Report
On June 8 and 9, 2023, ESSCA's EU*Asia Institute organised the first academic workshop within the framework of the Jean Monnet 'TRES' Chair. 20 researchers from all over the world gathered on ESSCA's Angers campus and online to present their research work on various aspects of Europe and the EU, such as its history, the development of the European Union, finance, education, public participation and more.
The workshop also marked the launch of a major initiative in the field of European Studies: "The Routledge Resources Online: European Studies". This online encyclopaedia, developed by the Routledge publishing house, aims to provide comprehensive, up-to-date, and authoritative resources for academic research in European Studies. It will thus constitute a reference platform for knowledge about Europe and promote high-level research in the field of European Studies.
Thomas Hoerber, director of the ESSCA/EU*Asia Institute, and Jean Monnet Chairholder and Pamela Barnes of the EU*Asia Institute have been appointed editors of this resource, which is an essential component of the Jean Monnet Chair TRES.
The workshop began with the keynote speech by Dr. Martyn Bond, who provided an opening lecture on the history of Coudenhove-Kalergi and his vision of Europe in the inter-war years. This presentation set the context for the works presented during the conference, emphasizing the significance of historical understanding in European Studies.
The next sessions were dedicated to presentations by researchers who shared their research papers (see programme below). The topics covered a wide range of areas including European economy, public policies, European culture and identity, as well as contemporary challenges faced by Europe. The discussions following each presentation facilitated the exchange of ideas and constructive debates among the participants.
Professor Thomas Hoerber, Professor Pamela Barnes and the commissioning publishers of Routledge also conducted a session on the methodology of the project. The purpose of the latter was to explain in concrete terms the researchers' contribution to the encyclopaedia, to allow them to ask questions and to establish a schedule for upcoming deadlines.
The workshop's highlights included the contributions of the 31 presenters and attendees who enriched the discussions and exchanges throughout the event. The workshop also fostered networking and collaboration opportunities among the researchers. Participants had the chance to discuss joint projects, exchange ideas, and explore future collaborations to further enhance European studies.
In conclusion, the "European Studies" Workshop was a fruitful event that brought together researchers to delve into the field of European studies. The presentations and discussions contributed to the advancement of knowledge in this domain.
The organisers express their gratitude to the participants, and to everyone who contributed to the success of this event. This workshop provided a platform for collaboration, idea exchange, and further development of the "The Routledge Resources Online: European Studies". We expect this event to inspire further research and joint projects in the field of European Studies, at the latest in the next annual European Studies conference of the Jean Monnet Chair TRES, next year.
PROGRAMME
Date: Thursday 8 & Friday 9 June 2023
Convenor: EU*Asia Institute at ESSCA School of Management, Jean Monnet Chair “Teaching and Research in European Studies (TRES)”
Venue: ESSCA Campus Angers (1 rue Lakanal, Angers - France)
The workshop will be held both in-person and online.
We are delighted to welcome Dr Martyn Bond (UACES and Regent's University, London) for an opening keynote speech on ‘Coudenhove-Kalergi: His Visions of Europe’ based on his book Hitler's Cosmopolitan Bastard. Count Richard Coudenhove-Kalergi and His Vision of Europe published by McGill-Queen's University Press.
Aims and rationale
European Studies is a dynamic and exciting field of study. It provides essential keys to understanding the functioning of contemporary society at the same time illuminating the complexity of current economic and political issues. Recent events including the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the impact of the acceleration in climate change, the European impact of the COVID pandemic, the rise of nationalism in European nations all demonstrate clearly the importance and significance of European studies as a field of enquiry and research. Equally these events illustrate the importance of ensuring that graduates from our institutions of higher education have the necessary skills to enter the job market in the face of current challenges and the transferable skills to respond to future challenges.
In 2022, the EU-Asia Institute at ESSCA was successful in obtaining the prestigious award, on the basis of a competitive call, from the European Commission of Jean Monnet Chair in European Integration for the initiative Teaching and Research in European Studies (TRES). The initiative will be developed under the leadership of Jean Monnet Chair, Professor Thomas Hoerber, Head of the EU-Asia Research Institute at ESSCA. The main objectives for TRES are to develop new publication opportunities, new courses for students and an annual summer school.
Workshop
In this context, the EU*Asia Institute at ESSCA School of Management is organising a two-day-workshop.
Two broad strands will be pursued during the workshop – firstly the history of the process of European Integration to establish the necessary underpinning to our understanding of the progress of European integration, and secondly an examination of the process of European integration today, identifying and questioning the drivers of the change that is taking place.
| Strand 1 History of European Integration | Strand 2 New ideas on Europe |
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‘The Routledge Resources Online: European Studies’ is envisaged as the main publication outlet for the TRES project. It is a novel initiative by Routledge to provide extensive, up to date and authoritative resources for research in European Studies prepared by high-level academics. It will be modelled on existing successful Routledge online resources.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
