European Geography Association for students and young geographers

In 1988 geography students from Warsaw, Utrecht and Barcelona thought that it would be nice if there were something like an European convention of geography students from all over Europe. They got to work and one year later the first Annual Congress of The European Geography Association for students and young geographers took place.

A lot has happened since those first days of EGEA. Since the very beginning, EGEA grew into an organisation in which more than 100 groups of geography students or young graduates (entities) from approximately 25 European countries are participating. Likewise, EGEA today has a lot of different activities in order to achieve its main aim, which is to encourage and stimulate the exchange of geographical knowledge and information between students and young geographers of different nationalities. These activities are:

The Annual European Congress
For most of the EGEA activists the annual congress, which usually takes place in October, is still the main event of the EGEA year. During a five days convention about 100 students and young geographers get together and join different thematic workshop in order to discuss their ideas and exchange their experiences on certain geographical topics. At least one excursion is organised to make sure that the congress participants get an impression of the host country of the congress. The evening is reserved for cultural events and informal get-togethers.

The places and the organising entities of the congresses have been:
1989 Warsaw
1990 Prague
1991 Budapest
1992 Heemskerk (EGEA-Amsterdam)
1993 Barcelona
1994 Vosu (EGEA-Tartu)
1995 Zierenberg (EGEA-Marburg, EGEA-Gottingen, EGEA-Frankfurt a/m &
EGEA-Hamburg) 1996 Vilarinho das Furnas (EGEA-Porto)
1997 Poiana Brasov (EGEA-Bucharest)
1998 Lammi (EGEA-Oulu)
1999 Nunspeet (EGEA-Utrecht)
2000 Bohinj (EGEA-Ljubljana)
2001 Duzsniki Zdroj (EGEA-Wroclaw).
2002 Dijon, France (EGEA-Dijon).
2003 Krakow, Poland (EGEA-Warsaw).

Regional Congress
As Europe is big it is hard to keep contact all over the year with all entities. Therefore, EGEA has been divided into four regions, namely the Baltic Sea & Northern Countries, the Eastern Region, The Western Region and the Mediterranean Region. The entities of the regions try to keep up contact throughout the year. One means of achieving this are Regional Congresses. In contrast to the Annual European Congress, they are usually focused on one geographical theme, illuminating physical geographical as well as human geographical aspects.

The EGEA Newsletter
The Newsletter is an essential part of EGEA, because it contains all up-to-date information about EGEA and its activities. It is published every three month and it is distributed across all Europe. The Newsletter contains reports, announcements and experiences of activities organised by EGEA, like articles about congresses, student exchanges and scientific commissions. The EGEA Newsletter is also published in Internet.

Student Exchanges
EGEA exchanges are probably the most successful and most occurring of all EGEA activities!
Exchanges are organised relatively cheap and simple. Two entities visit each other, the host entity being responsible for the programme. During the programme, which usually takes a week, faculties of geography in the guest city are visited, geographical excursions are organised, the city and surroundings are informally introduced and parties take place, which introduce you to the other geography students. Travelling expenses are paid for personally, but the hosting group takes care of the food, stay and programme.

Guiding Foreign Students
EGEA can organise some activities for students who participate in the Socrates program at your own university. The activities are meant to help the foreign students to get to know the university, the city and its inhabitants. It is possible to introduce the students by organising activities like excursions, seminars and parties.

EGEA VOCABULARY

Here is a small EGEA vocabulary for first timers and other people not so familiar with the gang-slang of EGEA!

EGEA-�European Geography Association for students and young geographers�.

EGEA-St. Petersburg-Social organization �St.-Petersburg geographical association for students and young geographers�, official member of EGEA since 1996.

Entity-Basically a group of people from one university or institute, usually these people have contact with each other in everyday life. A single person may also for or represent an entity. No universal definitions!

Regional congress-Meeting where things concerning the region are discussed and activities are planned. On this congress you are supposed to choose one workshop and stick to it, participate actively, learn, teach and enjoy too.

Dinosaurs- People who have been participating in EGEA activities for a long time-or a long time ago.

Workshop-WS, a group that aims at having scientific exchange of ideas and knowledge, free to use a range of methods. On this congress you are supposed to choose one workshop and stick to it, participate actively, learn, teach and enjoy too.

BoE- Board of Executives of EGEA

More information from EGEA: http://egea.geog.uu.nl/

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