Our Students at the European Parliament

In Strassbourg, France, students from the University of Gdańsk’s Department of Journalism and Social Communication saw  the European Parliament in action. They saw members and journalists at work, carried out their first serious interviews, took part in a European press briefing and visited all the places of importance for future newcomers to the job.

The UG students’ stay in the EU Parliament was part of their practical training. It was the summing up and applicationof the skills acquired in the classes run at the Journalism and Social Communication department by Dr Tadeusz Sznajderski on the subject of the press services of EU institutions.

The students witnessed plenary sittings and discussions during sessionsalso attended by Polish Euro MPs, including Jerzy Buzek, Janusz Lewandowski, Dariusz Rosati, Tomasz Poręba and Adam Gierek.

However, the students activities were primarily focused on journalistic work. They learnt about the conditions under which accredited press, radio and television journalists operate. In the EU Parliament’s radio studio they held interviews with Dariusz Rosati, Bogusław Liberadzki and Janusz Korwin-Mikke. They also saw how sound and archive photo material is constantly employed by the Euro Parliament press, radio and TV services aimed at Poland and they took part in a press briefing with rapporteurs who present legislative proposal projects at parliamentary sessions. Thanks to the European Parliament’s press attaché Piotr Wolski, they learnt about the functioning of the various offices which prepare material for Euro MPs.

It is also worth adding that students from Journalism and Social Communication also gain practical experience of how the Polish parliament works and take annualstudy tripsto the Sejm, initiated by Dr Konrad Knoch, where they learn the secrets of those journalists who cover the proceedings.

Text: Dr Beata Czechowska-Derkacz, University of Gdańsk spokesperson.

Translation: Magda Moran and Sean Moran