Another student, Alex Galabova, added: “For a senior like me, the trip was very important to establish some networking connections. I will definitely go back to them. It was also a very bonding class experience.”
Day one: understanding EU governance
The group began the trip with visits to the Council of Ministers and the European Council. Later, they met with Romain Le Quiniou from the French think tank Eurocréative for an in-depth discussion on France’s foreign and security strategy and the broader future of European security.
Day two: inside NATO and the EU’s security machinery
The second day featured a visit to NATO Headquarters, where the students met Ambassador Nikolay Milkov, Bulgaria’s Permanent Representative to NATO. Their conversation about NATO’s responsibilities, challenges, and strategic direction connected directly to the course’s central theme, giving students a close-up look at NATO’s work in practice.
“The most impressive visit for me was definitely NATO, said Alex Galabova. The headquarters itself is ginormous, its security level is so high, it almost felt dystopian even. But it was very interesting, and the access that Professor Crombois managed to get was impressive.”
The group also visited the European Union’s External Action Service (EEAS) to learn about its structure, mission, and the EU’s defense and security policies. The day concluded at the European Parliament with insightful discussions with Bulgarian MEPs Hristo Petrov and Radan Kanev.
Final day: EU enlargement and policy in focus
On the third and final day, the group visited DG NEAR to explore the state of EU enlargement. They then learned about the EU’s regulatory simplification agenda at the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies and gained a deeper understanding of the European Commission’s role in supporting the EU defense industry. The day concluded at FleishmanHillard, a leading public affairs consultancy, where he tgroup discussed lobbying and advocacy in the EU. The trip wrapped up with an informal gathering with AUBG alumni.
Once again, students immersed themselves in Europe’s real political landscape, gaining hands-on insights and making valuable connections. As Stela Terziyska said, “It was an inspiring and very motivating experience that connected what we study in class with real careers and real people.”
In conclusion, Alex Galabova said: “It’s funny how almost every meeting started with kind of a praise from the people saying how AUBG students are the brightest and that they’re very happy to be talking to us. This was very eye-opening for the importance of the university’s name and position on the European and even the global stage for universities.”
