The Brussels Study Visit took place on 8–9 April 2026 with the intensive participation of Jean Monnet scholars of the 2025–2026 academic year. Throughout the two-day programme, participants had the opportunity to gain first-hand insight into European Union institutions, meet with experts, and follow current assessments on Türkiye–EU relations.

The first day of the study visit began with opening remarks by Barbaros Murat Köse, Director of the Central Finance and Contracts Unit, and Bülent Özcan, Director General for Financial Cooperation and Project Implementation at the Directorate for EU Affairs, followed by speeches delivered by Ambassador Yaprak Balkan, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Türkiye to the European Union.

Antoine Colombani, Head of Unit at the Directorate-General for Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations of the European Commission, Ambassador Daniela Morari, Head of Mission of the European Union to Moldova, Justin Ryan, Permanent Representative of Ireland to the European Union, and Ayhan Zeytinoğlu, Chairman of the Economic Development Foundation (İKV), shared their assessments and experiences regarding Türkiye–EU relations.

A Q&A session bringing together Jean Monnet scholars and the project team was held with strong participation and high engagement.

The first day concluded with a reception hosted by Ambassador Yaprak Balkan at the Residence of the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Türkiye to the European Union.

On the second day, scholars were briefed at the European Parliament on the institution’s structure, functioning, and relations with Türkiye. At the European Committee of the Regions, they attended comprehensive presentations on cooperation between the Committee and Türkiye.

Throughout the highly intensive and rich programme, our scholars not only had the opportunity to closely observe European Union institutions but also experienced collaborative learning, exchange of ideas, and international knowledge sharing.