What do former students think about the Master in European Integration and Regionalism?

How do they evaluate the programme and its structure?

In what way did the Master's programme contribute to their career?

These are just some questions that both organizers and interested peolpe want to know.

The Eurac magazine "Academia" interviewed some of the former students in order to get some impressions.

Do you think that the Master in European Integration and Regionalism had/has/will have a positive impact on your professional career? How?

The knowledge I have gained during this masters has had a concrete impact on my further professional development. Since getting enrolled in the program, I have been promoted to a Rule of Law position within the USAID Mission in Kosovo. The third module on Regionalism and Federalism has given me a better understanding of the decentralization issues among others, which will certainly help me on getting more involved in the crucial process of decentralization in Kosovo. read more

(Gresa Caka - Rule of Law assistant within the Democracy and Governance Office within the USAID Mission in Kosovo; Co-director of the European Centre-Kosovo)

The knowledge and skills I have acquired has boosted the work of the NGO that I am presiding, in terms of action-based and research-based European integration projects. Persons holding a master's degree in European Integration and Regionalism are seen as very valuable human resources, which have great professional opportunities. read more

(Zoran Ilievski - President of the Citizens Association for Democracy, Peace and Tolerance AURORA)

Choosing MEIR as a post-graduate programme was one of the most important decisions which influenced my professional career. It was mainly thanks to the Master Programme that I got involved into the EU issues. The first step was made during my stage in the EPP-ED Group of the European Parliament in February 2005.  After the EP I passed over the European Commission where I did a Blue Book stage. I am sure that the enrolment into MEIR programme together with my Master's thesis on cross-border cooperation contributed considerably to the Commission's decision to place me in the INTERREG unit of DG Regional Policy. read more

(Lesya Rekunova - Assistant of Grazyna Staniszewska, MEP in the European Parliament in Brussels)

In retrospect, the MEIR course focused on three key topics directly related to my daily work and future orientation: 1.) EU funding programmes and opportunities; 2.) regions and regional policy in the EU; and 3.) EU law.  I can confirm now that I have grown in the administrative structure and in responsibilities. I am currently acting Head of Phare Investment Projects Unit, while about 10 days ago I was sent to Brussels as representative of Bulgaria on the "Future of Transnational Cooperation" working group. read more

(Angelina Todorova - working for the Ministry of Finance, Bulgaria, within a directorate dealing with Phare, ISPA, Sapard and national investments)

A master programme with the audacious goal to address the trends throughout Europe with a view to raising the interest of the students in striking the right balance between European integration and regionalization is of particular interest for my country and also for the institution where I work read more

(Irina Donciu - Director of the Western and Central Europe Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania)

MEIR definitely has had a positive impact on my professional career. From a very practical perspective, I consider that MEIR helped me to better prepared for the competition organized by the European Personnel Selection Office. read more

(Kristine Drevina - Legal Counsel within the Financial Law Division, Legal Services, European Central Bank)

MEIR has enormously influenced my every day work at my Office. The knowledge that I received by attending the MEIR courses helped me to prepare other actors involved in the process of europeanization in Serbia. read more

(Srdjan Majstorovic - Deputy Director in the European Integration Office of the Serbian Government)

The Master in European Integration and Regionalism has complemented and developed my background and professional skills in significant ways.  In sum, through this master programme I am better prepared for either teaching in academia or leading a professional career on European integration affairs and broader.

(Rozeta Shembilku  - Foreign Policy Advisor to the Prime Minister of Albania)

The Master in European Integration has already had and will  have a strong impact in my career due to the fact that my job rotates around the work of the EU institutions. The platform provided by the MEIR concerning the EU decision-making process and EU law is paramount for the successful implementation of my work. read more

(Lorena Sverko - Head of Office of the EU - Liaison Office, Region of Istria)

The given possibility to conduct an internship in the European Parliament (courtesy of Mr. Sepp Kusstatscher MEP and MEIR) helped me gain hands-on experience on the functioning of the EU institutions and the EU policy and decision- making process. read more

(Edvard Mitevski, Senior Associate, Secretariat for European Affairs, Government of Republic of Macedonia)

In your opinion which are the most important features of the Master in European Integration and Regionalism that represent an added value for this Master Programme in comparison with other post-graduated studies?

It involves modules on different topics which at the end come together to a bigger picture and give you a very comprehensive and very useful understanding of the European affairs from different angels. It involves people from all over Europe and the different cultures represented at this masters are complemented with the visits to different countries in Europe. read more
(Gresa Caka)

The flexibility of the programme, i.e. it's distance-learning component, which enables fully employed professionals to pursue this master programme and the inter-disciplinary approach of the studies which opens up the MEIR programme to professionals and recent graduates from different profiles and empowers them for future careers in a wide scope of organizations and working positions. Combining these elements with the rich intercultural learning that accompanies the visit of four different European countries makes the MEIR a unique European programme, which I most sincerely recommend to any future post-graduate interested in European integration and regionalism. read more

(Zoran Ilievski)

The module-based approach which allowed doing the studies without quitting the job and the very nice composition of the teaching staff (both professors from the partner universities and these invited from other places). read more

(Lesya Rekunova)

The aspect I appreciate most about the MEIR programme relates to the module structure, allowing a simultaneous (home) career development, aside from the selection of professionals, academics and practitioners, which could hardly be summoned if the course was standard, immobile and lacking flexibility. The course introduced me to other professionals working in the region and in the sphere of European Integration which creates a basis not only for a career "network", to use a fashionable term, but also for true and lasting friendships. read more

                                        (Angelina Todorova)

The main added value brought by this master programme is the inter-connected approach, linking integration and regionalism. What I liked most was that every lecture was very pragmatically oriented. Every piece of theory was applied to concrete situations. The master is a real academic experience and an opportunity for the students not only to learn about the EU, but also to brainstorm together about what is improvable, what can and should be changed, how can ordinary people and organizations influence decisions. read more
(Irina Donciu)

MEIR not only provides an academic insight into the European Integration process and European cultural diversity, but makes students to literally live through it since almost each module takes place in a different location carefully chosen to match with the content and philosophy of the module. read more

(Kristine Drevina)

It doesn't require long absence from every day work which makes it perfect for civil servants and it is very important to create the network of young professional who are bound to work together in future. read more

(Srdjan Majstorovic)

I enjoy being in between academia and professional life. This master programme is an exemplary combination of the two: it keeps me busy with the theoretical and empirical aspects of the master programme while at work place I can directly bring this knowledge and apply it in practice. I am experiencing how theory and application can and go hand in hand. read more (Rozeta Shembilku)

The most important features which distinguish the MEIR form other post-graduate studies is first of all the structure of the group which consists of people coming from different countries, secondly that the programme is organized in 4 different locations in Europe and thirdly the staff of the Master, which is very qualified. read more
(Lorena Sverko)