The Course
The Pirate Academy ran in Autumn of 2025, with four online classes (two theoretical, two scenarios) and one in-person intensive trialogue simulation in European Parliament. We collected feedback in the end of the course with very positive results.
Some quotes from the participants wider feedback (anonymised)
I really enjoyed the whole experience. I liked that we had deep dives into topics and space for discussions.
I am sincerely grateful for this experience and for the chance to meet smart and accomplished people who have interesting careers. It was truly a once‑in‑a‑lifetime opportunity.
This in‑person experience/simulation has been very enriching, I really enjoyed the case and the working dynamics. Both first and second day were incredible.
I learned so much regarding the trilogue, the EU, and negotiations among others. It has been a great experience that I will never forget, and I wish that the future members of the academy will be enjoying this as much as I did.
We have also learned a lot on formulating the scenarios and handling the organisational/ logistical issues. We will be polishing the scenarios for another run of Pirate Academy.
Tools & Format
Platform: Jitsi + collaborative docs
Materials provided 3 days before each session
Instructors: Paul Diegel, David František Wagner & guests (e.g. former assistants, MEPs, journalists)
Session 1: Institutions and power – EU in the digital space
Date: Mid September
Objective: Understanding the structure and logic of the European institutions, getting the idea of what is actually possible, limits of MEP/ COM/ Council power and so on. Built as a basis for other sessions to build on.
Topics to be covered
– legislative procedures, trialogues, rapporteurship, groups and shadows
– showing limits of negotiations on specific examples
– timelines “how things get done”
Between the sessions activity: students providing feedback and ideas how to change things
Session 2: Scenario play
Date: Late September
Objective: understanding the “hard power” tools Europe employes, how it uses them, exploring the “Brussels effect” and it’s real limitations, comparing EU with other superpowers
Topics to be covered
– EU budget vs national budgets
– Pillars of European security
– Basic principles of European trade agreements
– European security apparatus vs real challenges
– spyware, privacy protection
Between the sessions activity: reflecting upon the deal created in the scenario versus it´s real life counterpart
Session 3: Energy – transition, security, supply routes
Date: First half of October
Objective: Understanding the polycrisis of European energy supply. Problems of transition, inflows of fossil fuels, meddling by vested interests and third countries.
Topics to be covered
– energy transition: and China dominance in renewables
– fossil fuels, their prices, international market and relationships with the biggest suppliers
– energy grid as critical target of cyber-warfare and sabotage
– possible routes to abundant, safe and cheap energy for Europe
– corporate capture vs informed policymaking
Between the sessions: mapping different alternatives, producing predictions for the future of energy
Session 4: Scenario play: security crisis
Date: Late October
Objective: Participants are given simple roles representing various stakeholders in the process of European decision making and try to react to different threats in a reactive scenario run by the team. After the scenario, they will go through an extended de-brief.
The exact scenario will not be known by the participants beforehand.
Session 5: Inside the Machine – How to change the world
Date: Mid December / in person
Objective: Summary of all that was explored till this point and application in a realistic negotiation of a European law.