During the second week of July, EU Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine hosted its sixth ’Borders of Europe’ summer school in Odessa. The annual EUBAM event offers a unique learning opportunity about topics relevant to European Union and border management to the students of the Mission’s partner universities.

The week long programme attracted students from Eastern Ukraine, too. The current situation is very challenging in the region, and it has taken toll on the life at the campus, too.

”I study in Donetsk, but this week I travelled to Odessa from Kyiv because I was afraid that there might be disruptions in the rail traffic and I could not come here. Anyways, my parents have not let me go to the university for quite some time now, as they fear for my safety,” says Kyrylo Zamyrailov, a second year student of international economics.

All things international fascinates the 19 year old economic major, thus ’Borders of Europe’ was an obvious choice for the summer.

”It has been just great. I have learnt lots about EU and EUBAM. I have also been able to make friends with people with very different, even opposite, views to mine. It has been such a joy to notice that still we can get along brilliantly!”

25 students completed the summer school in 2014. The lectures varied from good governance and anti-corruption to fighting trans-border crime and the structure of EU. Throughout the summer school students participated in training sessions on leadership, PR and intercultural and social competence. At the end of the week, the students visited the Odessa sea port to see customs officers and border police in the line of duty.