Understanding European Integration

After three weeks of intensive studies on the European Union the Munich International Summer University (MISU) of the Ludwig-Maximilians University ended on Friday, August 21. The fourteen participants from Peking University left Munich to travel back to China on Sunday. By mid-September they have to submit the essays they have to write for the programme.

Over the last three weeks, the students from PKU have gained a broad overview of European politics and European integration. The programme "Approaching the European Union" included seminars on the founding ideas of European integration, the historical developments in Europe after the Second World War, major fields of European politics such as the single market, the common currency, justice and home affairs as well as cross-cutting issues like counter-terrorism or energy security. A special focus was put on Europe's international role and the EU's relations with other countries and regions in general and EU-China relations in particular. The course combined different methodologies such as lectures, round-table discussions, group-work and students' presentations. To enrich the seminar programme with a first hand experience of political practice, the students also visited the Bavarian Minister-Presidents' Office, the representation of the European Parliament in Munich, the European Patent Office and the Chinese consulate. In addition to that the programme included also numerous excursions. During their time in Germany the students visited Berlin, Regensburg, Schloss Neuschwanstein and Salzburg.