I had the privilege of taking part in 4^th ADA EU Summer school. As an undergraduate student in Georgetown University, I realized that even in Washington DC, resources on a niche current affairs issue like the EU’s growing ties with Eurasian and Central Asian states like Azerbaijan were quite limited. This prompted me to apply to the program which served as the perfect opportunity to gain hands-on insights on this particular interest of mine from both academics and practitioners in EU and Azerbaijani politics. 

I believe that this program will play a significant role in my education. This program is perfect choice if you want to focus on conducting research studies in political science. The lectures were carefully selected for everyone’s interest. There were topics on terrorism, radicalization, energy security, security of international events, organized crime etc. The rest was on student to choose which area is more interesting for her/him. The experience and knowledge I gained from this program will be essential in my upcoming research studies.

The efforts and attention to details which were put forth by the organizers and Mrs. Brenda Shaffer were greatly appreciated by the audience. The topics have touched upon some risks which always existed but from absolutely new perspective. Information was presented in an easy way to memorize the essentials to focus on and helped me find ways to emphasize with others the understanding of the vulnerability we may face in our day-to-day jobs!

I attended the 2nd ADA-EU Summer School and it was excellent. This is a unique opportunity for students, young researchers and those who wish to gain more about knowledge in EU studies and not only. The training was very inspirational, bringing lots of ideas, together with case studies, learning from experience. Well-balanced composition of participants contributed to interesting and focused discussions and exchanges. Experienced participants and speakers from various backgrounds allowed for fruitful interactions.

A great opportunity, to gain and to expand knowledge on EU matters with profound speakers and diverse participants. Interactive platform offered throughout the summer school was a unique component to exchange ideas and to expand the horizons. EU Summer School also paved a way to the long-lasting friendships despite all the years passed. All in all, I can truly tell that all my expectations were met during the summer school and the knowledge acquired throughout the summer school played an important role during my bachelor’s studies and even during my current master’s studies.

Receiving 2nd Level Professional Master's degree at University of Bergamo, I took lectures from professors and professionals, participated in international conferences on security issues, joined discussions with selected students from different countries, all these have been a huge revival in my academic and professional life. Through this program, I have explored, investigated and will apply my knowledge in the future to the most important issues of today's world such as migration, radicalization, integration, multiculturalism and international security.