MEP visit to University

Monday, 06 September 2010

MEP Catherine Bearder, centre, meets Turkish students

Catherine Bearder, an MEP for the South-East region of the UK, visited the University recently. She was greeted by the Vice-Chancellor and Ros Richards, Director of the International Study and Language Centre (ISLC).

Ms Bearder came to address a group of Turkish trainee district governors who are studying at the University before they return to Turkey to take up their posts later in the month.

The group, sponsored by the Turkish Ministry of the Interior, have been at the University since October 2009, taking part in a course which will allow them to compare local government systems in Turkey and the UK.

For the first 9 months of the course, they worked on improving their general English language skills. For the final 10 weeks of their stay at Reading, they have been following a tailor-made course, designed by ISLC, which has introduced the group to public services and administration in the UK and the EU.

The programme concluded with a trip to Brussels on 6 September, when  the European Commission hosted a special half-day information visit for the group, including a presentation in Turkish on Turkey's accession to the EU.

Hosting another of their visits, Wokingham borough mayor, Councilor Dianne King said: "It was a great pleasure to welcome the six trainee district governors as our guests. I hope our visitors benefited from their time here and enjoyed it as much as we did.

"I am certain that they left with a better understanding of how local authorities in England operate and will be able to use that knowledge when they start their careers in local government in Turkey."

Third from left, Vice-Chancellor, Professor Gordon Marshall. Centre MEP Catherine Bearder, sixth from left Ros Richards, Director of the International Study and Language Centre