Project Manager, Bertelsmann Stiftung, Gütersloh
Armando García Schmidt joined the Bertelsmann Stiftung, a German based think tank, in 2001. Initially, Armando was assistant to the head of the International Relations Program of the foundation and responsible for coordination of several special projects like the Charlemagne Forum on Europe, the German-Spanish Forum or the Strategy Group on Europe. Since 2005 he is in charge of the foundation's Summer Academy on Europe and works on the problems, potentials and policy options regarding the relationship between the Western Balkans and the European Union. Another field of interest is the Black Sea region and its future. He continuously observes the developments in Spain and Portugal, too. Armando studied History, Sociology and Romance Languages at Bielefeld University (Germany), the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (Spain) and the Université Pierre-Mendès-France in Grenoble (France). Before joining the Bertelsmann Stiftung, Armando worked as historian at Bielefeld University and the German Distance Teaching University.