POLITICAL SCIENCE AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS DEPARTMENT HOSTED AMERICAN STUDENTS
The Department of International Relations and European Union hosted a group of American students in the framework of a common summer school program with the IES (Institute for the International Education of Students) EU Center in Freiburg, Germany. During their stay in Izmir the American students attended lectures about current issues in EU-Turkey relations and participated at a workshop with guest speakers from the Turkish EU Ministry and the EU Delegation in Ankara. In addition, the students visited Ephesus and Sirinçe, and enjoyed a day on the beach in Ürkmez.
The visit in Izmir is part of a two months long summer program that offers the opportunity for intensive study of the European Union and its relationships with Turkey and the Western Balkan states. Through the courses, taught in Freiburg (Germany) and Izmir, as well as two one-week long field study trip in Turkey and Bosnia-Herzegovina, students were able to deepen their understanding of the region and experience first-hand the cultural and political landscape of multiple EU accession states.
IES is one of the oldest, largest, and most reputable study abroad providers of the USA that enrolls more than 5,500 students from 185 U.S. colleges and universities annually. With nearly 100 high-quality academic study abroad programs and internship opportunities in 34 cities, IES is dedicated to fostering cultural immersion and intercultural development.
The cooperation with the IES EU Center Freiburg enables the Department of Political Science and International Relations to provide one students with a scholarship for this summer school program. The scholarship includes the study fees, accommodation and the travel costs of the field trips – around 7.000 Dollar in total. In return, Assist. Prof. Dr. Işık Gürleyen and Assist. Prof. Dr. Alexander Bürgin, faculty of the Political Science and International Relations department, teach the Turkey part of the program in Freiburg and Izmir.
Students interested in the 2015 scholarship are invited to contact Isik Gürleyen (isik.gurleyen@ieu.edu.tr) and Alexander Bürgin (alexander.burgin@ieu.edu.tr).