Press release: European Union Diplomatic Programme for the Enlargement Region launched at the College of Europe

On 3 February 2025, the College of Europe inaugurated the European Union Diplomatic Programme for the Enlargement Region, a 5-month-long intensive training programme for diplomats and officials from candidate countries.

The first cohort, consisting of 14 participants from seven countries, was welcomed in Brussels by the Rector of the College of Europe and Director of the Programme, Federica Mogherini, together with officials from the European Commission, the EEAS, and the Council. The participants come from Albania, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, Türkiye, and Ukraine.

As the first-ever postgraduate institute entirely devoted to European studies, the College has been a pioneer in offering programmes specialised in EU diplomacy and external relations. 

The European Union Diplomatic Programme for the Enlargement Region is funded by DG ENEST of the European Commission with the aim of enabling participating candidate countries’ participants to increase their know-how and skills related to the EU enlargement process and European external action policies more broadly.

It further constitutes an expression of the European Commission’s commitment to supporting the enlargement process and fostering a community of young diplomats. As a unique feature of the new programme, participants will live and train together in Bruges with the diplomats from the EU Member States of the European Union Diplomatic Academy (EUDA). This will allow them to build closer ties between Member State diplomats, EU officials and diplomats from candidate countries in order to create a network for sharing experience and knowledge.

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For additional information, contact Valentin Dupouey, Director of Communications at valentin.dupouey@coleurope.eu