College of Europe

College of Europe
Europacollege

Collège d’Europe

Kolegium Europejskie
College of Europe logo
TypePrivate postgraduate institute
Établissement d'utilité publique
Established1949 (1949)
ChairmanHerman Van Rompuy
RectorFederica Mogherini
Postgraduatesannually ca. 470 students from over 50 countries
Location
Working languagesEnglish and French
Websitewww.coleurope.eu

The College of Europe (Dutch: Europacollege; French: Collège d'Europe; Polish: Kolegium Europejskie) is a post-graduate institute of European studies with its first campus opened in Bruges, Belgium, a second campus located in Warsaw, Poland, and a third one established in Tirana, Albania.

The College of Europe in Bruges was founded in 1949 by leading historical European figures and founding fathers of the European Union, including Salvador de Madariaga, Winston Churchill, Paul-Henri Spaak and Alcide De Gasperi. The College of Europe was one of the results of the 1948 Congress of Europe in The Hague to promote "a spirit of solidarity and mutual understanding between all the nations of Western Europe and to provide elite training to individuals who will uphold these values"[1] and "to train an elite of young executives for Europe".[2]

It has the status of Institution of Public Interest, operating according to Belgian law. The second campus in Natolin (Warsaw), Poland, opened in 1992.[3]

The College of Europe is historically linked to the establishment of the European Union and its predecessors, and to the creation of the European Movement International, of which the college is a supporting member. Federica Mogherini, former High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, was appointed as the Rector to start in September 2020;[4] former President of the European Council Herman, Count Van Rompuy is chairman of the board.[5]

Each academic year is named after a patron and referred to as a promotion. The academic year is opened by a leading European politician. Alumni of the College of Europe include the former Prime Minister of Denmark Helle Thorning-Schmidt, the former Prime Minister and current President of Finland Alexander Stubb, the former British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg as well as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy Enzo Moavero Milanesi. Many of its alumni go on to serve as diplomats and senior civil servants in European institutions.

The College of Europe was the most represented alma mater (university attended) among senior EU civil servants, based on a sample compiled by Politico in 2021.[6] Politico even dedicated a section of their website to news related to the College of Europe.[7]

  1. ^ "Le rôle du Collège d'Europe Archived 7 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine" [The role of the College of Europe], Journal de Bruges et de la Province, 7 October 1950, Vol. 114, No. 78, p. 1
  2. ^ Henri Brugmans, "Former des cadres pour l'Europe Archived 7 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine" [Training executives for Europe], Fédération, January 1950, No. 60, pp. 42–44
  3. ^ "College of Europe – College of Europe – Campuses – Natolin (Warsaw)". Coleurope.eu. Archived from the original on 10 June 2012. Retrieved 26 June 2012.
  4. ^ Didili, Zoi (27 May 2020). "Former top diplomat Mogherini appointed as College of Europe rector". www.neweurope.eu.[permanent dead link]
  5. ^ "Appointment of the new President of the Administrative Council". coleurope.eu. Archived from the original on 1 July 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  6. ^ "How to join the EU bubble — Brussels careers by the numbers". Politico. 4 February 2021. Archived from the original on 3 November 2022. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  7. ^ "College of Europe". Politico. Archived from the original on 3 November 2022. Retrieved 2 November 2022.

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