The “Brussels 360” Executive Course aims to provide participants with a deeper and more critical understanding of Europe’s role in a world in flux. The onset of Sino-American strategic competition and Russia’s war in Ukraine are having profound effects on Europe’s security architecture and Europe’s global role. The core aim of this 3-day Executive Course is to provide participants with a deeper understanding of these changes by engaging, exchanging and learning from leading academics and policymakers in the field.

The Executive Course is organised around three individual modules that are organised over a period of 3 days in Brussels:

1) Geopolitics and Great Power Rivalry

2) Defence, Investment and Innovation

3) Technology and Economic Statecraft

Each module is built around preparatory pre-recorded lectures and readings, a series of lectures and panel discussions. All lectures and discussions will be held at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels. The Executive Course is convened by the Centre for Security, Diplomacy and Strategy (CSDS), which is a research hub at the VUB. CSDS seeks to contribute to a better understanding of the key contemporary security and diplomatic challenges of the 21st century – and their impact on Europe – while reaching out to the policy community that will ultimately need to handle such challenges.

Course overview

3 days: the Executive Course is organised over 3 days of (online and in-person) lectures, policy panels and networking opportunities.

16 hours: to fully prepare for the course, participants are expected to dedicate 16 hours to readings and pre-recorded lectures.

Fees: The full course fee is €2,800 (deadline 21 May 2027), but an early bird fee of €2,500 is available until 14 May 2027. A non-refundable €100 registration fee also applies. For details on bespoke institutional arrangements, contact CSDS.

Course aims

To provide participants with a contemporary understanding of the geopolitical shifts that are affecting European security and Europe’s role in the world.

To provide participants with a better empirical understanding of the key trends in European security, defence, trade and technology policy.

To provide participants with opportunities to engage and network with leading policymakers and experts in the Brussels ecosystem.

To afford participants the opportunity to enhance their policy analysis and communication skills through the production of a policy memo and in-class participation.

Dates

Brussels 360 takes place from 2-4 June 2027.

The early bird fee applies until 14 May 2027.

Registrations are available until 21 May 2027.

Entry requirements

Have a Master’s degree and 2 years’ worth of relevant experience or a Bachelor’s degree and 5 years’ worth of relevant experience. A good command of the English language is required, as the course is taught exclusively in English.

Course Material

Course Flyer

Course Overview

Apply

To apply for the 2027 edition of Brussels 360, register here.

If you are interested in special packages or more information, please kindly contact (office_csds (@) vub.be).

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CODE examines technological competition between China, the United States (US) and Europe in three key sectors for contemporary economics and geopolitics: semiconductors, cloud computing and space. Theoretically, the project aims to integrate analytical tools from international relations, political economy and management and innovation to provide a comprehensive theory to explain the dynamics of competition for access to and control of critical technologies. Methodologically, the project aims to use qualitative and quantitative tools to measure technological competition, as well as markets and patent databases, which will then be analysed using network analysis and machine learning tools. Empirically, the project will focus on three of the most important sectors where technological competition is currently taking place: semiconductors, cloud computing and space technology.

CODE aims to build a multidisciplinary research group, ideally including researchers with quantitative and qualitative skills who are interested in technological and geopolitical competition. The project will zoom in on the following themes:

• technological competition between China, the US and Europe and its geopolitical implications;
• geoeconomics, European strategic autonomy and technological sovereignty;
• China’s industrial and innovation policy;
• the return of industrial policy in the US and Europe;
• the role of digital technologies, big data and artificial intelligence in international politics;
• the role of public and private actors in space policy in China, the US and Europe;
• state-business relations and economic statecraft; and
• the role of commercial technologies and the private sector in the field of security and defence.

For more information on the project, click here.

Funded by the European Union.

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