MPUP was honored to invite Ms. Laurence Vandewalle, Deputy Head of the European Union (EU) Office to Hong Kong and Macao to give a guest lecture on “Public Policy and Governance in the European Union” on 10 March 2023.

Ms. Vandewalle has served the EU for six years, with the experience of being a delegator in both Beijing and HKSAR, China. Before that, Ms. Vandewalle was an Asia Analyst and Political advisor in Belgium under European Parliament for over 19 years.

In this sharing, Ms. Vandewalle introduced the key institutions of the European Union, including the unit in which she is working, the European External Action Service, and illustrated the principles and values that underlie life in the EU: freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law, and promoting peace and stability. The lecture then went on to show the legislative process and decision-making in the Council. Highlights were made on the EU’s standpoint of the Russian-Ukraine War and the EU’s crucial role in fostering conflict resolution in the Western Balkans.

The lecture drew a full house of over 60 participants from MPUP and the Department of the GPA. Participants discussed actively with Ms. Vandewalle on how to introduce positive change at the EU level.