European studies provide essential keys to understanding the functioning of contemporary society as well as current political and economic issues. This field is therefore becoming increasingly significant, both in terms of research and the skills needed by graduates in the job market. These reasons are at the origin of the "TRES" project led by ESSCA and supported by CAP Europe of the University of Angers. It aims to develop new publication opportunities, new courses for students and an annual summer school.
The project was selected as a Jean Monnet Chair, which is part of the European Erasmus+ programme. Through a competitive selection process, the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) of the European Commission awards the Chair to the most reputable professors teaching European Integration topics. These chairs are aimed at deepening our understanding and teaching of EU studies in higher education, involving open educational resources and activities. For the TRES project, the chair holder is Prof. Thomas Hoerber from ESSCA, head of the EU*Asia Institute.
The main publication outlet of the TRES project is the Routledge Encyclopedia for European Studies, edited by chair holder Prof. Thomas Hoerber and four other lead editors: Prof. Ben Leruth (University of Groningen, Netherlands), Prof. Maxine David (Leiden University, Netherlands), Prof. Birol Yesilada (Portland State University, USA) and Prof. Stéphanie Laulhé Shaelou (Lancaster University, Cyprus). The rich academic output of this publication will not only contribute to the teaching of European Studies at ESSCA but will irrigate the European Studies community as a whole. This ambitious project will serve as a basis for the creation of courses taught and supervised at ESSCA in the second and fourth years of study and at the University of Passau (Germany) under the responsibility of the Jean Monnet Chair.
The TRES project will also introduce a new and innovative programme: a European Studies Summer School, bringing together international students at several ESSCA campuses. This annual event will feature an academic conference for researchers, in which students and alumni can participate. The courses taught by the researchers are specially designed for them with an introduction to European institutions and policies.
The Jean Monnet Chair will thus contribute strongly to enhancing the EU*Asia Institute’s core expertise in the fields of European studies, EU-Asia relations, sustainability and innovation.
Prof. Thomas Hoerber
ESSCA Angers & EU*Asia Institute
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.
