The IES 2008 Activity Report
Introducing the IES 2008 Activity Report
First and foremost, our Institute organised a three-day conference on “The EU in International Affairs”, with which it proved to be a serious player in the international research arena. With various Belgian and international institutes involved, and more than 200 researchers and renowned scholars flying in from all over the world, the conference was a true success, which we will build upon with a bi-annual conference series on this topic.
Almost simultaneously, the IES also needed to find solutions for its growth, as our collaborators started to experience the limits of the premises that were temporarily rented three years ago. With four more researchers starting, and with an increase in the number of activities and external research projects, the IES moved to new and larger premises at the end of May.
Following a decision of the University Board at the end of 2007, the Institute also became responsible for the Advanced Master ‘European Integration and Development’, organised by the Faculty of Economics, Social and Political Science. This programme now coexists with the LL.M. International and European Law for which the IES gained responsibility in 2002. Throughout the year, the Institute explored ways of streamlining both programmes and finding synergies; it oversaw the quality of both programmes as to ensure their continuity in a changing financial landscape.
Prof. Dr. Bart De Schutter
President IES
If the IES claimed to be at cruising speed in 2007, the Institute shifted gears to accelerate even faster in 2008.
The benchmarks, set out in the strategic plan issued in 2006, were all met and the IES was even able to obtain more funding from external resources than initially planned.
In the field of education, the Institute obtained similar coordinating capacity for the Advanced MA European integration and development (the so-called Euromaster), as it had had for the LL.M. International and European Law for which it has held responsibility for the past six years. Although this additional responsibility had been given to the IES in late 2007, the programme only started daily management in 2008.
Both programmes remain under the academic responsibility of their respective faculties (the Faculty of Economics, Sociology and Political Science on the one hand, and the Faculty of Law and Criminology on the other) yet the IES especially coordinates recruitment, enrollment and other administrative functions. Both programmes also follow similar decisionmaking rules and procedures.
In the LL.M International and European Law, 32 diplomas were delivered at the end of the academic year 2007-2008, herewith reaching the benchmark of 30 diplomas foreseen in the strategic plan for 2006-2010. The IES also delivered 19 diplomas in the MA European Integration and Development.
In the field of research, the Institute started one new research project in the field of European Foreign and Security Policy. Following a call from 2007, the IES also employed one PhD researcher in the field of Migration, Asylum and Human Rights. In the field of Environment and Sustainable Development, two more researchers commenced their doctoral research (of which one on an externally funded project).
The Institute was particularly proud to witness one researcher finish his PhD research in 2008. Stephen Sevidzem Kingah obtained the title of “Doctor in Law” in October 2008 and is the first IES student to finish his doctoral research work. After temporary work at the European Commission, Dr. Kingah may return to the IES in 2009.
In collaboration with the Academic Director, the IES’ four Senior Research Fellows continued to supervise PhD research in their respective clusters. In turn, this led to further academic publications (33 articles, two books, five working papers, and 15 conference papers). In the IES Book series, two new volumes were published in 2008.
The IES continued its Research Colloquia, which took place 17 times in the past year. The Research Colloqiua are organized to enable IES researchers to present their findings and to obtain information on research methodology and PhD-writing. In addition, the Institute also continued to organise Environmental Policy Fora. Four of those were organised in collaboration with the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP). One seminar also took place on European Media Policy. Its success will lead to more seminars on this topic throughout 2009.
A few figures:
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In academic services, the IES organised a major internatioinal conference in April 2008. The three-day conference on “The EU in International Affairs” consisted of several academic and policy-link panels, and attracted over 200 scholars and policymakers worldwide. For this event, the IES worked together with several renowned institutions, primarily with the Université Libre de Bruxelles, the Egmont Royal Institute for International Relations and the United Nations University Programme for Comparative Regional Integration Studies.
The IES also organised two lecture series (one on European Media Policy and one the EU and the fight agains climate change), the aforementioned research colloquia, policy fora and workshops. It also hosted six lectures on the EU and NATO, organised a “European week” for secondary school students, and co-organised, in collaboration with VUB’s Tax Law Department, a conference on European local taxes.
As in previous years, the IES also organised a summer school on the European decisionmaking process, in collaboration with the University of Vienna and the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna. For the University of Southern California, it also organised a summer school on European Security and Defence Policy.
Through an external research grant from the German Marshall Fund, the IES also organised a conference on migration issues in Detroit. Seizing the opportunity of exploring new collaboration possibilities in Asia, the IES benefited from the Royal visit to India to organise an academic workshop on European issues.
Taking into account all these activities, the IES organised a total of 56 events, ranging from afternoon meetings over three-day international conferences to five-week-long summer schools.
Financially, the Institute is healthy and can look back at an increased external income through the acquisition of research grants and consultancy or teaching/training funds. Through the increased grant by the Flemish Government, the IES will also be able to consolidate its activities and to strenghten and broaden its research potential. At a meeting in August 2008, IES Management and Senior Research staff reflected on how to best do this and gave the IES new impetus for further growth.
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IES is a Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence at the
Vrije Universiteit Brussel. Email: ies@vub.ac.be