ESDC Alumni Seminar 2018

On 22 and 23 February 2018, the European Security and Defence College (ESDC), the EU Institute for Security Studies (EUISS) and the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union co-organised the ESDC Alumni Seminar 2018 in Brussels. The main event, organised on behalf and with the support of the ESDC Alumni, welcomed graduates of ESDC leadership courses currently working in Brussels, the EU capitals and CSDP missions and operations. The seminar was also attended by representatives of the ESDC network who sit on the ESDC Executive Academic Board, and the Board’s project-focused configurations (i.e. the Implementation Group and CSDP Doctoral School) held back-to-back meetings during the annual Alumni Seminar.

On the first day, the Bulgarian Representative to the Political and Security Committee, Ms Gergana Karadjova, opened the seminar with a keynote address focusing on security and defence priorities of the Bulgarian Presidency. During the second day of the event, three successive panels debated the implementation of the EU Global Strategy, the current challenges faced by the EU in its neighbourhood, and the status of ongoing CSDP operations and missions.

High-level experts from the European Defence Agency, European Union Military Staff, Bulgarian Diplomatic Institute and academics from the Royal Institute for International Relations – Egmont and the European Union Institute for Security Studies debated the ongoing projects related to CSDP capabilities and the current challenges for the European Union. A field perspective was offered by Alumni from CSDP missions and operations, such as EUCAP Sahel Mali, EUCAP Sahel Niger, EUAM Ukraine and EUTM Mali, as well as international bodies such as the European Gendarmerie Force.