2019 INSITER Study Visit to Brussels and Berlin Successfully Finalized

On June 30, 2019, the INSITER study and research trip was concluded with the participation of MA students of “European and International Affairs” of the Turkish-German University Istanbul . This year the students visited, Berlin (June16-23) and Brussels (June 23-30). The journey served the purpose to gather first-hand insights into real-life policy making and to take teaching inside the Turkey-EU relations by enabling the students to step into the everyday work of European, Turkish and International Organizations. By getting into direct contact with decisions makers of leading political, economic and administrative institutions students were able to study the complex interaction between the EU, national and subnational level of decision-making in the ‘multi-level’ political system of the European Union and to get a hands-on perspective on how Turkey-EU relations are shaped in practice.

Diffrent from the last year, the INSITER study trip started this year with visits to a number of political institutions, think tanks and interest organizations in Berlin, Germany. The group of MEIA students of the Turkish German University held meetings inter alia with Dr. Funda Tekin, Director Institute for European Politics (IEP Berlin), Dr. Kai Olaf Lang, Division EU/Europe of German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), Christian Moos, Department Europe and international affairs, German Civil Servants Association (DBB), Wolfgang Merz, German Ministry of Finance, Julia Grzondziel, German Chancellery and Kim-Mailin Weinrich, German Foreign Office.

Finally, in order to grasp the history of Germany and Berlin, the group also went on a city tour which is guided by Prof. Dr. Hartmut Marhold (CIFE/TDU) and  focused on the political architecture of the city.

The second week the INSITER study visit was realized with various interesting meetings in Brussels, inter-alia with talks with Berber Biala Hettinga, Senior Executive Officer, Legal Affairs/Human Rights in the EU, the Amnesty International European Institutions Office, an excursion to the European Parliament, Ilka Pettinen, Project Assistant, Transparency International EU, Noel Farrell, Directorate General Regional and Urban Policy, European Commission, Łukasz Wielocha, Head of Unit iat the International Projects Department, Permanent Representation of Poland to the EU.

The full programme of the excursion can be found here.

INSITER International Simulation Exercise – 2019

On June 28 and 29 , 2019, as an integral part of the study trip week in Brussels, the INSITER students participated in an international simulation exercise with students from Cologne, Paris and Prague. The overarching idea of the exercise was to discuss serious concerns regarding compliance of member states with EU’s fundamental principles and values  in the form of a two day Moot Court of the European Court of Justice that focused on “violations of the European Union’s common values.” 

The program took place at the Palais des Académies and was partly carried out in cooperation with other international partner institutions such as the University of Cologne, Science Po and the Centre International de Formation Européenne (CIFE). 

Students had started to prepare for the simulation exercise online in April already in interdisciplinary and international teams in order to defend their position at the Moot Court. The best teams received an award for their performance. 

The final judgement of the simulation exercise’s judges can be found here.

Conference “New Political Challenges for Germany, Turkey and the EU – 2019”

INSITER realized in cooperation with the Center for Turkey and EU Studies (CETEUS), Turkish-German University Political Science and International Relations Department, Center for Migration and Integration at the Turkish-German University (TAGU) and German Academic Exchange Service DAAD an international symposium titled “New political challenges for Germany, Turkey and the EU – 2019” with the participation of around 120 international guests including academicians, representatives of non-governmental organizations and the media and students from different universities on 3 May 2019 at the Beykoz campus of the Turkish-German University.

The opening speeches of the symposium were given by the Coordinator of the German Consortium of the Turkish-German University, Prof. Dr. İzzet FURGAÇ, faculty member of the University of Cologne and Vice-President of the German Consortium responsible for the foundation of the Turkish-German University, Prof. Dr. Wolfgang WESSELS, and the head of the Political Science and International Relations Department Prof. Dr. M. Murat ERDOĞAN. Following the opening speeches, the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Turkey Martin ERDMANN gave a keynote speech titled “A World in Disarray: What Can Be Done to Fix It? A German View”.

Following the speech of Ambassador Martin ERDMANN, the symposium has continued with the opening panel titled “Present and Future of EU-Turkey Relations”. At the panel chaired by Prof. Dr. Atila ERALP (Istanbul Policy Center), the present and future of  EU-Turkey relations have been discussed by Dr. Günter SEUFERT (SWP), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Beken SAATÇİOĞLU (MEF University), Alina THIEME (University of Cologne), and INSITER Coordinator Asst. Prof. Dr. Ebru TURHAN (Turkish-German University) based on the results of the research projects conducted by the panelists. 

Following Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Director for EU Affairs Faruk KAYMAKCI’s speech during which an interactive survey on EU-Turkey affairs was conducted and the recent developments in EU-Turkey relations were evaluated, the second session has started with the moderation of Prof. Dr. Michael KAEDING (University of Duisburg-Essen). In this session titled “Migration and Diaspora Policy in EU-Turkey Relations: Latest Trends and Impact”, Prof. Dr. M. Murat ERDOĞAN (Turkish-German University), Prof. Dr. Ahmet İÇDUYGU (Koç University) and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ayselin GÖZDE YILDIZ (Yaşar University) made presentations. In the panel various topics including the effects of the  refugee crisis on EU member states, the challenges that Turkey faces and the policies that were implemented due to the Syrian refugees in Turkey, and lastly, the role and shortcomings of the readmission agreement in solving the refugee crisis were discussed.

In the final panel of the symposium titled “Current Trends in World Politics and Reflections on EU-Turkey Relations”, latest developments and trends in world politics have been discussed from manifold angles. At this session, chaired by Prof. Dr. Mathias JOPP (IEP Berlin), Prof. Dr. Birgül DEMİRTAŞ (TOBB ETU), Asst. Prof. Dr. Deniz KURU (Turkish-German University), and Prof. Dr. Bernhard STAHL (Passau University) made presentations.

The symposium was finalized by the closing remarks of the INSITER Coordinator Asst. Prof. Dr. Ebru TURHAN,  Asst. Prof. Dr. Deniz KURU and Prof. Dr. Wolfgang WESSELS and followed by an networking dinner. The program can be read here.

 

 

June 2018 INSITER Study Trip Concluded

 

On June 14, 2017, the annual study and research trip of INSITER with the group of MA students of “European and International Affairs” of the Turkish-German University Istanbul was concluded. This year the students visited, Brussels (May 31- June 8) and Berlin (June 9-14). The journey served the purpose to experience real life politics first-hand and to take teaching inside the Turkey-EU relations by enabling the students to step into the everyday work of European, Turkish and International Organizations. By getting into direct contact with decisions makers of leading political, economic and administrative institutions students were able to study the complex interaction between the EU, national and subnational level of decision-making in the ‘multi-level’ political system of the European Union and to get a hands-on perspective on how Turkey-EU relations are shaped in practice.

The program was partly carried out in cooperation with other international partner institutions such as the University of Cologne, Science Po and the Centre International de Formation Européenne (CIFE). Alongside the joint visits to institutions the internationally composed group of students could engage in a simulation exercise that dealt with the post 2020 EU budget negotiations and democratic norm violations in Europe. The visit was also supported by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

Visit to German Bundestag, German Chancellery and Further Institutions in Berlin

In the second week of the INSITER study trip the group of MEIA students of the Turkish German University visited a number of political institutions in Berlin, Germany. The meetings were held inter alia with Edgar Lenski, European Law Department of the German Chancellery, Axel Schäfer, Vice-President of SPD group at the German Bundestag and member of the  BundestagWolfgang Merz, German Ministry of Finance and Kim-Mailin Weinrich, German Foreign Office.

In addition to the visits to official  institutions the stay in the German capital also served the purpose to exchange views with researchers and practitioners from Berlin-based think tanks and interest representations, notably the Institute for European Politics (IEP)Polis 180 and the German Banking Industry Committee. Finally, in order to grasp the history of Germany and Berlin, the group also went on a city tour which is guided by Prof. Dr. Hartmut Marhold (CIFE/TDU) and  focused on the political architecture of the city. Students and organisers are extremely grateful for the precious time and the valuable input from the different hosts and institutions.

European Council Simulation Game Completed

On June 7 and 8, 2018, as an integral part of the study trip week in Brussels, the INSITER students participated in an international simulation exercise with students from Cologne, Paris and Prague. The overarching idea of the exercise was to discuss the post 2020 EU budget negotiations and adherence to democratic norms in the form of a two day-European Council summit.

Students had started to prepare for the simulation exercise in April already in online interdisciplinary and international teams in order to defend their position at the negotiations. The best teams received an award for their performance. The simulation game was  realized in close cooperation with partner universities, the University of Cologne and Sciences Po.

The European Council conclusions prepared by the students can be found here

INSITER Visit to European Parliament and European Policy Center

The annual INSITER study trip of the Turkish-German University’s MA programme “European and International Affairs” (MEIA) continued with various interesting meetings in Brussels, inter-alia with talks with Dr. Ingeborg Gräßle, Member of the European Parliament and Janis Emmanouilidis, Director of Studies at the European Policy Center (EPC). The Brussels visit was realized in close cooperation with partner universities, the University of Cologne and Sciences Po, and included students from University of Cologne, Sciences Po, and Charles University Prague.

Visitors group Ingeborg GRAESSLE

The exchange with Janis Emmanouilidis at the EPC focused on the effects of the Brexit process on the political atmosphere in the EU, possible collateral damages of the process in terms of unity in the EU and the threat of populism. The students and the INSITER team are thankful for the warm welcome and the enlightening exchanges.

Kick-Off of the 2018 INSITER Study Visit to Brussels and Berlin

On May 31, the annual INSITER study trip of the Turkish-German University’s MA program “European and International Affairs” has officially started. The program which takes place in the framework of the INSITER project, is also supported by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. In the next two weeks, it will take the students to Brussels and Berlin to gather first-hand insights in European decision-making and EU-Turkey affairs. A draft of the full program can be found here.

On June 1, 2018, the program was launched with a meeting with Tobias Grothe, Permanent Representation of the Federal Republic of Germany to the EU in Brussels. Mr. Grothe talked to the MEIA students about the institutional structure, mission and tasks of the Permanent Representation of the Federal Republic of Germany. The students also had the opportunity to discuss EU-Turkish and German-Turkish relations with Mr. Grothe.

The study visit continued with various interesting meetings in Brussels, inter-alia with visits to the Permanent Delegation of Turkey to the European Union and Permanent Representation of the Federal Republic of Germany to the NATO. Students met with Felix Kroll, expert at the Permanent Representation of the Federal Republic of Germany to NATO. The exchange focused on the main tasks of the Permanent Representation, Common Security and Defense Policy of the EU, Turkey-NATO dialogue and  NATO’s core tasks in crisis management and collective security. On the same day the students also met with Burak Erdemir, Deputy Permanent Delegate at the Permanent Delegation of Turkey to the European Union.

 

 

 

INSITER-METU-TRIANGLE Roundtable in Ankara

In coordination with the Middle East Technical University (METU) and the TRIANGLE Project of the Center for Turkey and EU Studies (CETEUS) , INSITER organized INSITER-METU-TRIANGLE Roundtable titled “Germany and Turkey in Europe: Possibilities and Limitations of Cooperation and Conflict “ on November 13, 2017  in the premises of the METU in Ankara.

The Roundtable was chaired by Prof. Dr. Atila Eralp (METU / Turkish-German University and Istanbul Policy Center) and included contributions from Assoc. Prof. Dr. Özgehan Şenyuva (METU); Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dimitris Tsarouhas (Bilkent University); Asst. Prof. Dr. Ebru Turhan (Turkish-German University  / INSITER Coordinator) as panelists. Approximately 40 students and academics from METU, Bilken University and Turkish-German University participated in the roundtable.

Please click here for the program.

First 360 Degree Feedback Evaluation Completed

The INSITER team is glad to announce that with the termination of the first INSITER year the first 360 degree feedback evaluation could be completed. The evaluation mechanism is an tool to ensure quality control during the project lifetimes by evaluating the implementation of the Jean Monnet Module INSITER and its core components, in particular the INSITER courses, events and study trips. Feedback was collected from students, lecturers and participants in both oral and written form. Also the appointed student representatives were given the opportunity to comment on the project agenda and ask questions to the academic coordinators in respective working meeting. Furthermore, during meetings in November 2016 and May 2017 the Advisory Board and Steering Board of INSITER positively assessed the activities of the project and agreed on the future steps to implement the project.