Your future with European Studies

Your future with European Studies

There is a huge demand for European experts, a demand that is expected to keep growing as a result of the advancements being made in European integration. The programme in European Studies will equip you with a broad understanding of the inner workings of Europe, which will prepare you for a professional career with a wide range of jobs in government, the business world or non-governmental organizations such as Greenpeace.

On the whole, European integration specialists find jobs working for national ministries, local authorities, consultancy agencies, international organizations, businesses in the private sector or for trade unions. A scientific career is also a possibility with European Studies. As a researcher you investigate European issues within a research institute, university, private enterprise or governmental research department. A number of graduates also end up working for one of the European Union bodies or for one of the hundreds of lobby groups in Brussels whose job it is to influence European policy. However, the European Union in Brussels is a lot smaller than people imagine and the majority of the decisions are worked on and taken in the separate states. Together with colleagues in the other member states, you will be searching for solutions to problems and working out compromises. Studying together with an international group of students on the European Studies programme is therefore excellent preparation for your future career.

Government

As a European expert, you will assist the government by translating the complex European legislation into a workable form that can be implemented in the Dutch system.

You will be capable of making adjustments where necessary. You will also be the appointed interlocutor and information source for other specialists, such as economists and political scientists. A concrete example of this is the job of policy officer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Integration Directive. Your job here would be to determine the line of action to be taken by the Netherlands for implementing institutional reforms, and to carry out the preparatory work for the Dutch delegation in Brussels. If you think working in Brussels is something for you, there are a number of opportunities open at the European Parliament or at a European Commission Directorate General. But there are also opportunities further afield, for example, you could work at a Dutch embassy in Asia or Africa, at the United Nations in New York or for the World Trade Organization in Geneva.

Non-Governmental

Aside from governments and businesses, an increasing number of non-governmental and other organizations play a role in the complex decision-making processes within Europe and the wider world. In order to be able to exert sufficient influence on European decision-making, these organizations must be armed with a good knowledge of European regulations and European institutions. One of the most common areas is fundraising. One way of approaching this is to contact the Dutch Red Cross who can help to secure funding from the European Union for various national and international humanitarian aid programmes, such as setting up social networks for single underage asylum seekers. Other times it may involve consulting on policies. The European Union is working on an increasingly frequent basis with lobby groups such as Amnesty International, Greenpeace or European sport federations. More often than not, you will be dealing with lobby groups from the car industry, the telecommunications sector or energy companies who want to prevent a certain policy being introduced which is detrimental to their interests, or who want to lobby for new proposals. These days, everyone knows that many of the new policies being introduced begin in Brussels and that in most cases, a lobby in The Hague is too little too late. This makes the European Union an exciting and dynamic area to work in and one which offers great stimuli for every issue.

Business

European legislation, however, is not only aimed at governments but also at the business community, for which there is a whole range of guidelines set concerning the issue of environmental quality. Your skills as a European expert can help businesses by devising measures that ensure that a business adheres to all the guidelines without jeopardizing its competitive advantage. Take, for example, the company Philips who wants to open factories in Poland. Philips endeavours to conform to European legislation and regulations; however, Poland still has a way to go in this area. They operate in factories that are not yet in line with the European regulations regarding working conditions and waste disposal. As a European expert, you would advise Philips on the best strategy for dealing with this. You would also be expected to regularly represent the company’s interests in its dealings with the government.


<< View other masters European Studies Master’s programme Admission/ Enrollment More information Labour market Career perspectives FAQ/contact Search	Your future with European Studies Your future with European Studies There is a huge demand for European experts, a demand that is expected to keep growing as a result of the advancements being made in European integration. The programme in European Studies will equip you with a broad understanding of the inner workings of Europe, which will prepare you for a professional career with a wide range of jobs in government, the business world or non-governmental organizations such as Greenpeace. On the whole, European integration specialists find jobs working for national ministries, local authorities, consultancy agencies, international organizations, businesses in the private sector or for trade unions. A scientific career is also a possibility with European Studies. As a researcher you investigate European issues within a research institute, university, private enterprise or governmental research department. A number of graduates also end up working for one of the European Union bodies or for one of the hundreds of lobby groups in Brussels whose job it is to influence European policy. However, the European Union in Brussels is a lot smaller than people imagine and the majority of the decisions are worked on and taken in the separate states. Together with colleagues in the other member states, you will be searching for solutions to problems and working out compromises. Studying together with an international group of students on the European Studies programme is therefore excellent preparation for your future career. Government As a European expert, you will assist the government by translating the complex European legislation into a workable form that can be implemented in the Dutch system. You will be capable of making adjustments where necessary. You will also be the appointed interlocutor and information source for other specialists, such as economists and political scientists. A concrete example of this is the job of policy officer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Integration Directive. Your job here would be to determine the line of action to be taken by the Netherlands for implementing institutional reforms, and to carry out the preparatory work for the Dutch delegation in Brussels. If you think working in Brussels is something for you, there are a number of opportunities open at the European Parliament or at a European Commission Directorate General. But there are also opportunities further afield, for example, you could work at a Dutch embassy in Asia or Africa, at the United Nations in New York or for the World Trade Organization in Geneva. Non-Governmental Aside from governments and businesses, an increasing number of non-governmental and other organizations play a role in the complex decision-making processes within Europe and the wider world. In order to be able to exert sufficient influence on European decision-making, these organizations must be armed with a good knowledge of European regulations and European institutions. One of the most common areas is fundraising. One way of approaching this is to contact the Dutch Red Cross who can help to secure funding from the European Union for various national and international humanitarian aid programmes, such as setting up social networks for single underage asylum seekers. Other times it may involve consulting on policies. The European Union is working on an increasingly frequent basis with lobby groups such as Amnesty International, Greenpeace or European sport federations. More often than not, you will be dealing with lobby groups from the car industry, the telecommunications sector or energy companies who want to prevent a certain policy being introduced which is detrimental to their interests, or who want to lobby for new proposals. These days, everyone knows that many of the new policies being introduced begin in Brussels and that in most cases, a lobby in The Hague is too little too late. This makes the European Union an exciting and dynamic area to work in and one which offers great stimuli for every issue. Business European legislation, however, is not only aimed at governments but also at the business community, for which there is a whole range of guidelines set concerning the issue of environmental quality. Your skills as a European expert can help businesses by devising measures that ensure that a business adheres to all the guidelines without jeopardizing its competitive advantage. Take, for example, the company Philips who wants to open factories in Poland. Philips endeavours to conform to European legislation and regulations; however, Poland still has a way to go in this area. They operate in factories that are not yet in line with the European regulations regarding working conditions and waste disposal. As a European expert, you would advise Philips on the best strategy for dealing with this. You would also be expected to regularly represent the company’s interests in its dealings with the government.