York University has been awarded a grant to establish a European Union Centre of Excellence(EUCE). Recognized for the excellence, breadth and depth of its European Union (EU) studies and scholarly activities, York will receive funding of $480,000 over three years to integrate the University’s existing research, teaching, outreach and networking activities on Europe and the European Union (EU), and introduce and facilitate new activities on the EU and EU-Canada relations.

York is recognized as a leader in European studies and has been actively building its concentration in EU studies. Over the past few years, York has attracted numerous new European-focused faculty appointments across a variety of disciplines, including law, political science, business, public administration and humanities. The hub of this activity has been the Canadian Centre for German & European Studies (CCGES), whose affiliated faculty and staff form a natural constituency and administrative backbone for the activities planned by the new EUCE.

“We are tremendously proud of York’s leadership and research excellence in European studies,” said Stan Shapson, vice-president research & innovation. “The activities of the EUCE will promote understanding and knowledge of the European Union as a major player in the global political and economic system, and will be key in promoting the importance of the EU-Canada relationship, its political, economic, security and cultural dimensions, and the widening range of global and regional issues jointly addressed by the EU and Canada.”

With this award, York joins a network of two dozen EUCEs worldwide. York’s EUCE will be hosted by CCGES and directed by Willem Maas (right), Jean Monnet Chair in European Integration and professor of political science and public & international affairs at Glendon College.

The EUCE’s multidisciplinary team also includes:

• Burkard Eberlein, policy professor in the Schulich School of Business;
• Roger Keil, director of the CITY Institute and CCGES, and a professor in the Faculty of Environmental Studies;
• Heather MacRae, professor in the Department of Political Science, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS);
• Peter McIsaac, professor in the Department of Languages, Literatures & Linguistics, (LA&PS);
• Ian Roberge, professor of political science and public & international affairs at Glendon College;
• Karen Robson, sociology professor in the Department of Sociology, (LA&PS);
• Craig Scott, director of the Nathanson Centre on Transnational Human Rights, Crime & Security, and professor in Osgoode Hall Law School;
• Dagmar Soennecken, professor in the School of Public Policy & Administration, (LA&PS);
• Leah Vosko, Canada Research Chair in Feminist Political Economy and professor in the Department of Political Science, (LA&PS);
• Robert Wai, professor in Osgoode Hall Law School;
• Peer Zumbansen, Canada Research Chair in the Transnational & Comparative Law of Corporate Governance and professor in Osgoode Hall Law School.

About the European Union Centres of Excellence

Established in 1998 by the European Union, the network of European Union Centres of Excellence in universities provides information and education about the European Union. In Canada, the objectives of the EU Centres are to increase awareness about the political, economic and cultural importance of the EU-Canada relationship, to promote greater understanding in Canada of the European Union and its policies, and to disseminate information and publicize EU views on issues of interest within regional communities.