Few nations are as interesting as Italy for international students looking for a world-class education at an affordable price. Along with education, the country has a diverse selection of social and recreational activities, and of course the cultural significance dates back to ancient times, and international students find themselves lucky to be a part of such a great heritage. While there are several universities and institutions across Italy promising of operating as trust-worthy hubs of quality education, only few hotspots such as the European College of Parma Foundation prove their mettle year after year.
The European College of Parma Foundation is a higher education institute that has been active for over thirty years in the field of post-graduate education on EU law, economics and policies. At the European College, education is geared to train students for careers in the EU, in the national and local institutions, in the professional associations, and in the corporate world and private practices. One of the primary objectives of the college is to build up professional skills for students to have an insight into European policies and participate in their implementation.
European College of Parma Foundation in a nutshell
The Foundation is based in the Main Building of the University in the city of Parma, which is a student-friendly city and an ideal location to combine education, culture and leisure. The city is easy to live in, and it is among the most appreciated Italian and European towns.
The main study programme offered is the “Diploma & University Master in Advanced European Studies”, also known as “DAES”. The course is based on a multidisciplinary approach, blending issues from political science, international relations, law and economics, and it leverages on the contributions of officials and experts from the European Institutions. The DAES program is much appreciated at EU level, and the College Faculty includes top officials from European and national institutions, University Professors and experts in EU issues. The cross disciplinary and multilingual nature of the course is highly distinctive, where not only do students have the opportunity to develop insights in the multifaceted sectors the European Union implements its policies in, but also pushes them to develop their skills in different languages.
The DAES course stretches along one academic year and it encompasses two phases. The first phase includes two semesters of full-time education, envisaging frontal lectures, seminars, conferences, simulation games, debates, presentations, practice and research activities, both at individual and group levels. After having successfully passed all the exams, and thus having achieved the DAES Diploma, the second phase starts, which leads to the University Master Degree. For the purpose of the Master, DAES graduates are required to take an internship and write and defend a Master Thesis. The subject of the Master Thesis will be related to a course or seminar held within the DAES study programme, which will be written under the supervision of a Professor from the European College of Parma, and it will be defended with the partner University as per specific agreements.
Besides the postgraduate programme leading to the Diploma and University Master in Advanced European Studies, other specialised training courses offered at the College deal with EU law, economics and politics.English is indeed the prevailing language as to academic activities in general, but some courses and seminars are also held in Italian and French. This is particularly significant for students aiming at working at an international level, and more specifically in areas that are related to the European Union. In order to help students improve their language skills, the first weeks of the course include intensive language courses: which are specifically aimed at consolidating language knowledge or, in the case of Italian and French, laying the grounds of language learning process.
The European College also facilitates easy interactions between the students and practitioners and leading experts in EU affairs, thus benefiting from their hands-on experience and their practical advice and orientation on possible future careers. Also, the mentor-mentee relationships can go beyond the classrooms, as the faculty members act as go-to guides for the students, both for professional and academic aspects.
International connections, scholarships and more
“United in Diversity” is the motto of the European Union. The same kind of approach inspires and leads the European College of Parma, where students from European Union Member States as well as from outside of the European Union get together and learn to study, work and live together considering diversity an enriching factor.
The European College of Parma Foundation has a yearly scholarship scheme enabling worthy students to participate in the Diploma and University Master in Advanced European Studies at reduced fees. In particular, potential students from non-EU countries can often avail themselves of significantly reduced tuition fees, based on merit and income criteria.
Overall, the Master in Advanced European Studies is a perfect opportunity for students who wish to build their career path at EU and international level. As is widely known, Italy is a country with great cultural heritage, and this can be breathed in the air when you walk through cities and even little boroughs around the peninsula. Thus, studying at the European College of Parma is an opportunity to discover not only a lovely Italian city, but first and foremost an opportunity to build strong bonds with other students from all over the world, with a clear focus towards building their careers within or in close contact with the European Institutions or other international organisations.
