The IES 2005 Activity Report
The first five-year term expired,
and the Institute is proud to see that the Flemish Government
Agreement with University has been extended with a further five years.
A lot of new developments this year: First and foremost: a larger autonomy. Since mid-2005, the IES no longer operates under the auspices of the Faculty of Law, but directly under the general VUB Board. This was necessary if the Institute was to adhere to its interdisciplinary character. Subsequently - and second novelty this year - a new IES Board was formed, following up on the new governance structure that was derived from its extended autonomy.
A new academic director and three senior research fellows form the scientific backbone of the Institute. They are starting to take up their role as coordinators of research for the ten (and soon more) researchers within IES premises. Above all, however, they are the initiators of the many activities that the IES has undertaken in 2005.
Finally, we have been fortunate to be able to move premises - a hope we expressed since 2003. In the fall of 2005, the Institute moved to larger facilities across campus, necessary to accommodate the growing number of collaborators.
It gives me great pleasure to be involved in this dynamic and growing Institute and I am confident that this activity report may convince you why this is so. Our institute has grown to full maturity, and following the adjustments to its course in 2004, we are confident that it has all potential to keep on the right track.
Prof. Dr. Bart De Schutter
President IES
2005 was a turning point for the Institute. The IES implemented a new research strategy, moved to new premises, received larger autonomy from university, created a new government structure, appointed a new Board, welcomed a new academic director and renewed its agreement with the Flemish Government. All this was done while research and teaching continued, and while the Institute organised as many activities as before.
In the area of education, the IES continued its efforts with regard to the Programme on International Legal Cooperation. As in previous years, the PILC programme was organised under the auspices of the Law Faculty of the VUB, and in accordance with the decision of the Flemish government of 17 May 2002 led to the diploma of Master in International and Comparative Law – a diploma that was awarded to 26 students in 2005. The content of the PILC programme did not change in 2005. Although the curriculum remained the same, PILC welcomed a new lecturer. The two lecture series organised by the IES were part of the programme in 2005 under the auspices of the PILC director.
The IES also organised its second Summer School on the European Decision-Making Process. Just like last year the summer school was organised for one week in Brussels and one week in Vienna in cooperation with the Universität Wien and the Diplomatische Akademie Wien. The summer school was organised in September, but this time without the financial support of the European Commission.
In the area of research, the IES started two new research projects on its own budget. Thus, in January, two new researchers started on the projects “How real is CFSP? A retroductive analyses of the EU’s actorness in world politics” and “The EU after the Constitutional Treaty: effective and legitimate?”. On top of this, the Institute managed to attract various external projects, albeit less than in 2004. One additional researcher was employed for one year, while two others worked for a few months in 2005.
In the scientific services area, the IES continued its efforts to organise lecture series every semester. In 2005 both the one on “Multiculturalism in the EU”, organised by senior research fellow Richard Lewis, and the one on “European Foreign and Security Policy after 9/11”, organised by senior research fellow Giovanna Bono, were very succesful. The lecture series will give rise to two new books in the IES publication series (to be published in 2006). The latter started in 2004 with the publication of two volumes, and was further enriched with a new publication in 2005: “Understanding the European Constitution” (Lewis / De Gucht / Van Thiel eds.), derived from the lecture series of last year.
The IES organised a total of 24 scientific events in 2005. In addition it collaborated in the organisation of two colloquia in cooperation with other institutions. One further international conference was postponed from November 2005 to February 2006, and the scheduled Euro-Atlantic Dialogue Conference to be held in New York was also postponed to early next year due to unforeseen circumstances.
A few figures:
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A total of 6 externally financed projects were carried out by the IES, whilst the Institute was successful in joining the Networks of Excellence “GARNET”, “REVGOV” and “EPIGOV” in the 6th framework programme of DG Research.
Financially speaking, the expenses of the IES remained within budget and the Institute was able to round off the year with a limited surplus.
Anthony Antoine
Executive Director
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| report2005-lr.pdf | 1.88 MB |
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