Learn it. Experience it. Share it.
Taking place between the 9th October 2026 and the 19th November 2026, with an optional study visit, offering a one-and-a-half-day experience in Brussels.
Experience the EU in action and turn that experience into meaningful engagement within your own networks!
This course offers a practical and accessible introduction to how the European Union works in practice — from its institutions and decision-making processes to how policies are shaped, implemented and experienced across sectors. It is designed for professionals who want to build a stronger understanding of the EU, strengthen their confidence in EU-related work, and engage more effectively with policy, funding and regulatory developments.
Whether participants work on policy, regulation, funding, implementation or stakeholder engagement, the course is designed to help them navigate EU-related issues with greater clarity, confidence and practical understanding. Participants will gain insight into:
The course combines expert input with discussion, applied examples and practical reflection to help participants connect EU concepts to real-world professional contexts.
Participants may also have the opportunity to take part in an optional study visit organised in partnership with the European Parliament Liaison Office in Malta. Linked to the European Parliament’s together.eu platform, the visit offers first-hand exposure to the EU institutional environment and encourages participants to reflect on and share their experience within their professional, academic or local networks.
The impact of the visit continues well beyond Brussels. Through the together.eu platform, participants are invited to translate their experience into simple follow-up actions, such as a short presentation, discussion or informal knowledge-sharing activity, helping to create a wider multiplier effect.
Ms. Alison Mizzi – Director, EU Advisory, EMCS Advisory Ltd
Ms. Antonella Gatt – Director General, Programme Implementation (Environment and Energy), Ministry for Environment, Energy and Regeneration of the Grand Harbour
Ms. Elaine Cordina – Public Relation Officer, European Parliament Liaison Office
Dr. Eszter Koza – Manager, EU Advisory, EMCS Advisory Ltd
Dr. Lorna Mifsud Cachia – Managing Partner, Dingli & Dingli Law Firm
Dr. Marthese Portelli – Chief Executive Officer, The Malta Chamber
Prof. Mireille Sant – Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Media, Communications and Technology Law within the Faculty of Laws at the University of Malta
Mr. Stefano Mallia – Former President of the Employers Group, EESC and Partner at EMCS Advisory Ltd
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
This course duration is of 21 hours. Each training day features a focused 3-hour session (09:00-12:00), while the optional study visit offers a one-and-a-half-day experience in Brussels.
Training: Oct to Nov 2026, Study Visit: Jan/Feb 2027 (tbc).
| Module 1 | The European Union: Foundations and Evolution | 9th October 2026 |
| Module 2 | EU Institutions and Decision-Making | 15th October 2026 |
| Module 3 | EU law for Non-Lawyers | 22nd October 2026 |
| Module 4 | Stakeholders and Interest Representation in the EU | 29th October 2026 |
| Module 5 | EU Policies in Practice | 29th October 2026 |
| M5.1 | Cohesion Policy and other funding instruments | 29th October 2026 |
| M5.2 | Green Europe | 5th November 2026 |
| M5.3 | Social Europe | 5th November 2026 |
| M5.4 | The Single Market and Competition | 12th November 2026 |
| M5.5 | Digital Policy and Data Governance | 12th November 2026 |
| M5.6 | EU External Action | 19th November 2026 |
| Module 6 | Challenges Shaping the Future of the EU | 19th November 2026 |
| Module 7 | Study Visit | Jan/Feb 2027 |
| Title | Content |
| Module 1: The European Union: Foundations and Evolution | This module introduces the European Union as a political and legal system, helping participants understand why European integration emerged, how the EU has evolved over time, and what continues to shape its development today. It provides a strong foundation for the rest of the course by unpacking the EU’s core values, objectives and competences in a clear and structured way. Key topics
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| Title | Content |
| Module 2: EU Institutions and Decision-Making | This module offers a practical understanding of how the European Union’s institutional system works and how decisions are shaped, negotiated and implemented in practice. It explores the roles and powers of the main EU institutions, the procedures through which policies are adopted, and the ways in which Member States engage with and influence EU decision-making. Key topics
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| Title | Content |
Module 3: EU Law for Non-lawyers | This module introduces the EU legal system from a practical, non-legal perspective, making it especially relevant for professionals who need to work confidently with EU rules and documents without a legal background. It focuses on the main sources of EU law, how legal acts operate in practice, and how EU law interacts with national systems. Key topics
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| Title | Content |
Module 4: Stakeholders and Interest Representation in the EU | This module introduces the role of stakeholders and interest representation in EU policymaking, focusing on how organisations engage with EU institutions through consultation, advocacy and transparency mechanisms. It also highlights the importance of ethical and compliant engagement. Key topics
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| Module 5: EU Policies in Practice
| This module explores how EU policies work in practice once adopted, using selected policy areas to show how governance, implementation and oversight operate across sectors. A short introductory session sets out common delivery concepts, which are then brought to life through concrete examples that help participants understand how EU policy translates into action. |
| M5.0: Introduction on Delivery Framework M5.1: Cohesion Policy and other funding instruments | A short introduction to how EU policies are delivered in practice, focusing on who does what across EU institutions, Member States and delivery bodies, and how governance, implementation, monitoring and oversight fit together. This session then uses Cohesion Policy and selected EU funding instruments as practical examples of policy delivery, showing how EU priorities are translated into programmes, projects and results. |
| Title | Content |
| M5.2: Green Europe M5.3: Social Europe | This session explores how the EU advances its green and social agenda in practice, focusing on the European Green Deal, climate and energy policy, and social, employment and education initiatives. It considers how EU priorities are shaped through regulation, governance and Member State action. Policy Areas
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| Title | Content |
| M5.4: The Single Market and Competition M5.5: Digital Policy and Data Governance | This day focuses on two key areas of EU policy in practice: the Single Market and Competition Policy, and Digital Policy and Data Governance. Together, these sessions show how the EU regulates markets, promotes fair competition, and responds to digital transformation through rules, governance arrangements and oversight mechanisms. Policy Areas
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| Title | Content |
| M5.6: EU External Action | This session introduces the EU’s role beyond its borders, focusing on how the Union engages with neighbouring countries, candidate countries and international partners. It covers key aspects of EU external action, including enlargement, neighbourhood policy, trade and diplomacy, while considering how the EU promotes its values, interests and influence internationally. |
| Module 6: Challenges Shaping the Future of the EU | This module explores key challenges and strategic debates shaping the European Union’s current and future direction. It examines how the EU responds to internal and external pressures, emerging crises and long‑term transitions, providing participants with an informed understanding of evolving policy priorities and governance trends. Key topics
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| Title | Content |
| Module 7: Study Visit – EU Institutions in Practice (Optional) | This optional study visit, organised in partnership with the European Parliament Liaison Office in Malta, gives participants first-hand exposure to the functioning of EU institutions and complements the course’s academic and professional content. Where feasible, the visit may be tailored to the profile and interests of the group. It forms part of a wider engagement pathway linked to the European Parliament’s together.eu platform, enabling participants to experience the EU institutions in practice and share that learning afterwards through light follow-up engagement within their own networks. Key components
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€980.00 ex VAT
This fee covers participation in training at EMCS Academy, including coffee and biscuits.
Study Visit
Flights and accommodation are co-supported by the European Parliament Liaison Office in Malta (EPLO), subject to applicable conditions. Participation in the study visit is conditional upon enrolment and participation in the course and a commitment to register on the together.eu platform. Participants must also be willing to share their learning after the visit through a light follow-up activity of their choice within their own network. 13 places are available and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Any additional costs not covered by EPLO will be borne by participants.
EMCS Training Centre
Centris Business Gateway II, Level 4,
Triq is-Salib tal-Imriehel Zone 3,
Central Business District,
Birkirkara
A certificate of attendance will be provided to participants who attend this training.
Total Learning Hours
Full course: 21 hours
Hours include contact hours, supervised practice hours, self-study hours and assesment hours.
Mireille M Sant is Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Media, Communications and Technology Law within the Faculty of Laws at the University of Malta. Her work explores digital policy and data governance, including privacy, consumer protection, artificial intelligence, and the legal and policy challenges raised by emerging technologies. She is Principal Investigator of the Data Integrity and Stewardship Research Cluster within the University of Malta, and a member of COST Action ‘Improving Neuroimaging Data for Sharing’ (INDoS) Working Group 4 on Ethics, Practices, and Regulations. She also contributes to collaborative projects including TMMU—“Transparent Media Monitoring and Understanding.”
Stefano Mallia is a Partner at EMCS Advisory, specialising in EU and economic advisory services, including evaluations, impact assessments and policy analysis. With over 25 years of experience in EU affairs, he has led and contributed to a wide range of studies on EU policy and the economic impact of EU membership, including a landmark macroeconomic assessment carried out in 2002.
He is also a Member of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), where he represents the Employers’ Group and contributes to EU policymaking by articulating business interests. He served as President of the Employers’ Group from 2020 to 2025 and remains active within the Committee, including in the area of EU–US relations as Vice-President for Transatlantic Relations. At EU level, the Employers’ Group brings together over 100 business organisations from across all Member States, representing more than 20 million companies, and plays an important role in stakeholder consultation and interest representation within the EU institutional framework.
Stefano has held a number of senior leadership positions, including President of the Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry as well as President of the Malta Business Bureau and Board Member of Eurochambres.
He holds an Honours degree in Business Management and a Master’s degree in European Studies.
Dr Portelli is a law graduate from the University of Malta specialized in applied business law and IT. Throughout her 28 years of working experience she occupied several managerial posts and spearheaded nationwide projects within the public and the private sector.
In 2013 she contested the general election successfully and was re-elected again in 2017, during which she shadowed challenging portfolios including EU affairs, energy, environment, transport, infrastructure, capital projects, planning and property.
Following her departure from politics, she ventured into the sphere of sectoral representation.
Since 1st May 2021 she took on the role as CEO of The Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry. She is also a visiting lecturer at the University of Malta and sits on the Board of Directors of Malta Business Bureau (MBB), Education Malta, Tech.MT and Trade Malta.
Dr Lorna Mifsud Cachia is a Managing Partner at Dingli & Dingli Law Firm. She is an experienced litigator, one of her areas of expertise being public procurement. Lorna has served as legal advisor to public procurement procedures and tender evaluation committees between 2002 and 2006 and from 2007 till the present, she has advised number private corporate clients at every stage in the tendering process:- from tender submission till Court of Appeal stage. Her experience both in the public and private sector has given Lorna the opportunity to be able to focus on the key elements of public procurement and put them actively in practice.
Alison is a Director at EMCS and a leading expert in EU funding, Cohesion Policy and programme management. With over twenty years of experience in the field, she has worked extensively across the full policy and programme cycle, from the design and drafting of Malta’s Partnership Agreement and Operational Programmes, to evaluation, monitoring, project selection and implementation.
At EMCS, Alison leads the firm’s EU funding advisory services, supporting public, private and voluntary organisations in identifying suitable funding opportunities at both national and EU level. Her work includes proposal development, project planning and design, and implementation support, with a strong focus on ensuring alignment with EU priorities and funding requirements. She also advises on the formulation of funding programmes and conducts evaluation assignments, including Cohesion Policy evaluations and assessments of major EU‑funded initiatives.
Before joining EMCS, Alison spent fourteen years in the Malta Public Administration, primarily within the Managing Authority for Cohesion Policy. She was responsible for the management of ESF programmes, coordinated calls and project selection processes, and formed part of the Government core team that drafted Malta’s 2007–2013 and 2014–2020 Cohesion Policy programming documents. During this time, she also represented Malta in various EU fora and technical committees and provided extensive training to civil servants, programme managers and beneficiaries.
Alison holds a Master of Arts in European Studies and a Bachelor of Commerce (Hons) in Management, both from the University of Malta. She has also served as President of the Malta Business Bureau.
Dr Eszter Kosa is a social worker and social policy expert, holding a Ph.D. in Social Sciences. Her special interest lies in the social inclusion of disadvantaged and vulnerable social groups (especially people living in poverty, the Roma minority, and migrants/refugees) through social work, civil society responses, and social policy measures.
Ms. Kósa has over 20 years of experience in program design and implementation, supporting vulnerable social groups applying case work, and research. She currently works in Malta, having previously worked in Hungary, the Balkans, and crisis areas such as Armenia and Eastern Ukraine. Her main focus areas are social inclusion, combating poverty (with a special focus on child poverty), equal opportunities, human rights, civil society development, and humanitarian aid.
Ms. Kósa has extensive experience with EU funding systems, proposal writing for EU and other international funding, policy and program evaluation, quantitative and qualitative research, capacity building through various training methods, and the management of international programs. She has been engaged with the public and for-profit sectors, and in the last decade, she has worked with civil organizations like SOS Children’s Villages International (HQ in Austria) and the Autonomia Foundation (Hungary). She has been a program manager at the Malta-based consultancy firm Binda Consulting International between 2018 and 2024. Since January 2025 she has been working as a manager at EMCS Advisory, being responsible for proposal writing, project management and project design.
Antonella Gatt holds the position of Director General (Programme Implementation) within the Ministry for Environment, Energy and Public Cleanliness. Prior to this, she has held the position of Director General (Education Strategy and Quality Assurance) within the Ministry for Education, Youth, Sport, Research and Innovation and the position of Director EU Affairs and International Relations within the same Ministry. Between 2015 and 2019, Ms. Gatt was a Senior Policy Officer and consequently Malta’s Social Policy Attaché at the Permanent Representation of Malta to the EU. She is also the Project Co-ordinator of the P.O.P – up project – Promoting Online Protection within the Malta Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society since 2020.
She has read for a Bachelors degree (hons.) in European Studies at the University of Malta in 2007 to 2010. She has graduated with a double Masters degree in European Culture with distinction from the University of Deusto (Spain) and the University of Göttingen (Germany) in 2012. Ms. Gatt has also graduated with a Masters degree in Contemporary European Studies with Merit from the University of Sussex (UK) in 2013. As part of her academic formation, Ms. Gatt also undertook an internship with the European Commission in Brussels.
Elaine Cordina is currently the Public Relations Officer at the European Parliament Liaison Office in Malta where she is responsible for stakeholder outreach, event management and volunteer recruitment on the European Parliament’s together.eu platform.
Previously she was a full-time lecturer at the Institute for European Studies focusing on Agenda Setting in the EU, EU Inter-institutional Relations, Malta-EU Relations and Theories of EU Integration.
Prior to moving back to Malta, she has worked as an inter-institutional coordinator both at the Secretariat-General of the European Commission and in DG Mare, as well as in the European Parliament in an MEP office.
Between 1999 and 2004, she was part of the Malta-EU Information Centre Team that led the information campaign leading up to the referendum on accession in 2003.
