The network of ten EU Centers of Excellence, housed at major research universities (listed at right), promotes the study of the European Union and EU-US relations through teaching programs, scholarly research and outreach activities.

Newly selected in this period’s grant competition are the University of Illinois and the University of Texas.

The University of North Carolina continues as Network and Outreach Coordinator, with the goal of promoting cooperation within the network.  UNC also maintains this network website, providing easy access to research and teaching materials produced by the Centers.

>>> Read the Sept. 16 news release from the Delegation of the EU.

Now in its 6th year, Euro Challenge is an academic contest providing a unique and exciting educational opportunity for high school students from across the US to learn about the European Union – the largest economic partner of the US – and the economies that share its single currency, the euro. The winning teams receive monetary awards provided by the Moody’s Foundation, along with a trip to Washington, DC, for the top two teams.

For more information, and to watch a video of the winning team’s presentation, please visit the website of the University of Michigan’s EUCE.

REFORMING THE WELFARE STATE:
A transatlantic Perspective
2011 Summer Policy Forum for Middle School, High School, Community College, and In-Service Educators
August 11, 2011
9:00 AM -5:00 PM
Northwest Horticultural Society Hall, Center for Urban Horticulture
(5 min East of the UW campus)

The recent economic crisis in Europe and the US has sharpened debates on the affordability of the welfare state. Politicians and publics on both sides of the Atlantic are weighing options for reforming popular, yet costly, social programs. In August, the Center of West European Studies and European Union Center of Excellence will partner on an educator workshop designed to introduce teachers to ongoing debates centered on the reform of European and US social welfare and entitlement programs. Teachers will learn about the shared challenges European and US social welfare systems face in an era of aging populations and rising health care costs, along with the different mix of government and market solutions being considered to tackle these problems. The Policy Forum format seeks to demonstrate ways in which educators can then frame these debates for students in the classroom.

The workshop includes 8 clock hours, parking, teaching materials and dinner at a local European restaurant.

A limited number of travel grants are available to eligible teachers to help defray transportation and/or lodging costs for those who attend from outside the Seattle Metro area. Please check the box on the registration form for more information about the availability of these travel grants. These opportunities are made possible by generous grants from the US Department of Education and the Delegation of the European Union to the USA.
For more information and to download the registration form please visit http://jsis.washington.edu/cwes/communityresources/teacherworkshop.shtml

Registration closes at 4:00 PM on Thursday, August 5.

They advanced to the April 27 finals by winning the Midwest preliminary round last month against four other teams from Illinois, Iowa and Indiana at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.”

Read the full article from the Wisconsin State Journal!

The University of Colorado at Boulder European Union Center of Excellence, with support from the University of Washington European Union Center of Excellence, presents:

2011 Western U.S. Graduate Research Workshop on the European Union
May 13-14, 2011
University of Colorado at Boulder

The European Union Centers of Excellence in Seattle, Washington and Boulder, Colorado are pleased to announce and solicit applications for the Western United States Graduate Research Workshop on the European Union, to be held at the University of Colorado at Boulder on May 13-14, 2011.

The workshop advances two direct aims: to provide a forum for US-based graduate students at the dissertation level to present their EU-focused research to an audience of knowledgeable, supportive, yet critical faculty and peers; and to provide methodological instruction to students in a way that is relevant to European Union-related work. Instruction will be organized around and informed by the research problems and opportunities presented by the EU and European integration. Professors James Caporaso (University of Washington) and Joseph Jupille (University of Colorado) will be responsible for organizing and conducting the workshops. A more general goal is to improve EU research in the United States by building a strong cadre of students with some sense of a shared project and a commitment to carry out sound research with an eye toward completion of the degree and publication of research results.

Doctoral students with approved EU-focused dissertation topics in any academic field and enrolled at institutions in the may apply to attend the workshop. Applicants should submit a 5-page research proposal and curriculum vitae, to be sent by email to ceuce@colorado.edu. Applicants should also solicit letters of recommendation from two faculty members familiar with their research. These can be emailed directly to Felicia Martinez at ceuce@colorado.edu. The deadline for receipt of application materials has been extended to April 8, 2011.

Graduate students selected to participate in the 2011 workshop will be expected to give a formal presentation of their research proposal and participate in all planned workshop activities. Students will receive up to $300 reimbursement for a round trip economy airfare from their home cities to Boulder, along with two nights’ hotel and most meals. This workshop is made possible by the generous funding of the European Union Delegation to the United States through the EU Centers of Excellence program, establishing the Network of European Union Centers of Excellence.

Please address inquiries to the EU Centers of Excellence in Seattle (euc@uw.edu, tel. 206-616-2415) and/or in Boulder (ceuce@colorado.edu, tel. 303-492-4314).

Conference participants may upload their papers, and papers already uploaded may be browsed at the EUCE EUSA Papers Archive.

» Read the press release.

The EU Studies Summer Program in Brussels offers US students the opportunity to study the emergence of a united Europe in its dynamic heart.

Running from July 11 to August 12, the program will consist of two courses plus an EU simulation for a total of 12 quarter credits (or 8 semester credits). The Program is co-administered by the European Commission-sponsored EU Center of Excellence at the University of Washington (Seattle) and is hosted by the Institute for European Studies, Universite’ Libre de Bruxelles (ULB).

This five-week program features lectures and seminars by leading experts on the EU from both sides of the Atlantic, as well as site visits to major EU institutions and organizations involved in European integration. In addition, the program is supplemented by cultural and social events in and around the city, as well as a field trip to Luxembourg.

New for 2011, participating students will receive a Benelux tour-rail pass. Brussels’ central location allows students to easily explore the area’s rich history and culture at their own pace. The city is famous for its excellent dining, and the program will include two special group dinners. Field trip costs are covered by program fees. Discover the new Europe through the EU Studies Program in Brussels!

Program Courses and Credits: The program includes two courses: “Current EU Policy Debates” taught by Dr. Arista Cirtautas (University of Washington), and “EU Institutions: Views from inside the Brussels Complex” taught by Dr. Peter Hobbing (former Principal Administrator, European Commission). In addition, students will participate in a European Union simulation. The two courses are 5 credits each and the EU simulation is 2 credits. Students will be awarded 12 UW credits upon successful completion of the program.

Costs and Financial Aid: The program fee for 2011 is $2,675. The program fee includes instructional costs, the Benelux tour-rail pass, program trips & events. The program fee does not include airfare, meals, textbooks, personal expenses or the fees charged by IPE: $250 for UW students or $450 for non-UW students.

Grant funding is available on a competitive basis to students on this program. UW students are eligible to apply for the quarterly International Programs & Exchanges (IPE) scholarship. Non-UW students may also qualify for funding from their home institution.

Applications and More Information: Additional information, as well as application procedures and deadlines, can be found on the program’s website: http://jsis.washington.edu/euc/brussels/

The application deadline is March 11, 2011

These grants are limited to projects dealing with U.S.-EU relations or EU affairs and are open to US citizens with 2 years of relevant experience. The value of the award is 3,000 USD per month and a 2,000 travel grant. Deadlines are in August and October each year for US scholars and students respectively. For more information visit:
Fulbright Schuman Homepage
Grants for US Citizens