BY VALENTINA CAVAL
Editor in Chief
Twelve ESU students will practice their handshakes, and eloquent discourse overseas in Enschede, the Netherlands, for four days this January as they prove their expertise in negotiating.
“You have to know how to compromise, and how far you’re willing to go,” said Eliasson. “You’re going to have to negotiate in most areas of life.”
The International European Union Simulation (Euroism) is a four-day exercise brought to ESU by Dr. Eliasson, Associate Professor of Political Science, and the American co-director of the Transatlantic Consortium for European Union Studies and Simulations (TACEUSS).
In this exercise students will have the opportunity to learn about European policy and laws, negotiate real problems and issues, write strategy papers, talk about tactics they will use to compromise with other “countries,”—represented by students from other universities—and have a sense of what it is like to be real policy makers. They have scheduled meetings from 9:00 AM to 6:30 PM each day.
“I’m really looking forward to this wonderful experience,” said ESU senior, Ryan Stevens. “The topic is an EU minimum income (or wage) and it will be extremely interesting to be able to travel to the Netherlands and get to interact and negotiate with people from so many different countries and cultures.”
Eurosim has been held since 1987. It is run by TACEUSS, a non-profit corporation of universities in both Europe and North America. It is comprised of 18 to 25 universities a year. Dr. Eliasson joined the consortium at Syracuse University in 2000, and brought it to ESU.
Last April ESU hosted the event, and had about 165 students in attendance from different universities. The event has also been held in Germany, Poland, Belgium, Czech Republic, in Europe and in Philadelphia, Buffalo, and Fredonia in the United States.
This year, students are responsible for 75 percent of the cost. But there have been instances where through grants, 80 percent was covered, and students were only responsible for 20 percent of the cost.
“I insist on them paying something because they have to have some invested themselves,” said Eliasson.
Eliasson made sure ESU would allow him to set up a European Studies program when he decided to accept the position in 2005.
“When I was on the job market I was extremely fortunate because I had 13 job interviews across the country,” said Eliasson “In each place I just said that one of the two things I had to have wherever I go is the ability to set up a European Studies Program.” ESU was one of two places that granted his request.
He has led 72 students to six European Union simulations in his time at ESU, and took 25 students to four regional, and national model EU simulations.
In the future, Eliasson plans to use Eurosim and teach it as a permanent course once a year. He hopes that will draw more students to participate.
The event is not intended solely for Political Science majors.
Katherine Heath, Athea Ross, Ryan Stevens, Kacie Chern, Amy Majani, Frederick Ackerman, Katherine Thomas, Brian Polito, Leah Majdic, Ryan O’Leary, and Zachary Niles are the twelve ESU students participating this year. Their majors vary among political science, business management, economics, biochemistry, and biology.
“I am nervous and excited at the same time, particularly because I know that we have an excellent group of students traveling this year and I look forward to working with them to prepare while we are here at ESU and then again once we get to Enschede,” said Stevens.
Email Valentina at:
vc7521@live.esu.edu