"This year, I had the honour of participating in the two-week summer school organized by the European Investment Bank (EIB), along with over 80 fellow students from 24 European universities. I travelled to Luxembourg with two peers from the University of Szeged, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration. Our long-distance journey was tough at first, but by the time we arrived in Luxembourg, our small group of three had become a supportive team to each other, not to mention the friendship we developed during our travels.

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We spent one week online and one week in person with the bank's finest experts and leaders, from whom we heard excellent lectures. They provided us with the best of their knowledge, and I believe these presentations inspired many of us. What we learned in the lectures, we immediately applied in practice by solving case studies, which supported our learning process. This year's cohort came from diverse study backgrounds: besides economists, lawyers, engineers, and political scientists were also selected to participate in the program. Due to these diverse educational backgrounds, we could choose from four seminar tracks: Financial Products, Policy and Governance, Development, and Projects. Each track was designed to cater to the interests of different study programs, ensuring that everyone could learn about the aspects of the EIB that best fit their interests.

We gained insights into the operations and strategic goals of the EIB towards achieving a more sustainable future. Additionally, I had the opportunity to visit the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) and see the EIB Arts Collection. We also had the chance to explore the city; we took long walks through downtown Luxembourg and visited the old town.

I met so many wonderful people and had so many experiences that it is impossible to describe them all here. Throughout the week, we made many new friends and shared countless laughs. Thanks to a few of our peers, several funny memes were created during the week, which further enhanced the good atmosphere.

We also had the opportunity to meet Madam President, Nadia Calviño, and Shiva Dustdar, the head and director of the EIB Institute, two exceptional female leaders who set a wonderful example for thousands of women. During the program, I got to know many valuable peers, with whom I became good friends by the end of the week.

We concluded the week with an amazing farewell dinner at Chateau de Bourglinster, a historic castle, where we cherished our memories from the last week we spent together and enjoyed our final moments together before we all departed for our home countries.

I am grateful to the organizers of the program in Luxembourg: Silja Bellinger, Ana Maria Stanescu, and Anna Canato, PhD, whose hard work made this year's program run smoothly and allowed us all to return home with lifelong memories and valuable knowledge. Last but not least, I would like to thank the wonderful trainees whose helpful work, friendship, and support added even more color to the program. I am also thankful to our professors at the University of Szeged who enabled me to pass my final exam while simultaneously attending the online classes. Without their support, my participation would have been unimaginable. Special thanks to Professor Beata Udvari, Yaw Timothy Achaempong, Gabriella Tabajdi, and Luca Csák for their persistent efforts, which made it possible for the three of us to represent our faculty.

Being selected proved that taking risks is worthwhile and that nothing is impossible. Last week was eventful and truly intense; our team never had a dull moment. I encourage everyone to apply next time, as participating in such a program is a unique opportunity. The many experiences, the knowledge gained, and the new friendships and moments spent together are priceless."

Written by Csilla Nikolett Máthé