Dear applicant to the Master of European Studies Congratulations! We are very pleased to announce that you have been selected to join our programme “Master of European Studies: Transnational and Global Perspectives” (MAES) at the University of Leuven. First and foremost, we wish to express our heartfelt welcome! You may be wondering whether you will be able to study in Leuven if the COVID-19 crisis continues and leads to prolonged restrictions on international mobility. Although physical presence in Leuven is what we aim for in the long-term, we are aware that this may not be easy to achieve in the short-term. Hence, we will implement blended learning for the majority of courses and for the whole academic year: teaching will be offered on-campus and online. While on-campus students follow courses partly in vivo in class and partly via online activities, remote students can participate in the programme (all modules) entirely from afar until full mobility is restored. Depending on the situation, students can then easily switch from one mode to the other (see also our FAQ on our website). We will organize classes in a way that remote students can connect and interact with students in Leuven – in fact, you will have to collaborate for certain assignments – and join our MAES community. If you cannot make it to Leuven, Leuven will come to you! From the moment registrations are open (17 August 2020), you will also be able to register online. Please do not hesitate to contact us in case you have any additional questions by writing us an email at esinfo@kuleuven.be. Watch our video: One year with European Studies at KU Leuven! (click on the picture below)

Build your study track – and your career

The Master of European Studies is a highly international programme, and it attracts excellent students from all over the world. From the academic year 2020-2021 we are offering a newly designed programme which serves your individual needs to become a specialist in European studies. To this end, you will build your individual study track, based on your own interests and career aspirations, by choosing a minor and a major study module from our eleven modules:

Please visit our website for more information.

KU Leuven has been ranked the 45th best university in the world by the 2020 Times Higher Education Ranking. The two organizing faculties of our interdisciplinary programme – the Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Social Sciences – have been continuously ranked among the top 10 on the European continent. In the MAES programme, you will follow lectures and courses offered by renowned scholars as well as high-ranking practitioners at European Institutions, including the European Council, the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Court of Justice of the European Union and the EU General Court. The programme also deploys innovative learning forms, such as a Simulation Game and a Poster Conference, to offer you a unique learning experience and prepare you for a successful career. Our alumni find high-level careers in a wide range of fields and institutions, whether the European Union institutions, international organisations, diplomacy, lobby groups, academia, international and domestic politics, or journalism.

Professor Stephan Keukeleire, Co-Director of MAES, having a discussion with alumni at the 30 years of MAES celebration in May 2019.

Make friends in the heart of Europe and beyond

Throughout your studies, MAES also extends beyond the classroom. You will meet a unique and international group of students and likely make life-long friends. With your peers, you can continue the debates outlined in the expert lectures to broaden the scope of your knowledge even more. Every year, the MAES cohort is an exceptionally diverse and cohesive group of students with a remarkably warm and friendly atmosphere. Our annual poster conference, European simulation game and student research conference are perfect ways to socialise and learn from each other!

Students of the ‘Master of European Studies: Transnational and Global Perspectives’ (MAES) relaxing during a break in the historical premises of KU Leuven.

Furthermore, you will have the opportunity to attend (online streams of) guest lectures by

European politicians, diplomats and officials such as former European Council President

Herman Van Rompuy. With your fellow students and the MAES staff, you may visit the European

and transatlantic institutions in Brussels, Luxembourg and Strasbourg and go on excursions to

World War I battlefields and the historical medieval cities of Flanders.

Former President of the European Council of the European Union, Herman van Rompuy, giving a lecture to the MAES programme in the academic year 2019-2020.

In addition to our programme in Leuven, MAES offers a number of double-degrees for which you can apply in order to prolong your studies at one of our international partner universities. More information can be found here.

Getting started

At the beginning of the semester, we will deliver two (streamed and recorded) information sessions that will provide you with all the necessary information about the programme and all of its courses. You will then have the opportunity to meet the professors of the Master of European Studies. We will also offer input on how to choose a subject for your master thesis: Monday, 21 September 2020, 15:00: Welcoming Session (venue to be confirmed) Tuesday, 22 September 2020: Information Session with professors of MAES on courses and Master thesis topics (venue to be confirmed) There are a few things that you need to prepare to get ready. First of all, please make sure that you register at KU Leuven before the start of the academic year (Monday, 21 September 2020). In contrast to other academic programmes at the University of Leuven, you cannot register for the MAES after the start of the academic term. Online registration is open from 17 August and

closes on the first day of the new academic year. You can find instructions on how to register here. Once you are enrolled in the programme, you can select your minor and major study modules. In the first weeks of the academic term (September and October), you can choose your individual courses. You will have the opportunity to first attend a number of classes before making your final selection.

Professor Mark Mazower (Columbia University) delivering a speech after receiving an honorary doctorate from KU Leuven.

Furthermore, before the start of the academic term, the KU Leuven International Office offers orientation days for international students (including valuable insights on living and studying in Leuven and guided city-tours) from 17 to 20 September 2020. We highly recommend these activities, so make sure to register for the orientation days beforehand.

Practicalities

You probably have many questions on the practical aspects of your studies in Leuven. You can find the answers to the most frequent questions of incoming students on our website and we invite you to have a look at how to prepare yourself for the programme in advance, as a high level of preliminary knowledge is already expected from you in September. To learn more about the programme and ongoing events, follow our website and our latest newsletters. If you still have to fulfil conditional requirements such as language tests or the completion of a study programme, please be aware that you have to provide evidence of your successful completions before you can register – at the very latest on Monday, 21 September 2020. Please note that you will not be able to enter the programme if you cannot provide us with the necessary documents in time. Due to the current situation with the corona virus, some of you may not be able to provide a language proficiency certificate on time. If this is the case, please do not hesitate to contact us at esinfo@kuleuven.be and we will try to find a solution.

Finally, we would like to encourage you to use your time in Leuven to strengthen your language skills by using the wide offer of languages at the ILT/CLT. This is not only important in order to communicate with people around the world, but also in view of your personal career perspectives in EU institutions and beyond. If you want to take language courses, it is important that you register as soon as possible, as they are in high demand. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to send us an email at esinfo@kuleuven.be. You can also follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for updated news. Best regards The MAES team Professor Patrick Pasture, Programme Director Professor Stephan Keukeleire, Programme Co-Director, Jean Monnet Chair Professor Kolja Raube, Programme Coordinator Dr Ragnar Weilandt, Postdoctoral Assistant MA Jens Meijen, Teaching Assistant