Blog & Opportunities

BOOK LAUNCH – ‘Albania: Escaping the East, Aspiring for the West’

Please join in the book launch for Dr Perparim Xhaferi’s latest work, Albania: Escaping the East, Aspiring for the West. The book will be launched by Ambassadors of the Republic of Albania and Kosova to Australia, Dr Edmond Trako and Dr Hajdin Abazi. This is a joint event being held by ESAANZ and the RMIT European Union Centre for Excellence. Registration link here >https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/book-launch-albania-escaping-the-east-aspiring-for-the-west-tickets-139328530385 Zoom link here > https://zoom.us/j/96657796081

By Tom Baker, ago

Poland’s New Abortion Law: The Bigger Meaning

When looking at abortion, it seems to me a personal choice that is highly politicised. In late October, a ruling in Poland’s highest court resulted in an almost total ban of abortion within the country. As a half-Polish woman living in Australia, who stands proudly in her beliefs that women should be able to choose what they do with their bodies, it is difficult to observe the events unfolding in Poland. Regardless of being in Read more…

By Natalie Arnould, ago

A bold new campus experience and how to move around a ‘re-opened’ Europe

The year is 2020. I am completing the final year of my Bachelor’s Degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics at the Australian National University (ANU). This semester I have been part of the Australian National Internships Program (ANIP), paired with the ANU Centre for European Studies and had to produce a report on its behalf – so far so normal. What is less normal is that I have been doing so from Germany where I Read more…

By Alex Weltin, ago

French Embassy in Australia – Calls for science and innovation projects

The French Embassy in Australia are putting out the call for applications for TWO exciting programs: the PHC FASIC and the Fonds Pacifique. PHC FASIC: The objective of this program is to develop scientific and technological exchanges of excellence between laboratories in both countries, by encouraging new cooperation and the participation of young researchers. Submitted projects must be joint research projects involving at least a French and an Australian research partners. Deadline for applications is 11 January 2021. See HERE > HERE Read more…

By Tom Baker, ago

Student mobility in Europe amidst the COVID-19 pandemic: Part 3

Author of this post wished to remain anonymous. Writing in June 2020…. To end up temporarily stuck amid a pandemic in the Netherlands with my parents and my girlfriend certainly was not something I planned for my birthday week, still, that was my reality for around a week. On March 11, the WHO declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic, and that was the moment my once normal life as a Political Science Master’s student at Read more…

By Anonymous, ago

Student mobility in Europe amidst the COVID-19 pandemic: Part 2

Writing in June 2020… More than three months have passed since I returned from the Netherlands to my home country, Montenegro. Given the cross-institutional structure of my master’s program, I was initially supposed to spend one semester at Leiden University. Although still enrolled in the program, the nature of being an Erasmus student – studying in the international environment, surrounded by people from all around the world – have changed a lot since the outbreak Read more…

By Milica Zindović, ago

Serbia’s 2020 parliamentary elections and riots: a retrospective

On 7 July, riots broke out on the streets Belgrade following the Serbian government’s announcement of strict lockdown measures in the country. While the prospect of re-entering lockdown is certainly a frustrating development for Serbians, their response is a reaction to a culmination of anti-democratic behaviour from President Aleksander Vučić and his ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS). Following the breakup of the former Yugoslavia and the wars that ravaged the Western Balkans in the 1990s, Read more…

By Tom Baker, ago

Student mobility in Europe amidst the COVID-19 pandemic: Part 1

On Friday 8 May 2020 I was expecting to have another ‘ordinary’ day starting at 8 am with my online German language course and proceeding with my master studies related to European politics. To my surprise, shortly after my class finished my mobile phone rang – and being an international student who relies solely on social platforms, it is rare for me receive any phone calls. Prima facie, I did not recognise the phone number and Read more…

By Panagiotis Chatzis, ago