Academics

The seven-day intensive program consists of workshops, panel discussion, guest lectures and simulation game.

Classroom workshops will take place from Sunday to Friday in mornings and afternoons (on Sunday only in the afternoon). The workshops will enable students to discuss the given topics as we think that discussion is a considerable contribution to the process of learning. Reading materials for each of the workshops will be provided at least two weeks before the students arrival in order to enable them to come to Prague well prepared for the School and get the most out of it.

The School working language is English.

The content of European Spring School 2009 will be primarily devoted to the Czech presidency and its individual priorities will be discussed to unveil the specifics and interests of the Czech Republic int the EU. In order to complement the Central European picture, the positions and stances of Slovakia, Poland and Hungary towards the crucial questions will be included too.

Taking into account the main motto of the Czech presidency "Europe Without Barriers" the following issues which have been derived from the official Czech priorities for the Presidency, will be covered:

• Competitiveness, Trade Policy, liberal approach towards the global trade
• Energy policy, safety, sustainability and climate change
• Budget reform and Common Agriculture Policy reform
• External relations: TransAtlantic relations, Eastern Europe, Western Balkan
• Justice and Home Affair, visa policy, migration

Apart from the above mentioned particular themes we will also focus on current political situation in the Czech Republic, a long debate relating to the Lisbon treaty, a certain euroscepticism defined by the Czech president Mr. Vaclav Klaus and the institutional securing of the presidency.