25 years of EUGEN – a history of connecting geoscience students in Europe

<p>EUGEN (European Geoscience Student Network) is an association that provides a platform for the international exchange between geoscience students in Europe. The network organizes annual meetings which take place during the first week of August. From the first EUGEN meeting in 1996 which was organized in Germany the network looks back on a history of annual meetings held in 13 different countries in Europe.</p><p>During an EUGEN meeting participants are offered to join a scientific program consisting of field trips and evening lectures. Excursions cover a broad range of geoscientific topics and give an introduction to the geology of the host country. Evening lectures give a deeper insight into topics conveyed during excursions and are organized in cooperation with local universities and supporting organizations. Moreover, participants can use this platform to present their Bachelor or Master thesis. In addition to that, activities like the ‘geolympics’ – a geological-sportive team competition – and one cultural daytrip complete the program. To sum up, EUGEN aims to enhance the scientific exchange across all geoscientific disciplines between both geoscience students and graduates. By combining the accompanying program of a scientific conference with the fun atmosphere of a geological field camp, an EUGEN meeting provides the ideal atmosphere for students to acquire international connections and lay the foundations of future professional collaborations. Participation in such a network is especially advantageous for those who are intending to study abroad and to internationalize their professional network.</p><p>EUGEN is a non-profit association which is funded by donations, membership- and participation fees. As such, the network depends on the active participation of committed members in the association. Future challenges comprise finding more and new ways to connect with students from all over Europe in order to increase the diversity of participating counties. Moreover, the association intends to internationalize its organization structure which is at the moment strongly focused on Germany. For the 25<sup>th</sup> anniversary meeting the network goes back to its roots in the Black forest region in Germany. We invite students from all over the world to save the date (3<sup>rd</sup> – 9<sup>th</sup> of August 2020) and join us for an unforgettable experience!</p>