Forthcoming Events:

Europaeum Lecture on Rousseau and International Relations
The Europaeum is organising another special lecture hosted at our partner The Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva. Professor Sir Adam Roberts, Senior Research Fellow of the Centre for International Studies, Oxford, Emeritus Fellow of Balliol College, and President of the British Academy, will lecture on A Kind of Madness: Jean-Jacques Rousseau on International Relations on May 21st. Sir Adam is a long-time supporter of the Europaeum, having delivered a much cited Europaeum Lecture on International Law and the Use of Military Force : The United Nations, the United States and Iraq (please click here and read this in full) at the Universiteit Leiden on June 6th, 2003. This event continues our successful Oxford-Geneva Links Programme. It is open to the public. Click here to download the event poster.

Graduate Workshop: Rousseau and Republicanism
June 28th marks the 300th anniversary of the birth of Jean-Jacques Rousseau. In the lead-up to this, the Europaeum is organising a special graduate workshop at Oxford shortly on May 25th-27th exploring the role the French thinker had on the idea of republicanism in Europe - and the impact his ideas continue to have today. Click here to download the full programme

More than 20 Europaeum graduates – including those studying History, Economics, Politics, and International Relations – will take part, including students on the Europaeum's joint MA programme in European History and Civilisation - and experts including Professor Peter Pulzer, Dr Mark Philp, Dr Robert Harris, and Dr David Rundle. Working groups will look at whether Rousseau’s ideas still matter today, whether there is a distinct notion of European republicanism, and what republicanism in Europe means today.

Brussels Policy-Making Graduate Seminar
The Europaeum is organising the fifth annual seminar on Policy-Making inside Europe ? in Brussels from June 18-20th. This three-day programme of talks, with discussions, interviews and special visits with top European policy-makers in Brussels, is again being organised with our associate member the Institute of Political Studies, Catholica University of Portugal (IEP-UCP), and includes visits to the European Parliament (EP) and NATO. Topics include Is Capitalism at Stake?; Economics and Political Future of Europe; EU harmonisation approaches: Directives, Regulations or secondary law regimes; From Arab Spring to Arab Autumn?; and, The EU and the BRICs.

The Europaeum has a number of places available for graduates and postgraduates from member universities. Please send an application letter and CV, with a supporting recommendation from your Supervisor. Letters should be received by the Europaeum Office by June 5th. Participants must cover their own travel and contribute c€50 towards a special banquet held in the EP. Please see the preliminary Programme for more details.

Lisbon International Debate and Political Forum
As Greece teeters and economists worry about contagion, this year's annual debate for Europaeum students is on the highly topical theme of Do we still need the € ? Four Europaeum graduates are invited to take part in the debate in front of 200 participants attending the Political Forum on Open Societies, Open Economies and Common Identities with distinguished speakers, and a multi-national collection of students and participants. The event is organised by the Institute of Political Studies at the Catholica University of Portugal (IEP-UCP) and this year the Europaeum will hold its annual Academic Council during the event so that more Europaeum academics can also take part in the event, alongside scholars, policy-makers, businessmen, opinion leaders, journalists and students. As usual it is chaired by Dr Paul Flather, the Secretary-General, who is also speaking at the Forum.

Please apply by June 1st to the Europaeum office if you wish to represent the Europaeum in the debate. All costs are covered together with a small travel bursary. Click here for details for this debate, or contact the Europaeum Office directly. For the full programme please click here.

See also our Europaeum Diary of Forthcoming Events in 2012

Programmes:

MA in European History and Civilization
The deadline for applications to the Europaeum MA in European History and Civilisation is fast approaching. Students still interested in applying to the programme can submit applications until June 1st for full consideration.

This unique programme offers graduate students a special opportunity to deepen their knowledge of European history and institutions, their philosophical and historical backgrounds and underpinnings, and their social and economic contexts, through the lens of three different busy university worlds. This knowledge plays an increasingly crucial role in practical decision-making and strategic planning, where Europe-wide and global contact and negotiation is required. For further information, see Application details on our website. Click here to view recent matriculation photos from Oxford. For the view of students on the course, see a summary of results plus a selection of anonymous quotes taken from recent evaluation forms, and student views from an article from the Europaeum Review.

Europaeum Summer School
The 2012 Europaeum Summer School will take place at the University of Oxford on the theme Conflict Resolution in Europe: Lessons for Tomorrow. From September 2nd - 7th, participants will reflect on the complexities of European and global governance with particular reference to conflict resolution within Europe over recent decades. The Summer schools will bring together academic experts, practitioners, reporters, from the field, policy-makers and journalists, to provide a variety of perspectives on such conflict scenarios as Northern Ireland, the Basque region, and the Balkans. Invited speakers include Richard Caplan, Sir Adam Roberts, Hew Strachan, Guy-Goodwin-Gill, Robert Harris, Andrew Hurrell, Mark Malloch-Brown, Lord Ashdown, David Trimble, Peter Hain, and Robert Fox.

Among questions to be discussed are the following: What factors predispose people to discord? Which strategies extract them from chronic cycles of strife and violence? How can Europe aid post-conflict state building which aims to prevent outbreaks from recurring? What does the future hold for NATO, and what problems face the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy? What lessons has Europe learned about conflict resolution and prevention? How, if at all, have European institutions contributed to spreading peace?

The event comprises the usual series of lectures, discussions, workshops, debates, and practical exercises. As usual, the event will be multidisciplinary, involving scholars with different backgrounds, including Political Science, History, International Relations, Law, Sociology, Geography, and Economics. The working language will be English. Please note that all costs are covered for Europaeum graduates, though participants must cover their own travel costs. (A few places may be available for non-Europaeum scholars, but basic accommodation, food and office costs will then need to be covered) Please apply as soon as possible – and no later than mid-July.

Scholarships and Opportunities:

Europaeum MA in European History
One or two scholarships are available for graduates from the Jagiellonian University, Krakow, or Charles University, Prague, for participating in the Europaeum’s joint MA in European History, running for the 2012-13 academic year at Leiden, Paris 1, and Oxford. The award will be worth €2,000. But please note that the total fees for the course, apart from board and lodging, will be c €7,000. Please apply to Leiden University or the Europaeum Office by June 1st. Click here for application details

Europaeum Internships
The value of internships for graduate students has recently been endorsed as a key component for students entering the job market, according to University World News. The Europaeum has proudly offered lively internships to graduate students, doctoral candidates and post-doctoral scholars from Europaeum universities for a number of years. We are committed to providing engaging and fruitful work experience - with opportunities to pursue research studies in Oxford libraries, join lectures etc and travel in the UK. In this way, we seek to extend the mission of the Europaeum to build European leadership, foster diversity and provide opportunities to supplement research and background education.

We offer internships for one to three months, and each intern will be asked to support general office work, work on current events and will be given a relevant research project to work on and help develop. We will help in finding housing and cover the costs, as part of a support package also for food and travel.

Interns for Fall 2012 are now being selected. If you know anyone who might be interested, please ask them to forward a CV and covering letter, including details of two referees (preferably one academic and one professional) to the Europaeum office.

Publications & Media

Europaeum report cited in World University News
The Europaeum's recent report on higher education budgets was the basis for the recent article Report shows university budget winners and losers in austerity-driven era appearing in the World University News April 2012 newsletter. The report, released in the March Europaeum Bulletin, reflected on the impact of the current economic downturn on higher education programmes in countries with universities or institutes belonging to our partner network.

Vernon Bogdanor Lecture Pamphlet
An important Europaeum Lecture on Overcoming the Legacy of the 20th century: Protecting Minorities in Modern Democracies, by Emeritus Professor Vernon Bogdanor is to be published this summer in our continuing lecture pamphlet series and will be distributed widely to interested Europaeum faculty and supporters, across Europaeum partner institutions. The lecture is timely and picks up important issues facing democracies in Europe today. Professor Bogdanor remains an Emeritus Professor at Oxford, but is now based at King’s College, London.

Report of the Month

Brussels policy-making firsthand
In the lead up to our 2012 Brussels Policy-making Seminar, students from last year's cohort reflected on their experiences during this three-day seminar workshop. Here is an excerpt from what they had to say:

"Last June, we were given a privileged opportunity to explore how European policy is made in a range of fields and disciplines. This three-day event, set up by the IEP-Lisbon and by the Europaeum, included a series of lectures, discussions and interviews along with special visits to the European Parliament and European Commission Headquarters. We were delighted how the programme allowed us to converse and debate with senior academics, European politicians, experts and fellow students, on a wide range of current and stimulating topics related to EU policy- making and the EU’s relationship with the wider world. The visits to the European institutions were in our mind a fantastic opportunity and addition to the programme, and were thoroughly enjoyed by all and aroused great interest within the group."

Click here to read the full report!

Link-of-the-Month:

World Movement for Democracy
The World Movement for Democracy is a global network of activists, practitioners, academics, policy makers, and funders, who have come together to cooperate in the promotion of democracy. The WMD works in a variety of ways including lobbying governments and international organisations, acting as a global democratic think-tank, connecting democracy advocates and providing them with resources, and holding biennial Global Assemblies. The Europaeum has been pleased to be an associate member and to support many WMD issues and present its ideas at forums at its international conferences.

Recently, thus, WMD issued a Democracy Alert for human rights activist Nabeel Rajab, who was arrested in Bahrain earlier this month.  The plight of Bahrain was energetically discussed by young Europaeum scholars at their workshop in Paris in February on the Arab Spring - One Year on, with a specific paper on Bahrain (click here for more on the workshop).

The BBC News reported that Nabeel Rajab was arrested by Bahraini authorities on May 5. According to Freedom House, Mr. Rajab was detained on previous charges of “inciting illegal rallies and marches online” and using social networking websites to post “defamatory depictions of security forces.” Mr. Rajab serves as president of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) and director of the Gulf Center for Human Rights (GCHR), and in 2011 was awarded the Ion Ratiu Democracy Award from the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Click here to learn more about this.

Around the Members:

HELSINKI: The Internet of Things
The University of Helsinki is leading a new EUR 6 million research project funded by the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation, to investigate new ways for the things people use to interact with other - things. This is a system where objects and devices communicate with each other through sensors and WiFi data transfer, creating a connectivity with literally countless applications impacting our daily experience. From as small a thing as a postal parcel that can be tracked by a microchip, to whole "smart cities" that are completely wired in, the Internet of Things is a future in which everyday objects such as phones, cars, household appliances, clothes and even food are wirelessly connected to the Internet. The project’s research is led by Professor Sasu Tarkoma and the University of Helsinki. See below for a short video.

LISBON: new MA in Democracy studies
Our Portuguese colleagues at the Institute of Political Studies, at the Catholic University of Lisbon (IEP-UCP) are set to launch an exciting new MA programme in Governance, Leadership and Democratic Studies this September. The new one-year MA programme will aim to combine strong teaching with high-quality research, and serve as a permanent forum for scholars and practitioners working to promote democracy. The programme will be run under an International Advisory Board, composed of distinguished scholars and leading figures in the promotion of democracy, including the Europaeum's own Secretary-General Dr. Paul Flather, to ensure its international quality. It is hoped to develop links between the new programme and Europaeum partners. Further information will be posted in June. Students and others interested should contact the IEP-UCP Europaeum liaison.

LEIDEN: new academic partnership
Leiden University has just unveiled a new strategic partnership with two other leading Dutch universities - namely the Erasmus University in Rotterdam, and the Delft University of Technology - as part of a University strategy to maintain its high rankings in the world university league tables. The new plans include running shared degree programmes on health, science, technology, Chinese economics, entrepreneurship, plus various multi-disciplinary themes. In addition, a number of jointly appointed professorships are envisaged. A joint strategic plan outlining the various new measures is being presented to the Dutch State Secretary for Education, Culture and Science.

Professor Paul van der Heijden, Rector Magnificus and President of the Executive Board at Leiden, explained : ‘Formulating a joint strategy instead of competing against each other enables us to lay a foundation for the financial scope we will need to be able to continue to play in the Champions League of the academic world. And ultimately researchers, students, the regional business community, economy and society will all benefit from this.’ For more information see

http://www.about.leiden.edu/about/collaboration-delft-rottrdam-and-leiden.html

Footnote-of-the-Month:

European Research Council funding at Europaeum partners
The European Research Council (ERC) has established itself quickly as a key pan-European funding body - able to award € 3,5 million worth of support for a single research project. Roughly one in 10 applicants are currently being backed. ERC grants are divided into Advanced Grants for established researchers, and Starting Grants for researchers with between 2 and12 years of experience since completion of their PhDs.

In 2011, there were 480 Starting Grants (totaling €670 million) and 294 Advanced Grants (totalling €661 million). Among EUROPAEUM members, scientists from Oxford and Leiden were the most successful with 28 grants and 9 grants each. Then came Bonn and Helsinki. The table below shows the numbers of projects funded by the ERC last year.

Contact:
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Endnote:

Hollande election promises change for French universities
It’s all change in French higher education – to the relief of most - following the victory of Francoise Hollande in this month’s Presidential vote. As World University News reports, out goes the controversial plan to restrict foreign students studying in France’s top universities - including our own Paris 1 Pantheon-Sorbonne. They currently account for some 40% of PhDs taken in France. More support is pledged for academics and researchers (see above for our survey of cuts) , and the controversial Sarkhozy autonomy regulations (the Freedom and Responsibilities in Universities Law) are to be looked at again. Hollande’s key theme as he promised in the final week will be co-operation in place of Sarkhozy’s emphasis of competition and a drive up the global rankings. Even so, this is an issue that will continue to dog French airwaves. The new socialiste President wants to reform the ancient curricula and ensure students gain and succeed, especially in their first degrees – the license, and he plans to boost the CRNS which has endured severe cuts. All this is welcomed by the trade unions, students and academic community – including Paris 1 President Jean Colliard, who, of course, worked directly for 10 years for France’s last socialiste President, another Francoise – Mitterand. Click here for a full report