Englisch

This is an English summary of my website. For more detailed information, particularly on references and examples of previous work, please contact me.

About me

Many people talk about Brexit and the new relationship between the EU and the UK, but often at cross purposes.

The UK’s EU referendum decision was a shock to the European system and its people. Following on from years of decline in EU-UK relations, it has led to:

  • An increased appetite for information, discussion and cooperation
  • More questions on how to convey EU topics and about the future of the EU, after Brexit becoming a reality on 31st January 2020 and the transition period ending on 31st December 2020

As a German and a European with longstanding and wide-ranging experience in the UK and Germany, I can offer:

  • Clear communication of European topics, taking UK and German viewpoints into account
  • Methods, organisation and management that are appropriate for your needs
  • Knowledge, authentic personal experience and a feel for cultural differences
  • Academic, business, political, educational and voluntary experience

Particularly in European and international issues, both knowledge and intuition are needed. Qualification and subject knowledge are necessary, but are not enough in presenting issues in a lively, understandable and authentic way, to different audiences at a local level. Doing so is my guiding principle. I am:

  • A self-employed consultant and lecturer
  • Member of the European Commission’s speaker programme ‘Team Europe’
  • Project developer and manager
  • Author

Experience

I have wide-ranging experience to offer, in:

  • International research and teaching, including 16 years in the UK (Universities of Durham, Leeds, Exeter, Open University and accreditation through the former Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education)
  • Educational and cultural work (German Academic Exchange Service DAAD, Speaker Programme of the German Embassy London including discussion of economic, political and cultural issues relating to Germany and the EU)
  • Business (including deputy head of the Language Services of Deutsche Post AG)
  • Diverse EU projects (education and culture)
  • Politics (developing and leading a working group on European politics, spokesperson on European affairs with political committee work, as well as developing and editing a book on European politics)

Studying humanities and gaining my PhD at Aachen (including a German Academic Exchange Service research scholarship at the University of Oxford) gave me the academic tools for clear presentation, as well as methodically approaching and discussing topics, along with the ability to quickly familiarise myself with new subject areas.

To supplement my existing knowledge, practical experience and EU expertise, I have taken several further courses, including:

  • Management certificates at the University of Bradford and Leeds College of Technology
  • European Institute of Public Administration (Maastricht, NL)
  • European Commission (Brussels, representations in Berlin and Bonn)
  • National contact points for EU funding programmes
  • Academic and European political seminars in Brussels

The European motto, ‘united in diversity’, along with my passion for relatable communication of European topics, form a thread throughout my career.

Passion and participation

Beyond the experience throughout my career, I engage in European, UK and international issues in a personal and voluntary capacity, too. This includes the federalist organisation Europa-Union Germany (EUD), particularly at the local level, and recently also as the initiator of an ‘UK-EUD lifeline‘ for contact, exchange and cooperation with pro-European groups in the UK. It also includes involvement with the German-British Society Bonn, the German Academic Exchange Service alumni organisation and the International Working Group of the European Commission’s Team Europe.

Due to living and working in the UK for many years, and having German-British children, the EU referendum result also had a strong personal impact.

Topics

Choose your personal combination of the topics most appropriate for your event.

  • EU-UK, e.g. the role of the UK in the EU, EU-UK relationship, Brexit and the consequences
  • EU fundamental topics (institutions, European integration, building of the EU, facts and figures)
  • The future of Europe
  • Migration and refugee policy
  • Economic and monetary union
  • Single market
  • Europe as a global player
  • Citizens’ Europe
  • Fundamental rights
  • Education and culture
  • Intercultural learning
  • Communicating European affairs
  • EU populism and EU myths

Services

I offer different formats within which to apply my expertise, through participation, developing and organisation, particularly using interactive formats. For example:

  • Online formats
  • Expert talks
  • Moderation and presentation
  • Discussions
  • Workshops
  • World Café
  • Scenarios
  • Roleplays
  • Project development and management
  • Written articles

Please get in touch regarding your requirements and my prices.

Target audiences

Due to my broad work experience and methodological expertise, I have several target audiences and am happy to adjust to your requirements. These include:

  • Expert audiences
  • Multipliers
  • Business-internal training
  • EU institutions
  • Educational and cultural institutions
  • German-British organisations
  • Voluntary organisations
  • General public with differing expertise