“EU – Back to University” at Brand Academy

What is the difference between the EU and Europe? What does the Brexit mean for students? – Probably no one can answer these questions better than those who work for the European Union.

Under the motto “EU – Back to University”, EU staff come to universities to provide students with first-hand information about their work, to answer their questions and to motivate discussion.

Our guest on May 13th: Roberto Hayder, Principal Administrator of the European Commission, Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs. Having grown up in Hamburg, he has a law degree from the University of Hamburg and now lives and works in Brussels.
His position at the European Commission commits him to neutrality – so our guest knows politics well without taking sides.

After introductory words by Prof. Dr. Joachim Bongard, Roberto Hayder answered with a short impulse contract the most important questions that have to be answered if one wants to talk about the EU: What is Europe? What is the European Union? And how does it differ from the euro zone?

Since this lecture format is primarily concerned with questions from students, it quickly moved on to discussion. Of course, there was no getting past the big questions of the EU so shortly before the European elections. But even if topics such as Brexit, populism and the future of the European Union currently occupy people’s minds, the guest is certain: “If the EU didn’t exist, it would have to be invented”.

With the upcoming European elections, an appeal to conclude the event was of course an absolute must: “Go vote!”

We thank Roberto Hayder for his visit and the exciting insights into his work at the European Commission.