Future political science and international relations specialists on a study trip to Brussels

Students from the Department of Political Science at the Faculty of European Studies at Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU) who have shown the best academic performance and are very active in research went on a study trip to the European Parliament in Brussels at the beginning of March. Latvian Members of the European Parliament intend to provide this opportunity to future political science and international relations specialists every year, and plan to keep supporting the most capable students of the RSU study programmes Politics and Political Communication and International Relations – European Studies.   

The students were welcomed to Brussels by Inese Vaidere, Sandra Kalniete and Kārlis Šadurskis, who are Members of the European Parliament. Each of them offered a slightly different agenda. All students had the opportunity to become acquainted with the functions, the daily work and the history of the development of the European Parliament at The Parlamentarium, an interactive educational centre. Here they could see the opportunities that members of the parliament have to influence adopted decisions, and learn about the possibilities of the parliament to influence processes in Europe and beyond.

Third year student Katrīna Marija Sitniece was welcomed to Brussels by Parliament Member Inese Vaidere. The students visited the Chamber, the Member's office and the House of European History – an exhibition about the historic twists and future challenges of the region. ‘This visit was a pleasant show of appreciation for three years of work. It was a valuable experience to become acquainted with the work of the European Parliament, as well as the political centre of Europe. The most positive impression during the visit in Brussels, however, was left by the sincerity and interest of the Parliament Members. Considering the intense daily schedule of our studies it was also nice to have an opportunity to get to know my fellow students better,’ says Katrīna Marija.

Lelde Metla-Rozentāle, a lecturer at the Department of Political Science of RSU, who accompanied the students during the trip, hopes that this first study trip will serve as an additional motivation for students of politics and international relations to work hard in order to partake in future trips at the end of their third year of studies. She emphasises the criteria for students who wish to qualify for this trip – academic performance and active research, for example participation in conferences and workshops, and also public activities, such as participation in non-governmental organizations.