About the author:
Catarina Abreu de Pinho, a PhD student in Political Science and International Relations: Security and Defence at Europaeum member university, Universidade Católica Portuguesa (UCP) shares glimpses of taking part in the Europaeum Spring School in Oxford (13-15 April 2026).
Catarina travelled from Lisbon to Oxford where she joined a group of 35 other graduate students from Europaeum member universities who came to present about and discuss a variety of transatlantic relations’ topics.
This is what Catarina had to say about her participation in the Spring School:
“Three days in Oxford that I will not easily forget. The sessions were thought-provoking — from keynote reflections on the unravelling of the post-war order to student panels on security, digital governance, and diplomacy — but what stayed with me most was an evening walk through the city after the second day’s sessions. It was my first time in Oxford, and I fell in love with it completely — the streets, the light, the quiet sense that ideas have been wandering these same places for centuries. Engaging with such thoughtful people from across Europe was a reminder of why these conversations matter, especially at a moment when the transatlantic relationship is being tested and redefined. Thank you to The Europaeum for bringing us together — and for creating the kind of space where both ideas and friendships can take root”.
