Europe & Liberty Seminar at Camp Vinson

Why join a “Europe & Liberty” seminar?

You have probably noticed how quickly our world can become uncertain—even chaotic. Across Europe, our democracies sometimes appear to be weakening, despite our relative prosperity compared to much of the world. Why is this happening? And more importantly, how can we preserve the values that have made life here so rich and meaningful over the centuries?

These are big, challenging questions. Yet they are rarely addressed in depth at university.

Since 1989, IES-Europe has organized “Europe & Liberty” seminars to explore exactly these issues. The goal is simple but ambitious: to better understand the foundations of a free society, and to discover why such societies have proven so successful—economically, socially, and culturally.

The seminar offers an accessible introduction to classical liberal thought, through the ideas of major thinkers such as the late Scholastics, Locke, Smith, Turgot, Say, Tocqueville, Menger, Mises, Hayek, Friedman, and many others. Whether you are new to these ideas or already familiar with them, the program is designed to deepen your understanding and challenge your perspective.

Why partner with the  Vinson Center at Buckingham?

The Vinson Centre is the “home of Classical Liberalism in the United Kingdom.” Here is how they introduce themselves:

“We work with students and scholars of economics of all ages on events and outreach to promote a wider understanding of how markets and entrepreneurship contribute to human welfare. We do this through events, programmes, publications, and multimedia. We welcome collaboration with schools, colleges, universities, think tanks, and individuals.

We challenge received wisdom and rethink economics and entrepreneurship as a unified field, furthering our understanding and pursuit of trade and enterprise in a free society.”

Partnering with the Vinson Centre makes perfect sense—not only because we share the same goals and aspirations, but also because it allows us to renew our collaboration with long-time friends.

How it works

What makes this seminar truly unique is its interdisciplinary approach.

IES-Europe brings together leading scholars from a wide range of fields—economics, law, philosophy, history, anthropology, and more—because understanding a free society requires looking at it from multiple angles.

At the same time, we select a small group of 25 to 30 highly motivated students who are eager to engage seriously with these questions.

The seminar follows the Socratic tradition: lectures are concise (no more than 45 minutes) and designed to spark discussion. The real learning happens through dialogue—between speakers and participants, and among participants themselves. Conversations continue beyond the classroom, over meals and during free time, creating a truly immersive intellectual experience.

Who pays what

The seminar is free of charge. All tuition, accommodation, and meals are covered by the organizers.

Students who are able to contribute are welcome to do so via the “contribute” tab, helping make the program accessible to others.

Participants are only expected to cover their own transportation costs.

Where is the seminar taking place ?

The Vinson Building – University of Buckingham

Hunter Street, Buckingham, MK18 1EG UK

How to apply

Applying is simple: click on the “application” tab and complete the required sections.

Decisions are communicated quickly, so that selected participants can organize their travel with ease. Once accepted, your place is confirmed as soon as IES-Europe receives your travel details.

More questions

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at:
contact@ies-europe.org