European Study Tour - Research Seminar

POLI 326 | 3 credits

Arts Research Abroad Funding

Arts Research Abroad funding is available for this program. 70%-100% of program fees and flight costs will be covered for qualifying Arts students from the Vancouver campus.

About the Program

This course is led by Kurt Huebner, Faculty of Arts

  • Dates: May 6 - May 30, 2023
  • Format: In-Person
  • Locations visited: Brussels; Frankfurt: Luxembourg; Strasbourg
  • Approximate program fees: $5000-$5500
  • Funding: All qualifying students will receive a $1,000 Go Global Award. We encourage students with financial need or other barriers to going abroad to apply for the Global Pathfinder Award by November 4. Successful candidates will receive a $2000 award towards a Global Seminar program, and will be notified before the program application is due on December 13. See the Go Global Awards page for more information on the application process.
About the Course                                                                                                               

This field school will offer on‐site visits of all critical institutions of the European Union (European Commission: European Parliament, European Central Bank, European Court of Justice) as well as NATO, the Canadian Embassy in Brussels, and some carefully selected NGOs. Students will have seminars with representatives of all these institutions.

"The seminar and the optional internship program were so highly valuable in enriching my academic knowledge, as well as preparing me for a professional career. The seminar portion, even when online, was super impactful and in-depth; it provided me with a unique European perspective in regard to climate policy. The two months that I spent in Brussels interning through the program were immensely helpful to me, as well as several of the other Canadian interns that I spoke to, in helping us narrow down our career paths and gain valuable professional experience.

“This program is extremely valuable both academically and professionally and I couldn't recommend it enough to fellow Political Science/International Relations students.”

-Participant in the 2022 virtual version of the EU Study Tour

Experience in the Field

The program runs Monday to Friday from 8.30 am to about 4 pm, with daily debriefing sessions from 6 ‐ 7 pm. About 50% of the days will be spent in Brussels where some of the most critical institutions are located. Students will on average have two seminars of about 2h length each, and then about 2‐3 h per day information sessions about the particular institutions.

Travel by bus to Frankfurt (ECB and joint seminar with students of the University of the German Central Bank); Strasbourg and Luxembourg (European Investment Bank).

We organize at least one full weekend session that includes a internal seminar organized and pre‐prepared by students on a relevant topic.

Eligibility Requirements
General Global Seminar requirements

To participate in a Global Seminar, students must: 

  • Be in good-standing in their faculty (I.e. not be under academic or non-academic discipline) 
  • Have full-time status in the year leading up to the Global Seminar 
  • Have completed 2nd year requirements before the start of the program (i.e. 3rd or 4th year standing) 
  • Have at least a 70% academic average in your last full-time academic session before applying 
  • Maintain a 70% academic average leading up to the program 
  • Meet any program specific requirements listed below including pre-requisites before participating 

Final selection will be done by the lead faculty program directors. Spots in the program may be limited. 

Students who wish to participate in the summer after graduating may be eligible on a case-by-case basis.

Program-specific requirements
  • This is an interdisciplinary program: All are welcome!
Program Fees and Costs
Approximate program fees: $5000-$5500

ARA funding will offset 70%-100% of the program fee + flight costs for Arts students from the Vancouver campus.  

*The final fee depends on the number of students in the program. Students do not pay the Go Global fee when applying to a Global Seminar. The Go Global fee is built into the Program Fee and is payable upon acceptance to the program.  

Funding: This is an Arts Research Abroad (ARA) funded program. The ARA program aims to ensure that upper-level international research courses are accessible to academically qualified students, and that scholarly preparation and aspiration rather than financial means are the deciding factors for student participation. Funded by a generous gift from donors, the Faculty of Arts, and Go Global, the ARA program sponsors advanced research-intensive courses involving international travel.  70% of the program cost will be offset for academically qualified students; and up to 100% of the cost may be offset for academically qualified students who demonstrate financial need (as determined by Enrolment Services).

Students are responsible for covering the costs of tuition, incidental travel costs, visa/passport fees, etc.

Students can only be considered for one major International Learning Award throughout their degree e.g. ARA (Arts Research Abroad) funded Global Seminars, Undergraduate Research Conference. 

Included:  
  • Accommodations
  • Program-related travel in-country; (e.g. buses)  
  • Excursions and entrance fees  
  • Some group meals  
  • On-site guest lectures
Not Included:  
  • Flights*  
  • UBC tuition for credits  
  • Visa/country entrance fees  
  • Health or travel insurance  
  • Personal spending money*  

*Some examples of incidentals are: personal mobile communication, personal transportation that is not related to the learning outcomes of the program, additional meals that are not already identified as part of the Program Fee, immunizations, Visas, etc.  

Travel to Europe is a separate cost.  You are responsible for arranging your own travel. You should not book your flight until you are notified to book.              

Accommodation

TBA

Application Deadline 

Tuesday December 13, 2022 (11:59pm PST)

How to Apply 

Students apply through the Go Global Gateway. Go to “search experiences” from the top menu, search “GSP,” then press “apply search.” Scroll down to the program you wish to apply to and select Apply for “Summer” to initiate an application.

After the deadline, students’ applications will be reviewed by Go Global and the faculty program directors. You may be asked to participate in an interview as part of the selection process.

Global Seminars Refund Policy

To withdraw from your program, you must contact Go Global by email to request a withdrawal.  You will not be charged until you officially accept your spot in the program.  Refunds cannot be issued after the program fee is charged to your SSC account. 

In the case of withdrawal, Go Global Award funding must be returned in full.

If you have questions, please connect with your Go Global advisor or email Go Global at go.global@ubc.ca.

Student Safety Abroad and Pre-Departure Policy

UBC is committed to preparing students for safe and successful international experiences. In order to achieve this, any student participating in a Go Global Program must complete the following:

Failure to successfully complete these and any other requirements may result in withdrawal from the Go Global Program.

We encourage you to read the Global Affairs Canada travel report for your destination country before applying: https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/advisories.

Global Seminars and COVID-19

Students and faculty are required to comply with the entry requirements of the host country, regulations of transportation carriers, and any local public health orders in the destination. These rules may require COVID-19 vaccination for entry or to participate in certain program activities, testing requirements, masking requirements, and/or isolation in case of infection. Alternatively, where isolation due to infection is not required by local health authorities and students are sharing accommodations isolation may be a challenge. We encourage you to review local requirements before applying and before departure. Check out the Global Affairs Canada Advisory (https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/advisories) under Entry Requirements for your Global Seminar destination to learn more.  Keep in mind that program conditions can vary and these rules can change before or during your trip.

Once it becomes closer to the departure date, the group will be informed of all updated local requirements and COVID-19 safety plans for the Global Seminar.

Accessibility

If you are considering applying for a Go Global program and identify with having a disability or pre-existing health condition (mental or physical) which could impact your participation, or if you require academic accommodations, you can contact the following offices and meet with an Accessibility Advisor before the start of the program:

Contact Go Global
In-person and Virtual Drop-in advising hours
  • Tuesday: 1:00 - 3:00 pm
  • Wednesday: 1:00 - 3:00 pm

Go Global offers both in-person and virtual drop-in advising through Zoom during the times listed above.

Please use Go Global's new Ask Us Webform and we will respond to your inquiry.