Welcoming the new MA and Dual Degree Cohort 2025/2026 at the European Institute
The European Institute is delighted to introduce the incoming MA and Columbia/LSE Dual Degree cohort for the 2025/2026 academic year – a remarkable group of 25 graduate students whose diverse backgrounds and shared commitment to understanding Europe's role in the world exemplify the interdisciplinary and international character of our program.
This year's cohort brings together students from twelve countries across three continents: the United States, Germany, France, Turkey, Italy, Australia, Albania, the United Kingdom, Denmark, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, and Spain. The students will pursue the stand-alone MA in European History, Politics and Society at Columbia University or the Dual Degree in combination with the MSc in Culture and Conflict in a Global Europe at the London School of Economics and Political Science, spending the first year in New York and the second year in London.
What distinguishes the cohort is not only their geographic diversity but the breadth of intellectual traditions and analytical approaches they represent. Our students come to the program with undergraduate and professional backgrounds in law, economics, political science, history, international relations, sociology, business and philosophy. This interdisciplinary foundation creates a uniquely rich learning environment where legal frameworks meet economic analysis, where historical context informs contemporary policy debates, and where philosophical inquiry challenges conventional wisdom.
The result is a dynamic intellectual community eager to examine Europe's most complex challenges from multiple angles, providing students with a comprehensive perspective on the geopolitical shifts shaping Europe and its transatlantic relationships.
The research interests of this cohort range from European history to current affairs, including international trade, Europe’s cultural differences, EU integration, security policy, sustainability, geopolitics and transatlantic relations. Students will address pressing questions: How can the EU navigate its energy transition while maintaining economic competitiveness? What role does systemic corruption play in post-Soviet state development? How can diplomatic frameworks adapt to intensifying global conflict?
The students are actively analyzing Europe's present challenges and imagining its future possibilities. Their research will contribute to ongoing policy debates and advance scholarly understanding of European global governance as well as cultural and economic dynamics. This cohort looks forward to the contributions they will make during their time at Columbia and LSE and in their future careers as scholars, policymakers, diplomats, and leaders in the public and private sectors.
To a Year of exciting research, projects and debates: Welcome Class of 2025/2026!