On Saturday evening 5 May, Olli Rehn a keynote speech at the IES alumni event for former PILC students. His address spoke of the three building blocks needed to enhance substantial growth and job creation in the European economy, including the need to further boost investment to supplement the other policies of the EU's growth agenda.

The speech has been widely covered in the press, including The Telegraph and the Finanical Times.

"Speaking to an audience of 300 academics and foreign policy practitioners, Herman Van Rompuy sketched an outline of the role of the European Council in the conduct of European foreign policy. He argued that setting the strategic compass was its main task. He underlined that not only the EU, but also the US and China need to get their house in order.  ...

Watch or read the full keynote of Mr. Herman Van Rompuy

A total of 10 students from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and Vesalius College will be given the opportunity to participate in an exchange programme, allowing them to travel to Korea to live and study there for one semester! If you are interested in participating in the exchange in the spring or fall semester of 2012, or the spring semester of 2013, continue reading the information below and submit your application through the details given below!

Zoran Milanovic, who become Croatia's Prime Minister at the end of December 2011, is a former PILC student (now referred to as the LLM International & European Law) at the VUB. He graduated from the programme in 1999, having worked in Brussels for a few years as an advisor to NATO and the Croatian mission to the EU.