Student Iván Tarrío awarded with a visit to NATO headquarters

Iván Tarrío travels to Brussels

The third-year student of the International Relations degree at the URJC has made this trip after having obtained first place in the 2nd edition of the Prize awarded by the Spanish Atlantic Association (AAE).

Ramon Machuca

The trip consisted of a three-day stay, from January 25 to 27, in Brussels during which the three award-winning students were able to visit the Headquarters of the NATO and meet several employees there. In addition, they also visited the Permanent Representation of Spain in NATO and had the opportunity to discuss various current issues with diplomatic and military personnel established there.

Iván Tarrío states that this experience allowed him to “know the daily work of the civil and military personnel established at said headquarters, at the same time that it was interesting to observe the different perspectives and personal experiences of these employees in the current tense context that the Organization is going through.”

This experience is part of the prize of the contest organized by the AEE on December 11, 2023 and titled 'Lights and Shadows of the Transatlantic Link; NATO-EU Cooperation. This initiative aims to promote the study and research of the defense culture and knowledge of the North Atlantic Organization in its relationship with the European Union.

The finalists of this contest were Iván Tarrío Rodríguez, student at the URJC, winner of the first prize, Aroa Villacé Naranjo, student at the Complutense University, classified in second place and Guillermo Maximiliano Peral, winner of the third prize and student of the CEU.

The URJC student and winner of the competition for the analysis of “The lights and shadows in the relations between the European Union and NATO” spoke to thank him for the award and highlight the content of his work with the intention of “analyzing the present and future of NATO-EU relations.”

For Iván Tarrío, receiving this award has been “one of the best events that have occurred in my academic life, I never imagined that receiving an award like this would allow me to travel to places and meet people like the ones I have met these days.” Tarrío highlights the work of the Rey Juan Carlos University to “attract young talent and position itself on the side of academic excellence.”

The student highlights that his future “is closer than ever to the field of study of International Relations, with special emphasis on security and defense issues. In the longer term, I consider the military world and its links with Spanish and European foreign action to be interesting.