An international symposium on European integration was held recently at St Mary’s University College Belfast. The event focused on the theme of transnational integration and had the title “Moving Borders: European Integration and Intercultural Education”.

The two-day symposium was organized by the International Office of St Mary’s and explored the nature of the relationship between the countries of the continent and the north of Ireland. It was primarily a discourse on Europeanization, very timely with the Brexit referendum pending, but also included key speeches by a range of academics and public figures on issues pertinent to the debate over “ever closer union”.

In addition, international students from seven different European countries delivered presentations on areas of interest to them, focusing on social, cultural, historical and cultural similarities and differences. The symposium finished with awards to the students and a traditional Eurovision song contest organized by the Students’ Union.


Key speeches were given by academics Anna Rewiś-Łętkowska and Ewa Rusek from Państwowa Wyższa Szkoła Zawodowa (PWSZ), Krosno; Bianor Valente and Carlos Luz from the Escola Superior de Educação de Lisboa; and Gerard McCann from St Mary’s. Also presenting were Orla Divine, Manager of the Northern Ireland Global Learning Programme and Professor Peter Finn, Principal of St Mary’s. The Erasmus and international students of St Mary’s College were in attendance throughout the proceedings.