College of Europe Alumni Association

A few weeks ago, the College of Europe Alumni Association had the pleasure of welcoming Linda Robinson for an Alumni Lunch discussion on 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿: 𝗙𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗺, held on the occasion of the publication of her latest book.

🌍 At a time of growing geopolitical uncertainty, democratic backsliding and profound changes in the international order, the discussion explored how women’s leadership contributes to strengthening democratic resilience, shaping foreign policy and responding to today’s complex global challenges.

💬 Moderated by Isabelle Montoya, Member of the Board of the Alumni Association, the conversation reflected on the evolving role of women in positions of leadership, the importance of inclusive decision-making, and the responsibility of democratic institutions to safeguard freedom and the rule of law.

𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗱:
🔷 the role of women leaders in defending democratic values and institutions;
🔷 the contribution of women’s perspectives to foreign and security policy;
🔷 the challenges and opportunities for increasing women’s participation in decision-making;
🔷 the importance of inclusive leadership in building more resilient and democratic societies.

🎯 Through initiatives such as the Alumni Lunch Series, the College of Europe Alumni Association seeks to strengthen the links between academia, policymaking and professional practice by creating opportunities for meaningful dialogue between alumni and leading European and international figures. These exchanges reflect our commitment to fostering an engaged, informed and connected alumni community capable of contributing to the major debates shaping Europe’s future.

A sincere thank you to Linda Robinson for sharing her valuable insights and to all participants for their active engagement. We also warmly congratulate her on the publication of her new book and wish her every success.

College of Europe in Bruges College of Europe in Natolin Teona Lavrelashvili

We are delighted to announce a new strategic partnership between the College of Europe Alumni Association - Association des anciens élèves du Collège d'Europe and the Cercle Francophone des Affaires Européennes (CFAE) 🤝.

Our organisations share a common ambition: to 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿, 𝗳𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘂𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 on European affairs.

This partnership will strengthen the links between the College of Europe’s global alumni network and the vibrant French-speaking community of professionals working across the European institutions, public administration, diplomacy, academia, civil society, and the private sector.

For our alumni, it means new opportunities to expand professional networks, engage in high-level policy discussions, participate in joint events, and connect with a broader community of experts and practitioners shaping Europe’s future 💡.

For both organisations, it is an opportunity to build new bridges across Europe’s policy ecosystem, encourage multilingual dialogue, and strengthen cooperation between communities committed to the European project.

We look forward to developing joint initiatives, fostering new conversations, and creating lasting value for our members.

𝘈 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘭𝘦 𝘍𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘈𝘧𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘌𝘶𝘳𝘰𝘱é𝘦𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘢𝘴𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱. 𝘞𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥! 🚀

College of Europe in Bruges College of Europe in Natolin Teona Lavrelashvili

The College of Europe Alumni Association is delighted to announce that Teona Lavrelashvili has been re-elected 𝐚𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 for a second mandate, following the General Assembly held on 𝟐𝟓 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔.

The General Assembly brought together alumni from across our global community to reflect on the Association’s achievements over the past year and discuss the priorities that will guide our work in the years ahead.

This year’s elections generated the highest level of interest in recent years, with several candidates standing for the Presidency and five candidates contesting the two available Board seats. This strong engagement reflects the growing dynamism of our Association and the commitment of alumni to shaping its future.

Alongside the election of the President, members also elected two Board members:
Gabriel Papeians
Ovidiu-Ioan Rațiu

📸 𝑀𝑒𝑒𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑢𝑙𝑙 𝐵𝑜𝑎𝑟𝑑 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑤!

We warmly congratulate our newly elected leadership and thank all candidates for their willingness to serve the Association.

Over the past three years, the Alumni Association has continued to grow, expanding its international network, launching new flagship initiatives, strengthening partnerships and creating new opportunities for our community of more than 𝟏𝟗,𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐦𝐧𝐢 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝𝐰𝐢𝐝𝐞.

We also extend our sincere thanks to all members who participated in the General Assembly. Your engagement is essential to the continued success of our Association.

Together, we look forward to building on these achievements, further strengthening the relationship between the Alumni Association and the College of Europe, and continuing to serve and connect our global alumni community.

🇪🇺 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧!

College of Europe in Bruges College of Europe in Natolin

🎓 This week marks the Closing Ceremonies of the 𝗩𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗮 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱–𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 across the three campuses of the College of Europe - Bruges, Natolin, and Tirana.

It marks the end of an extraordinary chapter and the beginning of an exciting new journey for this year’s graduates. 🌍✨

Last Friday, 19 June, we celebrated this important milestone in Bruges, where the Acting Rector, Prof. Ewa Ośniecka-Tamecka, welcomed distinguished guests, including the Mayor of Bruges, Dirk De fauw, and the President of the College of Europe Alumni Association, Dr Teona Lavrelashvili.

Addressing the graduates, our President welcomed them into the global College of Europe Alumni community and congratulated them on joining a network that spans generations, institutions, and continents.

In her speech, she reminded graduates:
“Being an alumna or alumnus of the College of Europe is not simply a line on a CV. It is both a privilege and a responsibility: the privilege of belonging to a remarkable European community, and the responsibility to remain engaged, stay curious, uphold democratic values, and continue contributing to Europe’s future.

It is also a vocation - a commitment to serve, to build bridges, to resist indifference, and to help make Europe more understandable, more accessible, and closer to its citizens.”

To all graduates of the 𝗩𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗮 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱–𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲: as you begin this next chapter, may you carry with you not only the knowledge and friendships gained at the College, but also the courage to question, the openness to listen, and the determination to build bridges in a world that needs them more than ever.

Congratulations to the 𝗩𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗮 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱–𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲! 🎉

Welcome to the College of Europe Alumni Association — your lifelong community. We look forward to accompanying you every step of the way. 🤝

🎥 You can watch the full speech of our President here (starting at 1:49:00): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3kmF2q5pok

College of Europe in Bruges College of Europe in Natolin

As the European Council addresses competitiveness on 18–19 June, we are reminded of a recent session from our College of Europe Alumni Lunch Series. A few months ago, we had the privilege of discussing these same challenges with Mr Michael Hager, Head of Cabinet to Commissioner Dombrovskis.

🎯 Mr Hager provided a forward-looking overview of the EU’s economic agenda - boosting competitiveness, accelerating digitalisation and green transformation, and fostering inclusive growth. He emphasized the critical role of coordination among EU institutions, Member States, and stakeholders.

💬 Moderated by our President Teona Lavrelashvili, PhD, we explored how the EU can reinforce economic governance, foster investment, and balance innovation with social cohesion.

✨ Alumni and guests enriched the debate with dynamic perspectives, making for an engaging exchange.

The conversation continued over a seated lunch at the University Foundation, fostering off-the-record reflections and meaningful networking - we are very glad that our alumni are directly involved in shaping the EU competitiveness agenda.

College of Europe in Bruges College of Europe in Natolin

On Tuesday, 9 June, the College of Europe Alumni Association hosted its 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵-𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 in Brussels, designed as a regular forum on Europe’s key strategic debates.

🌍 At a time of global fragmentation, shifting geopolitical alliances, trade tensions, and accelerating AI, the evening focused on 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲, 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻 𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱.

🤝The discussion opened with welcoming remarks by Dr Teona Lavrelashvili, President of the Association, who highlighted recent achievements and the Association’s growing role as a platform connecting alumni and fostering structured dialogue on Europe’s future and strategic challenges.

The Association was honoured to welcome Herman Van Rompuy, first President of the European Council and former Prime Minister of Belgium, whose keynote anchored the discussion in today’s geopolitical reality. He reflected on Europe’s place in a fragmented global order, where competitiveness is increasingly intertwined with China’s rise, artificial intelligence, energy security, and defence. His message was clear: Europe needs to be more innovative, more competitive, and more strategically autonomous — while remembering that its real strength lies in its capacity to act collectively ⚖️.

🏛️The conversation continued with Pietro Ducci, Director-General for External Policies of the European Parliament, who focused on the role of the European Parliament in strengthening the EU’s external action. He underlined the importance of coherence and coordination if Europe is to speak with a strong and credible voice in a world marked by geopolitical competition and rapid technological transformation.

The evening also welcomed João Gomes Cravinho, Incoming Rector of the College of Europe. This reception marked his first public appearance within the College of Europe community — a 𝘴𝘺𝘮𝘣𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘤 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 for the Association and its alumni network. He spoke warmly about the honour of taking on this role and the strong sense of attachment he has already encountered within the College community 🎓. His reflection on College alumni as “critical raw materials” for the next generation of European integration underlined the importance of this network as a source of expertise, commitment and shared understanding of Europe’s future.

🥂The evening concluded with a reception fostering informal exchanges, reconnections, and dialogue in a convivial setting.
This first edition confirmed that the College of Europe alumni community remains both 𝗩𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁 — a network that continues to connect generations, shape dialogue, and contribute to Europe’s future far beyond the years spent at the College ✨.

College of Europe in Bruges College of Europe in Natolin

The College of Europe Alumni Association - Association des anciens élèves du Collège d'Europe is proud to announce the signature of a 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 with the UK Mission to the European Union.

The partnership agreement was signed by TeTeona Lavrelashvili𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘌𝘶𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘈𝘭𝘶𝘮𝘯𝘪 𝘈𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 & 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐎’𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐧, , Senior Representative of the UK Mission to the European Union.

This partnership has a special meaning. The College of Europe and 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐝𝐨𝐦 share a deep and unique history, from Winston Churchill’s role in the founding vision of the College to the many British figures who have contributed to Europe’s institutional and intellectual development.

Built around three pillars - 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭, 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐞- the partnership will strengthen people-to-people connections, support policy dialogue, and bring together communities across different career stages and institutions.

We have already enjoyed working together on several initiatives in recent years, and this agreement feels like a natural next step.

At a time when EU–UK relations are entering a renewed phase of dialogue and cooperation, we look forward to contributing - to 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘨𝘦𝘴, 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘳.

Thank you to the UK Mission to the European Union for this excellent celebratory moment.

We look forward to building this partnership and convening communities that 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫.

The Alumni Association is not only about conferences, policy discussions, and professional exchanges, it’s also about keeping the esprit du Collège alive in all its forms 🎸🥁🎤

Sometimes that means high-level debates and insightful conversations, and sometimes it means coming together more informally, to reconnect, unwind, and simply enjoy being part of the same community.

This evening was exactly that: alumni, friends, and new faces gathering for a night full of music, energy, and great company ✨ A reminder that our network thrives just as much in joyful, informal moments as it does in more formal settings.

A huge thank you to The Bowtie Collective, the College’s student band, for an amazing set featuring original songs and well-loved covers 🎶 Their performance truly lit up the room.

Thank you to everyone who joined, sang along, and made the night memorable.

We’re already looking forward to the next one! 🎉

College of Europe College of Europe in Natolin Teona Lavrelashvili

The College of Europe Alumni Association warmly welcomes the appointment of João Gomes Cravinho as the next Rector of the College of Europe.

Representing a global network of more than 18,000 graduates from Bruges, Natolin, and Tirana, the Alumni Association looks forward to this new chapter and to further strengthening its structured collaboration with the College.

Teona Lavrelashvili, President of the Alumni Association, stated:

“I extend my sincere congratulations to João Gomes Cravinho on his appointment as Rector of the College of Europe. At a time when Europe is called upon to reassess its role, reinforce its unity, and prepare the next generation of European leaders, the College’s mission is more vital than ever.

I look forward to working closely with him to further deepen and formalise the relationship between the College and its alumni community.”