With dreams of being "President of the Republic or Prime Minister", IEP students start the new school year

Wanting "to understand the world, international conflicts and how relations between sovereignties are managed", the new students of the Institute for Political Studies (IEP) begin an important stage in their student lives. The first days on the Lisbon campus are, as they say, "the realisation of a dream, where everything is different and exciting." They chose to study at Católica for "the prestige of the University and the quality of the professors", whom they are now getting to know.

Diogo Santos is 18 and "wanted a undergraduate degree in a course that was geared towards politics. He has always liked Economics and History, and so he says that "it was not difficult to choose the Political Science and International Relations degree at IEP."

For the student, the choice of the Universidade Católica was also "natural, because the UCP shares the same values" as the college he attended, "but also because several family members took their degree at Católica."

"Everything lined up for me to choose this University," says the student, adding that he got to "know Católica more in depth at Futurália and at the Open Day." "It was my first option and I don't regret it," guarantees the student, recalling that "the options for the future are open" and may even become "President of the Republic or Prime Minister."

Beatriz Oliveira is 19 years old and chose the undergraduate degree in Political Science and International Relations because "she wanted to better understand the relationship between countries, how the world works and how major international conflicts arise."

The student says she is "very excited about the beginning of the academic year because it is the time to get to know the campus, the colleagues and the professors." Professors whom she mentions, "I only knew by name and from seeing on television commenting on the news." It is these lecturers, whom she admires so much, who will transmit her the knowledge that will allow her to fulfil her dream: "I would like to be an international journalist or work in the European Parliament", confesses the student.

But if, for these students, the first days are for getting to know the campus and the teachers, for the international students of the IEP, it is also a time of adaptation to a new country.

Gregoire Tiggnéres and Adéle Rosner are Erasmus+ students attending the 3rd year of the Political Science and International Relations Bachelor degree. They are both French and confess their "enthusiasm with the city of Lisbon and with the welcoming way they were received at Católica".

Despite not being able to speak Portuguese, Gregoire confesses that he has always had the "desire to get to know Portugal, because of the country's beauty and quality of life". He still doesn't know what he will do at the end of his degree, but he is "looking forward to what he will learn at IEP during the coming months."

Adéle has not yet had much time to get to know "everything that the city of Lisbon has to offer to those arriving for the first time", but confesses to being "very excited about this University exchange experience."

"Amazing" is the word the young student uses to describe the "colourful and fun atmosphere" at Católica's Lisbon campus at the start of another academic year.