In September 2022, the Institute for European Studies (IES) of the UCLouvain Saint-Louis Bruxelles was awarded the title of Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence. This recognition, which testifies to the quality of the activities carried out by the IEE, is part of the European Commission’s Erasmus+ programme which aims to foster excellence in teaching and research in the field of European Union studies, as well as dialogue between universities, civil society and policy makers.
We are delighted to announce that the Centre of Excellence officially started its activities on 1 September. Over the next three years (2022-2025), the Centre of Excellence will conduct teaching and research activities on the theme “Un-Muting Europe” (EUNMUTE). It will also engage in a dialogue with political actors and civil society on that issue.
The objective of the EUNMUTE project is to explore the capacity of the European Union to make the voice heard of the “muted”, namely those categories of people (or other living beings) who are usually insufficiently heard or defended at the national political level. By so doing, the project will question the conditions for improving the quality of democracy in Europe.
The EUNMUTE Centre of Excellence is an interdisciplinary platform centered on law, political science, political theory and sociology. It will enable academics, students, policy makers and civil society actors to debate and better understand the role of the European Union in addressing five of the most important societal challenges of our time:
- safeguarding the rule of law
- ensuring inclusiveness
- preserving climate and natural resources
- fostering a digital future for Europe
- strengthening democracy
The activities of the EUNMUTE Centre of Excellence will be announced through our newsletter, on the IES website, but also on social networks.