As part of the futurEU Initiative’s annual study trip, students spent three days engaging with policymakers, institutions and alumni in the EU capital.
Last week, 24 Hertie School students travelled to Brussels as part of the third annual trip organised by the student club futurEU Initiative, in collaboration with the Hertie School Alumni Affairs Office and the Brussels Alumni Chapter. The trip aimed to offer students first-hand exposure to European security policymaking, connect them with alumni working in the EU capital, and deepen their understanding of Europe’s role in an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape.
Over three packed days, students engaged directly with policymakers, diplomats, journalists and industry representatives, gaining insight into how European security is shaped across institutions and sectors.
A highlight of the visit was the Brussels Alumni & Students Networking Event, which brought together over 60 members of the Hertie School community at the Goethe-Institut Brussels. The evening served as a vibrant meeting point for students and alumni to exchange perspectives, share career experiences, and discuss Europe’s security challenges at the heart of EU policymaking.
Speed networking strengthens transgenerational ties
The evening opened with an informal speed networking session, pairing students with alumni active across the Brussels policy ecosystem. In a series of short, dynamic conversations, students had the opportunity to ask candid questions about career paths, first jobs after Hertie, and day-to-day professional life in Brussels.
A timely panel on European security in a changing world
Dr Axel Baisch, Managing Director of the Hertie School, officially opened the event. He reflected on the growth of the Brussels alumni community and the unique value of the event format.
“This is the second-largest alumni gathering we have, after the annual reunion in Berlin. That says a lot about what’s been built here over the past three years,” he noted.
“But what makes this evening genuinely special isn’t just the size; it’s the format. Bringing students and alumni together in the same room, for real conversations, is something we do nowhere else quite like this. It’s a model worth celebrating.”
Representatives from the Goethe-Institut Brussels, Isabel Stüker and Katrin Schmidt, welcomed participants and introduced the programme Europanetzwerk Deutsch offered by the institute.
The evening continued with an alumni panel titled “Rethinking Alliances: European Security in a Multipolar World”. Bringing together five Hertie alumni, the discussion focussed on how Europe can navigate shifting geopolitical realities amid growing economic, technological and security interdependencies. The panellists were Gaia Anselmi (MIA 2024), Defence Technology Manager at the European Defence Agency; Laura Dubois (MIA 2020), Financial Times, Editor of Europe Express newsletter and Brussels correspondent; Florin Nita (MPP 2007), Chief of Staff to the EU Special Representative for the Gulf region; Valentin Ariton (MPP 2010), Economist at the European Commission; and David Reim (MIA 2024).
The panel explored the EU’s evolving security role, how Europe can strengthen its strategic capabilities without duplicating NATO structures, and where new, or underused, alliances might offer additional strategic potential. Speakers also reflected on the challenges of coordinating security policy across institutions and member states while responding to rapid global change.
The discussion was moderated by Filippo Cesaretto, a first-year Master of International Affairs student and member of the futurEU Initiative. A lively Q&A with the audience concluded the formal part of the event.
Students and alumni then enjoyed informal networking over drinks and snacks, continuing conversations sparked during the panel and forging new professional connections.
Beyond the panel: Brussels as a living classroom
In addition to the networking event, the trip offered students an intensive programme of visits and discussions across Brussels’ policy landscape. As Sarah Emminger, first-year Master of International Affairs student and one of the organisers of the trip, reflected:
“Brussels is the heart of EU policymaking, and for three days, we got to see what that actually means: we had Q&As at the European Commission, dinner with Members of the European Parliament, visits to NATO headquarters and Siemens Energy, surprisingly open conversations with diplomats, and a discussion about EU politics journalism at the Politico newsroom. Politics, diplomacy, security, lobbying, media – we got a first-hand look at all of it.
What made the trip particularly memorable was our own group. We came from different countries, academic backgrounds, and career paths – aspiring politicians, economists, security experts, journalists – and that diversity shaped every experience. The conversations we had with each other were often just as interesting as the ones with MEPs or diplomats. For three days, Brussels felt less like an abstract centre of power and more like a place we could actually imagine ourselves in.”
A strong Hertie community in the European capital
Now in its third year, the Brussels trip has become a cornerstone of the futurEU Initiative and a key element of the Hertie School’s broader efforts to connect students with alumni across sectors and regions, reinforcing a strong, engaged Hertie community in the heart of Europe.
The trip was supported by the Hertie School Alumni Affairs Office, fellows & friends of the Hertie Foundation, the Jacques Delors Centre, and the Centre for International Security.
Photo credits: © Eric Berghen
Contact
- Nena Grceva, Director Alumni Affairs