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Hi everyone, my name is Clotilde, and I am an -almost- second-year EUROSUD student. With this blog I would like to share my recent experience at Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, in Pisa, Italy. There, I had the great opportunity to attend a five days intensive advanced training course about European and International Human Rights Standards in Disaster Settings, within the Jean Monnet Module.
Spending a week at the Scuola was for me a great chance from many perspectives. Indeed, the Scuola is internationally well known and distinguished for its high ranking and education of excellence provided to its “allievi” (students). Among the courses provided, the Scuola also offers intensive advanced training courses, open to postgraduate and PhD students, and practitioners. In fact, during this very intense week I had the pleasure to interact and grow in an inspiring and motivating environment, in which knowledge, passion and curiosity are palpable and constant during lectures, debates and other activities, also outside the classrooms. I am so grateful to have had the great chance to meet brilliant colleagues, lecturers and practitioners that, by providing a very insightful and enriching perspective on the topics treated, also helped me enlarge my network, knowing more possibilities of carrier and, most importantly, got me to know this fundamental topic and its multiple shades and shapes.
As previously mentioned, the course I followed is named European and International Human Rights Standards in Disaster Settings. In general, the course aimed to provide a legal perspective on disaster management activities and, consequently, the fundamental role of human rights in the prevention and response to natural and technological disasters. More specifically, the five days were organised to give, for each macro topic, a deep and complete overview of the issue.
After a first-day introduction, we were guided into a deep understanding process of the International, Disaster and Human Rights Laws. Indeed, this represents a fundamental basis to further discuss and develop more specific focuses on the topic, such as the actors involved in humanitarian assistance and disaster management. Furthermore, the protection issues related to the impact that natural and technological disasters bring were also treated with specific regard to children and migrants, the most vulnerable and fragile categories of the society.
Moreover, an interesting and relevant focus was dedicated to how climate change has recently been affecting the world and society, highlighting the increase of disasters during the last decade, indicative of a radical change that should quickly and efficiently happen in the next years.
Happy and satisfied with the experience I had, I now feel more confident and complete in the knowledge of such important topics. During this intense and enriching week, the Scuola gave us the incredible chance to be directly in touch with the representatives and researchers in the field of disaster setting and human rights; this helped me to understand how human rights protection and disasters are connected and how they are simultaneously becoming urgent and challenging. The need to intervene and grant dignity, freedom and life to all human beings is now, more than ever, a priority.
Erika attends a short course from the CIVIS Alliance
MUSEO-POLIS: A Summer School on Museum, Democracy and Citizenship in Southern Europe
Under the coordination of Aix-Marseille Université and within the premises of the MUCEM – Musée des civilisations de l'Europe et de la Méditerranée –, I became part of a diverse environment, as the course considered students with different backgrounds and nationalities, as well as many specialized professionals like anthropologists, curators and historians. For three days, I listened to and debated on discussions about migration, religion and democracy in relationship with museums as representative institutions of historical and contemporary events. The course enriched my knowledge of democratic development in Southern Europe and the current re-foundation of democratic citizenship. It was dynamic and entertaining not only because of the lectures received but also because of the organization of guided tours to temporary exhibitions of the Mucem, like “Abd el-Kader”, a display of the life of an Algerian religious and military leader that fought against French colonial occupation, and “Pharaons Superstars”, a cultural approach towards Egypt and its presence in the Mediterranean.
Additionally, the course included a visit to two other relevant places: La Vieille Charité Museum and the Mucem Conservation and Resources Center. The first exhibited “Objets migrateurs, trésors sous influence”, where I could compare ancient and modern precious objects that characterized a migrant’s journey and that distinguish societies today; while on the other hand, the second allowed us to understand the museum process of acquisition of objects and how they conserve and classify them for future exhibitions. As a matter of fact, I examined this last place in the company of two senior curators, being able to ask questions and dialogue directly with them regarding their valuable work.
From a museum perspective, the recognition of national treasures contributes to the notion of identity and assists in the task of writing history for increasing representation and maintaining democracy construction. Thus, it is important to acknowledge these institutions for the progress of the own nation.
MY EUROSUD INTERNSHIP at NewGenPeacebuilders - Merima Muhic
Hi! My name is Merima, a second year EUROSUD students from Zivinice, Bosnia and Herzegovina. I am currently finishing my year at Autonomous University of Madrid while also interning with the NewGen Peacebuilders, an NGO from the US.
The opportunity to study in various locations, and now even do an internship in another, has been a truly eye-opening opportunity! I have managed to pick up so many lessons, experiences, and connections at each of the locations, helping me become informed in both the theoretical and practical aspects of Southern Europe. I believe this type of experience would have only been possible with EUROSUD.
At NewGen Peacebuilders, I work on a research project on positive peace and peace education in the Western Balkans.  My engagement with this specific topic began while the organization was doing a “pilot program” with another NGO already present in the region. The results from the pilot program raised even more questions and interest in the region, as well as what else can be done, in a more meaningful and impactful way.
I have always been interested in informal education and what can be done in the region with young people that hasn’t been done so far! I love working on the ground and seeing months of research and planning come to reality, so I truly hope that whatever we find out at the end of my internship results in a great opportunity for the countries and young people from the region. I remain grateful to EUROSUD for inspiring us to think outside of the box and push our limits!
Aiqian Li - Chinese Vlogger
Our Chinese Vlogger, Aiqian
As a Chinese Vlogger, a video I posted on Bilibili's platform exceeded 1 million(100万) plays on June 19. It introduces the slides “Parabelrrutsche”in the building of the Technical University of Munich in Germany. The slides can be quickly slid down from the third floor, fulfilling the students' dream of leaving classroom by slides.
I also introduced the EUROSUD programme in my vlogs. Three Mobilities and Lisbon's winter school allowed me to travel in 22 countries in a year and a half. During this period, I gained knowledge and experienced the local life and culture of southern Europe.
Aiqian says " I am honoured to have received funding from the EUROSUD Career Development Fund, which will be used for more video editing and promotion. I also believe that more students will be interested in the application of EUROSUD and then benefit from this perfect programme".
𝐄𝐔𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐔𝐃 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐚𝐭 𝐏𝐚𝐧 𝐁𝐥𝐞𝐮
Hi, I'm Marta from Italy, a final year student of the second cohort of EUROSUD. I am currently in Marseille for my internship at Plan Bleu, one of the Regional Activity Centres of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
When I started this programme in Glasgow, in the middle of the pandemic, I did not have many ideas or expectations about how things would evolve, given the gravity of the situation. Unexpectedly, apart from all the difficulties related to lockdowns and online classes, I made the most of the three mobilities, and I am very excited and satisfied with the results of the programme, and the precious friendships developed over the 2 years.
After Glasgow and Athens, I followed the pathway of the Aix-Marseille University. The programme focuses on Euro-Mediterranean cooperation, and thanks to the seminars held during the semester by professionals in the sector, I got to know Plan Bleu, the association where I am doing my internship. Plan Bleu is very active in the region in the field of protection of the Mediterranean Sea against pollution and climate change. In fact, its work programme is approved every two years by the contracting parties to the Barcelona Convention for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea against Pollution. During my internship as assistant to the Deputy Director of the Association and of the Sustainable Development and Foresight Project Officer, I oversaw analysing and developing a foresight scenario for the 2050 horizon, in order to help formulate guidelines for Mediterranean countries to achieve the SDG targets by 2050. In addition, I oversaw writing different reports on the Blue Economy and on the adaptation of the maritime ecosystem to climate change, besides my dissertation on the development of the offshore wind industry. Finally, I was involved in the student association Téthys, a Euro-Mediterranean university consortium linked to the Aix-Marseille University that allowed me to attend events such as the "Forum des deux rives" or the "Oceans' mission 2030's torchlight initiative" sponsored by the European Commission.
Although my knowledge about the challenges of climate change was limited at the beginning of the internship, the Master programme and in particular the French pathway helped me to lay the foundations to develop my knowledge in this field, which I appreciate very much. I am now starting to look for job opportunities in Marseille, and I am sure that this internship experience, as well as the network developed during the different mobilities, has provided me with valuable contacts to start my job application process.
Final Dissertation Colloquium - Research Track students (2022-24 students)
EUROSUD Final Dissertation Colloquium - 2022-24 Student Cohort
Programme Director Dr Myrto Tsakatika and Dr Simone Tulumello (ICS – Ulisboa) were in Rome last week, where they held the final Dissertation Colloquium for Research Track students in person, in the premises of our partner University LUISS. After the Colloquium, the students showed them around campus and then on to the local pizzeria!
Ayaulym Sarybayeva, Kazakhstan: South European Studies (EUROSUD)
Where is your home? The Life of an Academic Nomad.
It is hard for me to explain where I live now. I call myself 'Ayasha Worldwide'. It all started when I was nominated for an Erasmus Mundus scholarship to study in the South European Studies programme a year ago. I spent my first semester at the University of Glasgow, now I am at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, and next semester I will go to the University of Aix-Marseille on a professional path.
Becoming an Erasmus Mundus student gave me the opportunity to challenge myself. Every semester, moving to a new country with a completely different education system and culture, I have become a real ‘worldwide’ citizen. An achievement was understanding the Scottish accent and then the instantaneous switching from Spanish to French. All jokes aside, another skill I didn't know I had was the ability to write multiple essays at the same time while staying up in the library until midnight.
In addition, I got the chance to discover professional opportunities. In December, I started my first internship at the University of Glasgow as an Erasmus Mundus Promotion and Social Media Officer. I am committed to sharing my knowledge and the experience gained in my academic and professional life with others, and I lead a personal blog to inspire the younger generation to reach their potential.
Being an academic nomad means I keep a piece of every country where I live in my heart and personality.
Where is my house? Well, being an academic nomad means I keep a piece of every country where I live in my heart and personality. Therefore, I understand that I will never be the same and will be more open to looking at the world from a different angle. I'm excited to see what the future holds for me and explore other hidden parts of the Earth to support the "Worldwide" lifestyle.
And for my readers: Travel, Explore, Learn and stay Curious. The world is much smaller and cozier when we have mutual respect and understanding.
This article was written by Ayaulym (Ayasha) Sarybayeva and published on the Erasmus Mundus Association (EMA) website: https://www.em-a.eu/post/ayaulym-sarybayeva-kazakhstan-south-european-studies-eurosud
Mariam's Internship at the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP)
INTERNSHIP: Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP)
Mariam Gugulashvili (from Georgia), a EUROSUD student (2021-2023 cohort) on the Athens-Rome pathway, has started her 6-month Research Internship at the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP).
ELIAMEP is Greece's leading think-tank, established in Athens in 1988. Its mission is to conduct policy-oriented research and provide policymakers, academics, and the public at large with authoritative information and substantiated policy recommendations to contribute to the development of evidence-based responses to major European and foreign policy challenges.
What a great opportunity! We wish her all the best.
Alumni Talks -Lisa - I finished the programme by marrying a classmate!
Ayasha Interviews Lisa Monastyrova
1. Can you tell us about yourself, your hobbies and interests?
Hello! I am Lisa, a PhD student from Ukraine and a graduate of the first EUROSUD cohort 2019-21. My academic interests lie in the area of social exclusion, inequality and belonging in contemporary European societies. I am also keen on languages, poetry and painting – which altogether probably explains why studying Southern Europe was one of the best decisions I had ever taken.
2. Could you share your experience of becoming an Erasmus Mundus student?
Pursuing an Erasmus Mundus master and doing it in Southern Europe were for me two parts of the same story: I first learned about EM programmes during an academic exchange in Spain as an undergraduate. As I discovered the region and grew aware of its relevancy to the themes I felt most strongly about as a researcher and citizen, I began to cherish what seemed then a wild dream. In fact, this geographical choice was not that remote from my homeland. Ukraine can boast, historically, a robust South European spirit: from having hosted ancient Greek colonies in the Mykolaiv and Odesa regions, to Genovese settlements in the medieval Crimea, to the entirely Mediterranean port city of Odesa, founded by a Spaniard José de Ribas and governed by a French duke de Richelieu.
3. What was your study track on EUROSUD? How was your experience?
I was confident about my preferred track since applying: it was Universidad Autónoma de Madrid – LUISS Guido Carli (Rome). A semester at the UAM was a chance to add the North African dimension to our study focus. On a different note, living the first wave of the pandemic as a Madrilenian was unforgettable – and would have been much more challenging without the pastoral support of our programme. The second year in Rome was equally rewarding; I would recommend LUISS for students interested in the institutional and economic workings of the EU.
4. What is one of the most memorable experiences you had while studying in the EUROSUD program?
The deepest gratitude I feel to these two years relates to a completely non-academic aspect: I finished the programme by marrying a classmate! For the two of us, EUROSUD has definitely been a life-changer.
5. What are your future projects and aspirations?
Pursuing a research track allowed me to conduct an independent project on the topic of my utmost interest – human trafficking, labour exploitation and social exclusion and encouraged me to apply for a PhD studentship on this subject just as I was preparing for the dissertation viva last July. In February 2022, I started a three-year funded doctorate at the Open University in the UK. Getting through the proposal drafting, interviewing and eventually, the bureaucratic pains of the visa application would have been impossible without the expertise and skills I had gained, and support enjoyed throughout the master’s. Where this PhD in Law (an unexpected turn for an IR student) will take me, remains to be seen – but for now I do have an ambition to meaningfully add to the (hopefully, not only scientific) knowledge.
6. Your advice and recommendations for current and future EUROSUD students
Trying out as many opportunities as you can is a great way to understand your aspirations, but relaxing for a while, travelling and knowing people, is an equally important contribution to your journey. In a nutshell: being an Erasmus Mundus student will not always like you may have imagined, but it is up to you to make this experience uniquely yours.
By Ayasha Sarybayeva, EUROSUD Erasmus Mundus Social Media and Programme Promotion Officer
Alumni Talks - Madina - It all started with Enrique Inglesias!
1. Could you tell us about yourself, your hobbies and interests?
I’m Madina from Kazakhstan. I have my background in International Relations and recently received my master’s degree in South European Studies. I am a huge coffee lover and can speak four languages. My area of interest is Central Asian and Turkic anthropology, history, and politics.
2. Could you share your experience of becoming an Erasmus Mundus student? Coming from Kazakhstan, how did you decide to study Southern Europe?
I will never get tired of telling everyone that everything started from Enrique Iglesias (giggling). As a teenager, I was fond of listening to his music in the Spanish language on loop. That’s how my interest and passion for Spanish culture took a start. Afterwards, during my bachelor's degree, I had been studying Spanish as my second professional language for two years. As an undergrad student, I had a class on Introduction of World History where I discovered that history and nations of South European countries went through the same political route that Central Asian states are currently passing, namely hybrid or authoritarian political regimes, ethnic cleavages, corruption, and migration. Apart from that, I also noticed mental and cultural similarities between these two regions such as hospitality, strong family ties, and friendliness. These factors in sum nudged me to press the ‘apply button’ when I bumped on the EUROSUD Program. I was preparing myself very deliberately and started collecting necessary docs before two months to the deadline. Other than that, I spent the same amount of time preparing for the IELTS and passing it.
3. What was your study track on EUROSUD? How was your experience?
I chose the academic track (Glasgow-Madrid-Italy). I must admit I regretted it a bit at the beginning because we had more classes to study and more workload to do. Nevertheless, the heaven-like climate of Italy in combination with gelato and high-quality education delivered by LUISS made me forget regrets in a flash. Initially, I should have studied in Greece, but in the middle of the second semester, I realised that my areas of interest had been altering. When I was applying to the program, I had a huge interest in the Balkan countries and I was eager to learn the political development of these countries after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Moreover, courses in Greece also covered contemporary Turkish politics which topped up my desire to choose Greece because I studied in Turkey for a while and became aware of the importance of Turkey in the Central Asian region. Nevertheless, while studying at the program my visions and goals have changed: somehow it became clear to me that I would like to explore a tangled, diverse but united institution named the European Union. I want to thank the EUROSUD’s executive board for allowing me to change the path because it had an invaluable effect on my life afterwards.
4. What is one of the most memorable experiences you had while studying in the EUROSUD program?
Definitely, writing the dissertation. Owing to this experience I revised the whole Research Methods class within a week and learned how to conduct qualitative analysis in three days. Furthermore, surprisingly for myself too, I mastered coding sentences and using a software program in a couple of weeks. I would sum up by saying that this experience taught me self-discipline and self-study. Besides, I really miss every now and then the classes of Ignacio and Leila when you could have a decent cup of Arabic tea with spices and biscuits aside. I was literally feeling like I was in the Middle East.
5. What are your future projects and aspirations?
So far to enrich my working experience.
6. Your advice and recommendations for current and future EUROSUD students
Enjoy! Study! Travel every two weeks! Save up the money! Be Grateful! Try Arabic tea with spices.
by Ayasha Sarybayeva: EUROSUD Erasmus Mundus Social Media and Programme Promotion Officer
City Chambers Civic Reception for the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Programmes – September 2022
EUROSUD INDUCTION 2022-24 Cohort 4
Mariam Participated in an International Conference on Cultural Diplomacy in Berlin, Germany
Meron (Ghebreigziabiher) Participates in Summer School in Prague
Nathan expands his Spanish knowledge in Granada, Spain
EUROSUD Winter School 2020
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