Bursting the Bubble: A reflection on the 2025 EPS Brussels Field Trip
- European Waves
- 7 hours ago
- 6 min read
When seriously studying European politics and society, one can hardly not visit Brussels. At the end of 2025, the newest EPS cohort thus travelled to the unofficial capital of the European Union, ready to gain a direct insight into the EU.
Kateřina Křížová, Maria Zoila Tapia González, Jakob Seul
The Brussels Bubble - everyone talks about it, but you can only really understand it if you have experienced it.
In the spirit of this, the first-year cohort of our European Politics and Society Master’s embarked on the EPS annual Brussels trip in December 2025. During the field trip coordinated by Jagellonian University, we had the chance to visit the institutions, gain first-hand experiences from EU officials, and learn what it means to live and work in the EU’s de facto capital. Personal encounters with the people behind the institutions showed us what policymaking in Europe is really about, and how we can make a change, now and in the future. But who were these people we met? And what exactly did we learn? Let’s dive into the two intense days in Brussels and find out.
The first official day of our Brussels trip began on Monday morning, when we had the pleasure of being guided by Lora Verheecke on an outdoor lobbying tour. The “Dark Side of the EU” tour started at the Place du Luxembourg, from which we walked through the streets of the European quarter. Carrying umbrellas, coffees, and water bottles, we had the opportunity to hear about some of the lobbying practices from various entities. When is the ideal timeframe for a lobbyist to approach and pitch an idea? What are the key power groups in Brussels, and what policies limit their tactics? Even though it was a very cold few hours, the experience and the learning we got from it were incredibly insightful!
Come lunchtime, our cohort spread over different restaurants in the area. Indian, Vietnamese, and Belgian dishes were eaten. It was time to discuss with each other what our thoughts were on lobbying, to rest a bit, and to prepare for the rest of the day.
In the afternoon, we visited the European Commission Visitor Centre, and had the chance to take some pictures as a cohort. (LinkedIn loved those!) Moreover, we had the privilege to listen to two lectures that did not leave anyone indifferent. The first was given by Eliška Povejšilová, who shared with us her knowledge on EU Foreign and Security Policy, and how the EEAS (European External Action Service) functions. The content we received was compelling, but what interested us the most was Ms. Povejšilová’s path to arriving at that position as Programme Manager, which internships are the most attractive when one wants to work in the Blue Bubble, and what to expect once you arrive.
That lecture was followed by an analytical discussion on EU trade policy with Ulrich Trautmann, Senior Trade Expert at the European Commission. Even though we thought we knew a lot about the EU already, this session really showed us how much we still had to learn, but also motivated us to keep diving into this fascinating topic in the future.
These sessions provided valuable insights into the complexities and strategic considerations underpinning EU external action, but we would dare to say that they helped us to realise what to expect when hearing “Brussels” in class, and so, in studying how the EU actually works.
Afterwards, we had the chance to meet some of the EPS Alumni on an informal occasion. Over a few drinks we got to know each other (if any of you are reading this, we are extremely grateful that you came and talked to us!), and had time to ask them about their experiences during the masters, and also, how life treated them once they finished their studies. It was a lovely evening.
Our second day started at the coworking space Mundo, Rue d’Edimbourg, at 10am. There, we were welcomed by Ana Oliveira, Martina Policcino and Susann Rothe, who work at the Directorate-General for Human Resources and Security at the European Commission. They presented us with opportunities we can take on as future EPS graduates and explained how to get into the European Commission, specifically through the Junior Professionals in Delegations (JPD). This programme is a traineeship to become EU diplomats, which allows curious and motivated young people to live outside the European Union’s borders and work in various places, from Switzerland and Lebanon to Bolivia and India.
Many of us are now considering becoming candidates in this programme after our studies. Consequently, our questions centred on how to strengthen our profile, to which Ana, who is currently an intern at the DG, was happy to answer. She also provided us with more tips, for example, by taking part in the volunteering opportunities offered by the EU Solidarity Corps.
After a short lunch break, Covadonga Solares Morales, an EPS alumnus, introduced us to Damian Boeselager, an MEP for and co-founder of Volt Europa, the first pan-European party. While Mr Boeselager presented his project for Europe and the story behind Volt, he also allowed us to ask questions about how the parliament works, how he and his team collaborate, and what his vision for the future EU is. In the end he had to run to one of his parliamentary committee meetings, as he is a member of four of them! As a last message to take home Mr Boeselager called on us to join a political party and get actively involved in politics.
Cova, who now works for Damian, then gave us a tour of the European Parliament building, but not your typical one. Since she works for a member of the Parliament herself, she spoke about how they move around the Espace Léopold, how the MEPs vote, where they work, and how dynamic and diverse her work is. For those who had to return to Prague earlier, she also presented her background, what EPS track she followed, what her first impressions of Brussels were (let’s just say, she wasn’t exactly charmed), how she got to work with Damian and fell in love with Brussels later on.
Around 6pm, we met again at the Mundo coworking space and heard from more EPS alumni who currently work in Brussels. What was interesting is that after the obligatory presentation of their work, from Bluebook trainees to lobbyists, they could relate to our struggles and fears and provide us with motivation and inspiration on what to look forward to. Their tips included: “seize the moment!”, “comparison is the worst”, “in our era of ChatGPT, don’t!”, trying things out to also learn what we don’t want, or showing [to our future recruiters] that we know their stuff by using keywords. Thank you, guys, for your time and insightful tips!
Then, we headed to our last activity of the Brussels Field trip – having a beer (or three) with even more EPS alumni at the bar Au Bassin. There, we could continue conversations about how to get into Brussels, where each of them worked, and, overall, their EPS experience. It was a relief to talk to people who have been in your position and know precisely what worries you about the future, and also to exchange our experiences from the different cities in the cohort. As we still don’t know what to expect from the rest of our masters, about internships, future opportunities, but also the living situation in our following destinations, these conversations helped us to relax a bit and gave us some guidance for the future.
Thanks to these different events, the Brussels field trip was more than just a visit to the ‘capital of the EU’. It was an immersive experience that allowed us a first glance at what Brussels looks like behind the impressive facade, showing us its good and fascinating side, but also provoking us to ask critical questions. How much power do lobbyists and the industry have over our legislation? Who cares for a democratic Europe? And what role can students and graduates like us play in this tricky environment?
Beyond that, what was most important for all of us was to get to know the human side of Brussels. To understand that every institution, from the Commission to the Parliament, is made of people, and that many of them try to make a difference every day, was inspiring. And when this journey is over, who knows, maybe some of us will become changemakers too and inspire other students to follow that path. Until then, we are now focusing on our next chapter: moving to Krakow and Leiden and getting to know a new home, a new University and, certainly, a new perspective on how politics and society work in Europe.
Comments