Summer Schools – Jean Monnet Chair

The Jean Monnet Chair together with the Faculty of Business, Economics and Law offers summer schools on European studies. In these summer schools non-European students will meet European students at TH Köln and work together on current European economic issues in a setting of project- and research-based learning.

Two summer schools are being offered on a yearly base:

• In Januar a two-weeks summer school is offered especially for Australian students from RMIT-University on “European Economy and Business”. TH Köln students of a 6 ECTS course on “European Economy and Finance” will join classes.
• In May/June a four weeks summer school for American and other non-European students is offered. This summer school offers two courses, one on “Global and European Trade” and one exposing students to the “European Business Environment”. TH Köln students of a 6 ECTS course on “Global and European Trade” will join classes. This summer school is open to applications.

GETEUROPEAN Summer School 2024

On May 6th the participants for the Summer School 2024 arrived at TH Köln from the University of North Florida (UNF), USA, in order to take part in an exciting Summer School program, lead by Professor Harald Sander in cooperation with Professor Zelal Ates and Professor Michael Volkmann. The course program is wide-ranging and covers an assortment of courses on international trade and the European business environment as well as international branding and digitalization. Ms. Andrea Droste organized a very varied and exciting cultural program, including a guided tour of the city and a visit to the House of History in Bonn. Visits to the production site of the famous Cologne beer brand "Mühlen Kölsch" and PolisMobility (Cologne Trade Fair) round off the program.

Summer School 2023: „Global and European Trade and European Business Environment“

From May 8 to June 2, 2023 students from the University of North Florida (UNF) have been studying and discussing jointly the present and potential future of European and US economic relation, facilitated by Professor Harald Sander. Moreover, Professor Zelal Ates and Professor Michael Volkmann have put together an exciting program with the participation of several TH Köln professors to expose UNF students to the European Business environment, while Ms. Andrea Droste has organized a wonderful cultural program.

On the occasion of a visit of just another UNF study group on May 9, Professor Sander gave a talk on the „Geo-economic Challenges to the Global Economy“, while Dr. Kateryna Syniakova delivered a much appreciated presentation on „Postwar Challenges and Opportunities for the Ukrainian Economy", which sparked a lively discussion. Dr. Syniakova joined TH Köln last year, first as a guest lecturer for the 2022 Summer School and then as a Research Associate to the Faculty of Business, Economics and Law. Another highlight was the lecture by Mr. Willem Noë from the EU Commission on the „Past, Present and Future of the European Union“, which, of course, put a lot of focus on the current geopolitical situation in Europe, including the issue of an Ukrainian EU-Membership. After the final presentations of students’ research work on the US-EU trade and investment relations, the Summer School finished with a well-deserved farewell lunch at the river Rhein on a sunny Friday afternoon.

Participants of the Summer School 2022 arrived at TH Köln

After a two-year break due to the pandemic, a new group of participants of the Summer School 2022 arrived at TH Köln from UNF Florida, USA, on 9 May 2022. They will stay for four weeks for an intensive Summer School led by Prof. Dr. Harald Sander. The program covers a course in International Trade by Harald Sander and a course on European Business Environment presented by several TH Köln Professors. Moreover, the Summer School includes company visits and field trips. This year’s program will also feature an extensive coverage of the present political and business challenges, especially Russia’s invasion in Ukraine, and give students the possibility to discuss the issue with outstanding experts from business, the European Union, and Ukraine.

The Jean-Monnet Chair also warmly welcomes guest lecturer Dr. Kateryna Syniakova from Kherson State University, Ukraine. Kateryna will contribute several lectures in the GETEUROPEAN Summer School. She is an outstanding scholar in strategic and human resource management with ample practical experience regarding the vibrant new technology industry in Ukraine. Kateryna had to leave her home town, which is currently occupied by Russian troops, and has found a place to stay with her family near Cologne. We are excited to have her with us at TH Köln. She will be an asset for the TH in general, and the Summer School in particular.

Participants of the Winter School (Image: SIW / TH Köln)

Participants of the Winter School 2020 from RMIT arrived at TH Köln

On January 6th the participants from RMIT for the Winter School 2020 arrived at TH Köln to dive into various aspects of current European economic issues. The intense two-weeks Winter School program led by Prof. Dr. Harald Sander combines theory and practice of European business and economy, including company visits and a field trip to the European Commission in Brussels. Particular emphasis is laid on research-based learning activities directed towards investigating into the EU-Australian trade and investment relations, the development of the EU single market, and the European green deal and its implications for business.

Participants of the Summer School 2019 (Image: Lukas Gawlik)

Participants of the Summer School 2019 arrived at TH Köln

On May 6th the participants for the Summer School 2019 arrived at TH Köln from UNF Florida, USA, in order to take part in the Summer School program, lead by Prof. Dr. Harald Sander. The students attended a wide-ranging program covering international trade and European business environment, as well as company visits and field trips in the area.

Participants of the Winter School 2019 from RMIT arrived at TH Köln

TH Köln President, Prof. Dr. Stefan Herzig, has welcomed 28 students from the RMIT from Australia, who take part in a two-week Winter School program on European Economy and European Business directed by Prof. Dr. Sander. Next to number of lectures, the students experience the European cultural and business environment through various field trips. A special focus will be laid upon various European issues, such as the BREXIT and the Single Market, which will be researched by the students and discussed intensively.

Lecture by Mr. Willem Noë, European Commission Respresentation in Ireland, "The political economy, economics & history of EU Integration and Enlargement at 28 + / -"

Participants of the Summer School 2018 (Image: Lukas Gawlik)

Summer School 2018

This time the TH Köln welcomed 11 students from the University of Florida, who took part in the Summer School program led by Prof. Dr. Sander. Next to number of lectures, the students were able to experience the European cultural and business environment through various field trips. A special focus was be upon  the topic of possible trade war scenarios, which were researched and discussed intensively.

Winter School 2018 (Image: Lukas Gawlik)

Winter School 2018 Successfully Finished

This semester the TH Köln was happy to welcome students from the RMIT in Australia as well as students from Nizhny Novgorod, Russia. Apart from lectures, projects and exchanging ideas, the students could attend a special lecture by Mr. Willem Noë, EU Commission - DG NEAR on „The Past, Present and Future of the European Union“. Furthermore field trips to companies in the area completed the European experience for the participants of the Winter School 2018.

Winter School 2018

Summer School 2017

On May 15th the participants for the Summer School 2017 arrived at TH Köln from UNF Florida, USA, and Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, in order to take part in the Summer School program, lead by Prof. Dr. Sander. The students attended a wide-ranging program covering international trade and European business environment, as well as company visits and field trips in the area.

RMIT Study Tour 2017 (Image: (Image: TH Köln)

Winter School for RMIT University Successfully Finished

22 students from RMIT University attended Australian students attended the winter school regularly organized by the Jean Monnet Chair at TH Köln. Next to number of lectures from Professor Sander and many colleagues from TH Köln, the students have been exposed to the European cultural and business environment through various work visits. They also had th chance to collaborate and discuss with TH Köln students. Especially issues regarding the refugee crisis, BREXIT and the future of the single market were researched and discussed intensively.

GETEUROPEAN Summer School Successfully Finished

Jointly with TH Köln students they have studied Global and European trade issues and the European business environment. A focus of their team research work was an in-depth analysis and discussion of the envisaged and controversially discussed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (T-TIP) between the USA and Europe. The classroom discussions have clearly revealed the different viewpoints from American and European students, but they also have shown how differences in preference and perception can be bridged in a constructive dialogue. A further highlight was the lecture by Mr. Willem Noë (top row on left) from the European Commission on the future of the European Union, which sparked intense discussions and – hopefully – deeper insights in the European policy affairs to non-European students.

• From May 11 to June 6, 2015 32 participants from US-Universities are participating in the Summer School “Global and European Trade and European Business Environment” to work together with European students on European and global economic integration issue.
• From January 5-16, 2015 27 Students from RMIT-University, Melbourne are visiting the Summer School “European Economy and Business Environment”.