Theory & practice: From IMC Krems to the EU Parliament

A long-cherished dream

Leonard Hofmann reveals that his internship at the European Parliament was the fulfilment of a long-cherished dream. ‘Since the beginning of my master degree in International Business and Economic Diplomacy, my goal has been to gain practical experience at the centre of European democracy and to supplement my academic knowledge with insights into the workings of the European Parliament.’

He was able to take this important step for his professional future through the internship at the office of MEP (Member of the European Parliament) Lukas Mandl. ‘The internship offered me the unique opportunity to experience EU politics from the inside and to participate in the daily work of an experienced Austrian MEP,’ says Hofmann enthusiastically.

Exciting range of tasks

‘During my internship, I was involved in a variety of tasks, from preparing background material for committee meetings and drafting briefings to answering citizens' enquiries, supporting communication measures and monitoring important political developments,’ says Hofmann, emphasising that he was able to gain a wide range of work experience.

One of the highlights for him was attending political group and committee meetings, where he was able to experience first-hand how complex and dynamic the legislative process in the EU really is. According to Hofmann, it was particularly fascinating to observe how politics is negotiated, organised and communicated at the highest level.

Study and practice go hand in hand

‘The internship was an ideal complement to my master degree programme,’ he is convinced. In courses such as ‘International Institutions’ and ‘Interest Groups and Interest Representation’, he acquired a solid theoretical basis for EU governance and EU policy-making in advance. According to our master student, this academic background was invaluable during his time in Brussels and helped him to quickly adapt to the parliamentary environment and make a meaningful contribution to the team.

Hofmann did not lose sight of his master thesis either, as he also took the opportunity to combine theory and practice and continued to work on his research project. As part of his qualitative research, he conducted 14 interviews with Members of the European Parliament. ‘These interviews not only enriched my work but also gave me personal insights into the challenges and realities of political work at European level,’ says Hofmann.

Career goal: International Relations & Diplomacy

‘Overall, my time in Brussels was an incredibly rewarding and formative experience - professionally, academically and personally,’ summarises Leonard Hofmann with satisfaction. He was able to deepen his knowledge, acquire new skills, expand his international network and states: ‘Above all, this experience not only strengthened my passion for European affairs and my ambition to pursue a career in international relations and diplomacy, but also confirmed that choosing the master degree programme in International Business and Economic Diplomacy at IMC Krems was absolutely the right decision for me.’

International Business and Economic Diplomacy