Centre international de formation européenne (CIFE)

Master in Advanced European and International Studies – European Integration & Global Studies – Berlin-Nice-Rome/Istanbul

Degree and recognition

Students who successfully complete the programme are awarded two certifications at the end of the academic year:

• Master in Advanced European and International Studies: This is the diploma of CIFE, certifying the successful completion of the academic curriculum and granting 60 ECTS credits at Master level.
• The degree qualification Chargé de Mission en Organisations Européennes et Internationales (Policy Officer in European and International Organisations): This qualification is recognised by the French state as a degree at Master level (level 7 of the European Qualifications Framework EQF).

Career prospects: The graduates of CIFE’s Master’s programmes work as Senior officials in European institutions, policy officers within the UN framework, administrators, diplomats, consultants, researchers for think tanks, lobbyists, and academic experts.

Overview of the academic year

The first term starts in Berlin. It encompasses classes on the basics of the four academic modules, plus the fifth module "Professional Skills Workshops".

The second term starts off in January in Nice, on the Côte d’Azur. Here, teaching continues with a focus on the experiences of Eastern and Central European countries following their accession to the European Union, as well as the fundamental problems which Turkey and other future candidate countries face. During this period, the participants take their midterm exams.

A one-week study trip takes students to the European institutions and international organisations in Brussels, Strasbourg and Luxembourg.

For the third term:

• In Rome, special focus is given to the Mediterranean region and Africa with particular emphasis on the issues of migration, poverty and food security. Students will visit relevant UN institutions.

• In Istanbul, students examine the changing EU-Turkey relations and focus on area studies of the Black Sea region, the Caucasus, including ENP, and Central Asia. In Istanbul, courses are organised in cooperation with CIFE's partner Istanbul Bilgi University. Students will have the opportunity to advance their research work, as they are free of obligations during the last weeks of the term.

The programme concludes with the defence of the thesis and oral exams. With their graduation, students become part of CIFE’s worldwide Alumni network.

After graduation, students who have chosen the internship option will do a professional internship (three to six months). The internship can be accomplished in a European institution, an international organisation, national diplomacy, consultancies, non-governmental organisations or research institutes.

Teaching modules

• Conflict and Cooperation in the International System

The module aims at enriching students’ understanding of the similarities, differences and interactions of national foreign policies in a globalised world. It considers emerging patterns of international politics, including international law and international tribunals, globalisation and transatlantic relations, as well as conflict management.

• European Integration and External Action

At the beginning of the new millennium, the European Union can look back at considerable achievements such as the completion of the monetary union. On the other hand, the EU remains confronted with substantial challenges: new member states in Central and Eastern Europe need to be fully integrated, the EU institutions must be reformed, a common identity for foreign and security politics must be reinforced, and the acceptance of the EU amongst its Member States’ populations needs to be strengthened. This module aims at familiarizing the students, who will become the next generation of European and international decision-makers, with expert knowledge of the structures, institutions, and problems of the European Union. We focus, firstly, on the historical development of European unification and then go on to analyse the Union’s institutions and study the basics of EU law. The last part of the programme is devoted to the different policies of the EU and especially emphasises the challenges of enlargement.

• Federalism and Multi-Level Governance

For the last fifteen years, federalism has experienced a revival as an international field of study. In this framework, three major developments can be considered. The first is the study of the European Union, which is no longer analysed as a process of integration but as a federal institution from a comparative approach. The second development is multi-level governance, which can be conceived as an extension of federalism as it deals with any form of multi-tier institutional system. This cooperative/competitive approach has appeared to understand the institutional consequences of the process of globalisation in post-industrialised societies, and of the subsequent changing nature of sovereignty in the relevant states. Eventually, federalism has become a tool of conflict resolution, in order to resolve violent conflicts all over the world. Examples include Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ethiopia, Iraq, and Nepal. It is also perceived as a solution for Syria, Cyprus, Ukraine, and Libya. Moreover, new federal discourses have emerged in historically centralised countries. It appears that all these developments share the same multi-tier conceptual framework, referred to as federalism. As such, they add themselves to older federal questions, such as political cooperation, democratic representation, minority issues and economic coordination. However, understanding the contemporary evolution of the federal meaning and of its main uses requires innovative analytical thinking. This module will bring together these new approaches and highlight the changing nature of federalism in an ever more complex world.

• Economic Globalisation and Sustainable Development

The main goal of this module is to shed light on the key forces shaping economic globalisation processes in their various dimensions: international trade, financial markets, currency issues, etc. Without going into the details of the economic theory, the module helps students understand the contribution of these fundamental driving forces to long-term economic development, as well as major economic crises. Beyond a broad overview of the current state of the world economy, the objective is to understand how globalisation refers to the problem of international economic governance and to describe the institutions, actors and processes at work when it comes to cooperation challenges in order to solve economic public goods management problems such as trade dynamism, financial stability or monetary cooperation. The module puts a specific focus on the role of the EU as an economic actor on the global stage, with its opportunities and challenges driven by both European-specific evolutions and globalisation trends. Finally, the module proposes an introduction to global sustainable development issues (climate change, access to water, etc.), as they are among the most decisive challenges that will shape the future of the world economy.

• Professional Skills Workshops

This module equips the participants with professional skills and competencies that will enable them to work in the context of the European and international organisations: project cycle management, intercultural management, international mediation and negotiation, drafting of position papers and policy recommendations.

You can also have a look at our video to learn about the experience of our participants!

Graduates receive two certifications:

• The Master in Advanced European and International Studies - European Integration and Global Studies. This is the diploma of CIFE as a private institute of higher education, certifying the successful completion of the academic curriculum and granting 60 ECTS at Master level.
• The degree qualification "Policy Officer in European and International Organisations" (level 7 EQF), recognised by the French state.

Professional Fields of Recent CIFE Graduates

• International and EU Organisations
• Companies and Banks
• National Governments and Administration
• Research and Teaching
• Consultancy and Advocacy
• International Humanitarian Sector/NGOs
• International Media

A one-year programme + optional professional internship (3 to 6 months to be completed by 31 December)

• October to December: Berlin
• January to March: Nice
• March: Study Trip to Strasbourg, Luxembourg and Brussels
• April to June: Rome or Istanbul