The more than 90 EMGS first year students from all over the world gathered in the Flemish town Lokeren from 30^th November to December 4^th for the annual winter school of the European Master Global Studies programme that was organized under the topic “global challenges”. On the first day of the winter school Professor Christi van der Westhuizen (Nelson Mandela University, South Africa) gave a keynote entitled: “Invisible no more: Disturbed Whiteness and its Global Discontents”. In the afternoon students presented their current study place allowing their fellows to get insights into their experiences and getting to know their fellows at the different EMGS universities. The next day was dedicated to workshops on key concepts in global studies with a special focus on global challenges. One of the highlights of the winter school was an excursion to Antwerp and a visit to the port of Antwerp, where all participants have been introduced to global challenges this port but also the shipping industry more broadly is facing. Also alumni, have taken up the topic of global challenges by presenting  in a roundtable some of the challenges they face in their current jobs. During the visit of the Red Star Line Museum of Antwerp, challenges related to European migration to the Americas in the 20^th could be discovered based on stories of passengers.

The programme of the winter school can be accessed here.