On 06 December the Head of EUBAM Slawomir Pichor awarded certificates to the best performing students of Odesa I. Mechnikov National University who graduated EUBAM Module within the University’s EU-Ukraine Cooperation Study Course. The visit of the students, accompanied by their professors, to EUBAM Headquarters in Odesa concluded the series of joint events held by the Mission and the University in 2019.

EUBAM has been organizing this course for the University’s students in the final year of their Bachelor’s degree studies at International Relation Department for the third year in a row already. This year EUBAM module on EU-Ukraine Cooperation was delivered in October – November 2019 and consisted of three lectures as well as a visit to jointly operated border crossing point (JOBCP) ‘Palanca-Mayaky-Udobne’. EUBAM experts from Estonia, Germany, Poland and Romania spoke about EUBAM’s mandate, trade facilitation, integrated border management and Schengen Acquis, specific border checks and customs control procedures implemented at JOBCP, as well as the cooperation between EUBAM and its Partner Services.

Addressing the students, Head of Mission expressed confidence that the knowledge the students gained during EUBAM’s lectures would benefit them during their future professional activity. ‘EUBAM feels honored and proud to be hosted in such a beautiful country. The successful cooperation with Odesa I. Mechnikov National University gives us hope that our mandate here is impacting not only the technical work of border and customs agencies but also the life of the local citizens and Ukrainian society as a whole.’ he added.