A three-day course to understand shifts reshaping the world and the EU - and develop skills and methods for strategic foresight and political analysis.

19-21 October 2026 / Bruges, Belgium

About the course

The European Union (EU) is increasingly confronted with complex and volatile shifts in the global order. Multilayered geopolitical risks - and opportunities - have become the “new normal,” with lasting implications for the EU, its Member States, its industries, and its citizens. Geopolitical tensions - particularly in the context of the growing rivalry between the United States and China - are here to stay. As a result, these issues will remain high on both national and European agendas, continuing to shape the political, economic, and social landscape across the continent.

This three-day programme is designed to help participants navigate the complex and rapidly evolving geopolitical environment, characterized by power transitions, multipolarity, and systemic risks. It heavily focuses on building skills and capacity of participants to manage uncertainty by developing strategic anticipation and thinking skills. Finally, it guides participants in reporting and briefing on the identified risks and opportunities relevant to their own organisations.

The course combines different learning approaches, on both substance and skills:

• Interactive training sessions examining theoretical and practical aspects of geopolitics, foresight, strategic thinking, political analysis and reporting.
• Insights from practitioners on the EU’s approach to dealing with geopolitical tensions and shifts.
• Best practices as well as dos and don’ts to develop leadership skills.
• A practical foresight scenario building exercise for which participants will reflect together and put into practice the theoretical knowledge acquired during the sessions.
• A strategic reporting and briefing workshop designed to develop essential practical skills to translate take-aways into participants’ own contexts.
• Individual and collective feedback giving participants the opportunity to maximise their personal learning experience.