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HISTORY
The Political Economy Society (PES) Maastricht was founded in January 2022 to create a community open to all students, regardless of faculty. We connect students with each other, experts, scholars, and best-in-their-field companies.
OUR (HI)STORY
Our organisation was born out of the idea that students should have a common place to discuss the complex political challenges of our time with each other. An organisation that connected students from all faculties and offered them a common place to develop knowledge and insights on the fundamental topic of Political Economy, as well as a diverse community of motivated students, was missing. That is why PES Maastricht was founded in January 2022.
In our first semester, we saw over 650 people visit our events and we welcomed 40 students from five faculties and 21 nationalities into our committees. In our second semester, we continued on our strong start as we organized 11 events in 13 weeks for another 650 students, wrote 2 research papers as well as a multitude of articles by the MJPE, and held some guest lectures.
Now, while we get the best out of students - and they get the best out of us - we continue to move forward. We continue to push our limits and goals; through presenting new topics for discussions, welcoming influential and knowledgeable speakers and expanding our reach toghether with our actively involved students.
Willem van der Mee & Tito Quadri, Founders
OUR STORY
Founded at the start of 2022, the Political Economy Society (PES) began as a cross-faculty platform for political and economic discussion, debate, and idea sharing. A lot has happened since then, but the mission hasn't changed: bringing passionate people together to connect and create around international and European politics, economic and financial developments, and the social and cultural threads that tie them all together.
Today, PES welcomes students regardless of year of study, faculty, or specialisation. The only requirement is genuine dedication and professionalism, shown through active involvement.
Over the years, PES has hosted Academic Guest Lectures with speakers including Nobel laureate economist Lars Peter Hansen, SBE Bachelor programme director Prof. Kaj Thomsson, and UM Rector Pamela Habibovic; career and networking sessions such as a Future in Politics panel with experienced professionals and an informational evening with NN's finance, risk, and AI specialists; trips such as a Study & Internship trip to Warsaw in March 2023, a day trip to The Hague for exclusive embassy tours on the theme of Security and Defense, and a three-day trip to Paris exploring embassies, UNESCO's headquarters, and the city itself; and social events ranging from parties and political speed dating to BPS debates, Hot Takes Night discussion evenings, and the popular Pub Quiz with SBE lecturer Christian Kerckhoffs. All of this comes together through our six committees: Events, Marketing, External Relations, Empirica, the PES Maastricht Podcast, and MINOS.
Students looking to sharpen their research and academic skills can get involved with Empirica, PES's research and publications hub, where papers, articles, and interviews are produced under experienced guidance and published for the wider community. Our Thesis Training Workshop Series complements this by helping members build the research and academic skills needed for a well written paper. For those drawn to networking and professional development, the External Relations committee builds partnerships and shapes how PES presents itself externally. The Events committee is the backbone of PES, turning ideas into everything from academic panels to pub quizzes and speed dating nights, while the Marketing committee brings it all to life visually. Nothing you see, hear, or read from PES happens without them.
Rounding out the organisation, MINOS organises academic and social events throughout the year, often co hosted with other PES committees to bring students from different backgrounds together: lectures, debates, workshops, networking events, and casual pub nights, all built around community, dialogue, and a stronger presence for Zuyd European Studies in Maastricht. And the PES Maastricht Podcast is our student led political podcast, where each episode dives into today's pressing political topics through discussion, fresh perspectives, and conversations with guest speakers, with the aim of getting young people more politically and economically engaged and informed.
This semester, PES is committed to raising the bar further still, growing the quality and scale of our events, academic output, and standing as an organisation.