Building Transatlantic Bonds: The Conversation on Transatlanticism and Europe Project

Neil Vander Most
Sep 4, 2018 · 4 min read
CEURO students and staff visiting the European Commission in Brussels, Belgium

Technology has provided modern instructors with a wealth of options to deliver innovative high-quality educational experiences. During the spring of 2018, the European Union Center at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign and the Center for European Studies at KU Leuven were able to use technology to expose our M.A. students to transatlantic affairs in creative and effective ways.

As the Academic Coordinator for the EU Center at Illinois, I was fortunate to be intimately involved in the Conversation on Transatlanticism and Europe (CEURO) project, a cooperation between our Center and its counterparts at KU Leuven in Belgium. CEURO was strategically designed to leverage the best of both online and in-person learning. During its first weeks, it took the form of an online course, meeting simultaneously on both sides of the Atlantic. Using Skype, students were able to listen to their overseas counterparts, enjoy lessons from talented lectures, and exchange critical views about contemporary culture and politics. As the Illinois-side instructor, I greatly enjoyed listening to the Leuven students share their perspectives and seeing my own students react to these new viewpoints.

The project then transitioned to its spring schools, with a select group of students being able to travel overseas and spend some time with each partner institution. These trips were comprehensive and all-inclusive, with courses, interviews, tours, and cultural day trips occupying student schedules for the weeks that they were visiting. These trips were particularly effective and productive thanks to the online sessions that preceded it. Visiting students were already familiar with their overseas counterparts and instructors, which allowed the visit to start with minimal introductions and deepened the potential for lasting social connections due to a more robust body of shared experiences.

CEURO students sharing perspectives at the Lincoln Home National Historic Site in Springfield, Illinois.

I was fortunate enough to both accompany our students to Leuven and plan the itinerary for the students visiting Illinois. The combined experiences associated with the program were engaging and diverse, including visiting a working group at the European Parliament, dining with the deputy mayor of the city of Champaign (IL), and exploring baroque Cathedrals in Antwerp and historic neighborhoods in Springfield, IL. EU

These experiences left all involved with a new appreciation of the cultural richness and political strengths present in both the United States and European Union.

After returning from the spring schools, CEURO concluded with a few more online sessions and a series of student writings that can be found online. It also laid the foundation for the creation of an e-book that is currently under development. These concluding actions were essential to contextualizing the overall experience and helping students reflect on the lessons learned during their various cultural encounters.

CEURO students and staff enjoying cultural immersion in Antwerp, Belgium

This fantastic program would not be possible without the support of the European Commission through its Jean Monnet program. These activities are essential tools that support the transatlantic relationship and enrich the lives of individuals in both Europe and the United States. CEURO will be running again next year, and I am already looking improving on the lessons learned this year. For more information about this project, please visit its website, which will continue to evolve as the project continues. And for more information about our Centers, please visit the websites of the Center for European Studies at KU Leuven and the European Union Center at the University of Illinois.


This story is part of the #EUatSchool series, showcasing the wide array of EU educational programs, grants, and competitions open to Americans. From Erasmus+ to Euro Challenge to Kids Euro Festival, we publish stories written by the high schoolers, college students, researchers, and educators who have experienced and benefited from these programs first-hand. See all the stories here.


Jean Monnet activities aim to promote excellence in teaching and research on EU studies around the world and foster dialogue between academic and policymakers on EU policies. From establishing Centers of Excellence to supporting interdisciplinary associations specializing in EU affairs, Jean Monnet activities further the teaching and research of European integration at universities around the world. Learn more.

Delegation of the European Union to the United States

Writing from European Union staff on issues of interest to the EU in the United States, with occasional guest posts

Neil Vander Most

Written by

Dr. Neil Vander Most is the Visiting Academic Coordinator for the European Union Center at the University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign.

Delegation of the European Union  to the United States

Writing from European Union staff on issues of interest to the EU in the United States, with occasional guest posts

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