Future CHOICE Summer School Revisited: Navigating the Indo-Pacific

May 2024 marked a significant milestone for the Future CHOICE program as we welcomed twenty young professionals from across Europe to the second edition of the Future CHOICE Summer School. Set on the historic grounds of the former Jesuit College, this year’s program was themed “Navigating Troubled Waters: The EU in the Indo-Pacific” and focused on equipping participants with the skills and insights needed to address key challenges in this strategically vital region.

Have a look at our 2024 edition in Kutná Hora, Czechia:

The summer school offered nine expert-led sessions on key challenges in the Indo-Pacific, presented by renowned specialists. The keynote speech was delivered by H.E. Marek Libřický, head of the Asia-Pacific Department at the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Notable speakers included Dr. Jakub Jakóbowski from Poland’s Centre for Eastern Studies (OSW), who provided insights from a Central and Eastern European perspective, and Ms. Abigaël Vasselier from MERICS, who discussed the region’s significance to the EU.

Ms. Bonnie S. Glaser of GMF’s Indo-Pacific program highlighted the US perspective, while Justin Bassi from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute and H.E. Kitaoka Shinichi, Japan’s former UN ambassador, presented views from Australia and Japan, respectively. Prof. Dr. May-Britt U. Stumbaum, Professor of Security Studies and Strategic Competition at the George C Marshall European Center for Security Studies and Director of the SPEAR Institute explored security issues in the region, and Dr. Niklas Swanström, Director of the Institute for Security and Development Policy focused on the DPRK’s international actions and their security implications. The event concluded with remarks from H.E. Jakub Landovský, the Czech Ambassador to NATO, who shared the Alliance’s perspective on the region.

A core component of the program was the interactive simulations, where participants role-played diplomats from five countries in multi-day crisis negotiations, honing their strategic thinking and collaborative skills. Additionally, a career advice forum offered invaluable guidance from leading experts.

The program offered exceptional networking opportunities, connecting young professionals poised to influence future discussions about the Indo-Pacific relations in Europe. Graduates of the second Future CHOICE summer school thus joined the expanding community of CHOICE experts across Europe.