Josip Juric

Croatia

EGEI 2013 – 2014

Albert Einstein famously said that education was what remained after one had forgotten what one had learned at school. Today, a couple of years after the program, I have arguably forgotten most of the economic models and econometric formulas. However, that does not mean that the valuable lessons of the Erasmus Mundus Masters Course EGEI have not been a defining factor of my life and career ever since the end of the program.

EGEI taught me how to be addicted to international community. It taught me that the most important thing to my happiness is to be surrounded by amazing and inspiring people from whom I can learn even  over a glass of wine.  Most importantly, It taught me not to be afraid to take on new challenges even if they are out of my comfort zone.

All of the above mentioned came in particularly handy when deciding to start at the position I am currently occupying as a Junior Professional in the EU delegation to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Working as an economist in the political section of the delegation, in a country that is in the middle of political crisis, has proven to be a very rewarding professional experience demonstrating in practice what EGEI program is all about: Life starts out of your comfort zone.