Each year, the Olivaint Conference study session is the highlight of the association's academic life and an exceptional learning experience for its student members. It combines field observation, institutional meetings, and academic research, while promoting teamwork and group living. Placed under the patronage of the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it takes place alternately in a European country and in a country outside Europe that is of major strategic or current interest.

Preparation for the session begins at the start of the academic year. After consulting with the students, the board of directors chooses the destination and develops the program in collaboration with the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Belgian embassy in the country visited. Each participant then selects a research topic and prepares an initial dossier in Belgium, which is presented during a theme day.

The session itself, lasting two to three weeks, is usually held in July. It offers students privileged access to high-level meetings with politicians, diplomats, business leaders, academics, and representatives of international and non-governmental organizations. These exchanges are complemented by visits to institutions, companies, and local actors, as well as social and cultural activities that promote exchanges with the population, and particularly with other students. This framework allows for a critical and nuanced understanding of the geopolitical, economic, social, and cultural issues specific to the country being studied, as well as issues of governance and citizen participation.

Upon their return, student members deepen their research, write a thematic paper, and present it during a training weekend. These contributions, reviewed and structured according to academic standards, are then published in a collective report. This report brings together articles based on rigorous documentary research, critical analysis, and data collected in the field, drawing on multidisciplinary approaches in political science, international relations, economics, law, and sociology. For many contributors, this is their first academic publication, marking an important step in their intellectual training.

All publications resulting from this session are freely available to ensure the open circulation of knowledge and make this work accessible to as many people as possible. The Olivaint Conference retains the copyright on the texts, which may, however, be consulted and cited in accordance with academic practices.

By combining theoretical contributions and empirical observations, the study session and its report reflect the Olivaint Conference's ambition: to train critical, responsible, and open minds capable of understanding and analyzing contemporary issues and engaging in public life in an informed manner, both locally and internationally.