Zeynep Ertanoglu, BA Digital Society

My name is Zeynep Ertanoglu, and I’m a second-year student in the Digital Society (DS) programme. I’m originally from Turkey but grew up in Cyprus, which has given me an international perspective from early on. Before starting DS, I studied International Business at SBE for a year, but soon realised it wasn’t the right fit for me. What drew me to DS was its unique blend of creativity and technology, a combination that feels like the true language of Gen Z.

What I enjoy most about the programme is the variety: from politics to AI, and from digital culture to the history of technology, DS connects so many different perspectives. Right now, in my third semester, I’m learning how to use R Studio, a coding language that helps me make sense of statistical data. Alongside my studies, I’ve also started learning Dutch, as I think it’s important to integrate into the culture of where I live.

So far, my favourite courses have been Introduction to Digital Technologies II (IDT) and Digital Cultures. In IDT, I gained hands-on experience through a collaborative project where we recorded a podcast on technological innovations. Digital Cultures gave me valuable insight into how digital technologies shape everyday life—often in ways we barely notice.

Beyond academics, I find Maastricht to be the perfect city for student life. Thanks to the university’s international profile, I’ve built friendships with people from all over the world. In my free time, I love exploring the shops around Vrijthof, having picnics in the green spaces of Tapijn, or catching up with friends in the city’s many cosy cafés.

Fleur Verhees, BA Arts and Culture

My name is Fleur Verhees and I’m currently in my first year of the Arts and Culture programme at FASoS. The past two years I studied Health Sciences at FHML. After a while I found that this didn’t fit my interests anymore. I decided to take a break from studying for a few months. This gave me time to reflect and find a programme that is a better fit for me. Looking back, I’m so happy I made this decision. 

I started looking for a new bachelor programme. In the end I found the Arts and Culture bachelor at FASoS. All the pieces fell into place for me. The programme was exactly what I was looking for. I love that it is an interdisciplinary study, with the option to choose courses that fit your interests in the second half of the programme. The environment at FASoS also fits my personality very well. It’s a faculty with people from all over the world, with different backgrounds. This makes studying here very special and I feel like this will enrich my time here.

Since I have been studying with the PBL system for years, I can reflect on this quite well. I love to interact daily with my fellow students but also tutors. Instead of having a lot of lectures where I have to listen and absorb a lot of information, I have conversations with my tutor groups about the topics we are learning. I only have one or two lectures a week. In this bachelor programme, the PBL system allows for people to bring in their own opinions and experiences to the tutorials. This makes my education more personal and it’s a great way to get to know other people and their cultures. 

I’m looking forward to reflecting in a few months and seeing how much I have learned and what my new experiences will be!

Lola Rahlwes, BSc Global Studies

My name is Lola Rahlwes, and I’m currently in my third year of the BSc Global Studies programme at Maastricht University. I’m originally from Germany, but after graduating high school, I spent a year living in Paris, where I did a voluntary social year at a French-German kindergarten. That experience, along with growing up in international environments, really sparked my interest in global topics and made Maastricht feel like the perfect place to study. 

What I enjoy most about Global Studies is how interdisciplinary and diverse it is. Every semester brings a new theme, and we get to explore it from multiple angles—through politics, sociology, philosophy, environmental science, and more. I love that we’re encouraged to ask critical questions and challenge our own assumptions. The tutorials are small and discussion based, which makes learning feel much more personal and engaging. 

One of my favourite parts of the programme so far was the semester on Tolerance and Beliefs. We explored topics like how stereotypes are formed, what drives people to participate in social movements, and how belief systems shape societies. It made me reflect a lot on my own perspectives and how deeply rooted some social dynamics are. 

Looking ahead, I’m most excited about my upcoming field study in Bangkok, Thailand. It’s a chance to apply what I’ve learned in a completely new context and gain hands-on research experience. I’m especially looking forward to working with local communities and exploring the interaction between global structures and local realities. Outside of my studies, I enjoy biking through Maastricht, going to the gym, and spending time with friends. The city is cosy, vibrant, and quickly feels like home.

Nelly Molnarova, BA European Studies

I’m Nelly, a second-year student of the bachelor’s programme European Studies at FASoS. I’m originally from Slovakia. I spent 2 years in England on an academic scholarship, and now a path has led me here, to Maastricht. 

What I love about European Studies is how broad yet connected everything is. One day you’re diving into EU law, and the next you’re discussing European history or the EU’s economy. It helps you see the full picture of Europe. And thanks to the PBL-system, you’re not just passively listening but actively discussing, debating, and forming your own views, which is really important to me. So far, one of my favourite courses has been “Negotiation skills” and I know I’m not the only one who loved this course. I enjoyed debating and presenting arguments and diplomatically fighting for my mandate’s demands. Representing different countries in different situations or imitating one of the EU institutions was so insightful, engaging, but also really informative on how negotiations truly work in real life. However, I feel positive about many of the courses I’ve had as part of the programme. Outside the classroom, I love musical theatre and performance arts, I enjoy practicing yoga and reading books in new cities whilst solo travelling. One of my most pleasant responsibilities is managing the Instagram for bachelor's European Studies and sharing daily what I've been up to and what life in Maastricht looks like. I’m so excited to see what the upcoming semesters hold for me, packed with electives, possibly an EU internship in Brussels or a minor in Psychology.

Imanol Olite Crisol, MA European Studies

My name is Imanol, and I am doing the MA European Studies here at FASoS. After completing my double bachelor's in Journalism and Political Science back in Barcelona, where I am originally from, I decided I wanted to keep expanding my knowledge in European affairs, and that is why I chose this master. One of the best aspects of European Studies is how the programme is structured. Thanks to the PBL methodology and the combination of content and skills courses, we can take the lead as students and actively participate in discussions while learning from professors and classmates. 

What I also really like about the curriculum is that it allows us to specialize in different areas of expertise by choosing electives and through our final thesis. The course I have enjoyed the most so far has been “Key Challenges for Europe”, where we analyzed the most relevant issues in European affairs, ranging from EU enlargement to strategic autonomy or migration. This course feels like a perfect representation of the whole programme: interdisciplinarity and applicability to current debates and challenges around Europe. 

Beyond the purely academic component, what I am enjoying the most about my time here is the international environment: we are more than 20 nationalities in our class, and getting to know people from different backgrounds, countries and cultures is highly enriching. I cannot help but give a big shoutout to Maastricht as well, which has felt like home since the beginning. The city is full of students from all over the world, there is always many activities and plans to do, and you can easily travel, explore the nature, and even get to Belgium by bike in less than 15 minutes! Leading up to the upcoming months, I am excited to get started with my electives, continue developing my thesis on the conflict in Ukraine and keep discovering what this amazing year in Maastricht has in store for me!

Chiara Mupo, European Public Affairs

Hi there! I’m Chiara and I come from Italy. I’m currently starting Period 3 of the master's programme in European Public Affairs and I cannot wait for this semester to start!
Looking back at the past months I feel very proud. From the very beginning I had the confirmation that I made the right choice moving to Maastricht to study European Public Affairs. This was exactly the course I was looking for. During my bachelor's I studied philosophy and I was scared that it would’ve been more difficult for me to succeed. On the contrary, I’m very happy to see that thanks to the practical approach of the master's programme, I’m able to apply my knowledge to learn new things. For example, Period 1 was designed to put everyone on the same level and make us acquire practical skills in a job-oriented way.

The Negotiation Workshop was definitely my favourite: we simulated a Council Negotiation on a real Commission Proposal. I represented Belgium with my classmate, we had to put forward our priorities and negotiate them with other countries. Being guided by two practitioners gave us lots of insights and made us discover new aspects of the legislative process of the EU directly from the inside! This way of learning is the thing I appreciate the most. Collaborating and working in team with my classmates makes the learning process easier and the mood very friendly. Even though the master is intense, learning by doing is fun and effective.

Finally, moving to such an international, student-friendly city makes living abroad easier. By bike you can move quickly in each part of the city and there are always so many different things to do! I really like exploring new cafés in the city centre and practicing yoga at the University gym!
I cannot wait to hang out with my classmates again and I’m so excited to start an Internship in April!

January 2026

Noemi Meloni, MSc European Studies (Research)

With Period two almost over, we can proudly say that we have gone through ¼ of this amazing experience! Time is really flying by, so it is important to reflect on what we have faced together and what’s to come next. 

The first two periods have been a new, intense, challenging, yet inspiring opportunity to explore this new chapter of our lives. Period one has perhaps been the most emotionally charged so far. Meeting the teaching staff, but, most importantly, our fellow students from our cohort has been such a thrilling experience. Different personalities, academic backgrounds (ranging from sociology to political economics to philosophy), nationalities and interests, we have had to face the first challenges together. 

This might actually be my favourite part about the programme: how close-knit the group is. This, I found, is crucial for approaching research. Although we faced period one together, from October onwards we have been split among our different specializations, and focused more on our researches, which are often quite different from one another. Yet, I cannot stress enough how incredibly useful and fundamental it has been to be able to count on my classmates. Whether it was to share a laugh, or to complain about the weather, or to support each other in our different projects, sharing it all with a group of such inspired, talented, and brilliant people has really motivated me to go beyond what I thought were my limits. After all, as they say “if you’re the smartest in the room, you’re in the wrong room”. 

I am now finishing up working on my research paper for period two, which has been quite a ride, but from which I have learned immensely. Most importantly, although my focus is in EU external relations, and I use qualitative methods, there has not been a time in which I have not benefited from the help of my classmates, no matter how different their content or methodological specialization is. 

In terms of activities, I must say that the integrated workshop has been my favourite experience so far. We have had to present our research projects to our classmates and professors. As always, we were treated as actual researchers in training, and our perspectives were treated as if they came from a faculty’s researcher. This, I believe, is one of the biggest strengths of the program. The professors walk alongside you, giving you the possibility to do research with freedom, within the scope of the courses, while guiding you in every step of the way. 

Next period, we will get to start exploring our ideas for the Master’s thesis by writing and presenting our research proposals. Us from the qualitative group will also get trained on how to perform and analyse interviews! 

Noemi Meloni, MSc European Studies (Research)

I can hardly believe it myself, but here we are: the final period of the first year! What a rollercoaster these past months have been. This second semester, in particular, has given us a lot of food for thought.

We started exploring ideas for our thesis—which we’ll develop fully in the second year—and began to get familiar with research designs. For us qualitative folks, that meant diving into advanced interviewing and even conducting our very first interviews! It was equal parts scary and exciting.

Period 4 then offered one last chance to engage with our content specialisations as groups. Personally, the course on EU relations with the U.S., China, Russia, and the MENA region has been my absolute favourite of the year. Learning directly from world-leading experts on the EU’s external relations has been such a cool, interactive, and eye-opening experience—especially for those of us interested in international relations and global order.

On the methods side, my group focused on qualitative content analysis and the many tools it offers. I genuinely loved this course as well and will definitely apply what I learned to my thesis work.

Now, we’re facing our final challenge of the year: period 5, with its pilot project and extended thesis proposal. To be honest, this semester hasn’t been particularly generous to me in terms of energy—I can feel the weight of this intense academic year. But I can also feel the growth. I am no longer the same Noemi who started this journey back in period 1.

And that, to me, is the most meaningful accomplishment: knowing that RMES is actively shaping me into the kind of person—and researcher—I aspire to be. There’s still a long road ahead, but I feel more prepared than ever to walk it.

What I’m most excited about, beyond successfully getting through period 5, is Year 2! I’ve chosen the exchange specialisation, so I’ll be spending the fall semester in Tokyo, Japan! I’m still in disbelief that this incredible opportunity is really happening.

Of course, it’s a bit bittersweet. Our cohort will be splitting up—many are heading to Cologne for the double-degree track. But I’m so proud of each and every one of us. Even if we’ll soon be living in different cities, this is just the beginning of becoming the best versions of ourselves. Can’t wait to see what the future holds for us!

May 2025