The member of the Institute of European Studies, Dr Ana Mar Fernandez Pasarín, will coordinate Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence in European Global Policies (EUGLOB) at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, which will start in the coming months. Other researchers of the Institute will also participate in the project, such as Dr Cristina Blasi, Dr Lidia Ballesta and Dr Josep Maria de Dios.

This project builds upon the intense and successful work developed by the Jean Monnet Chair in European Policies (EUPOL) since 2018 (Jean Monnet Chairs 2018-2021 and 2022-2025) at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and aims at its structural consolidation. It also builds upon the outstanding track and project leadership developed by the Institute of European Studies, the Government and Governance Consolidated Research Group, the Global Intel Research Group, the EUCONAS Jean Monnet Module (2019-2022) and the Observatory of European Foreign Policy for the last 15 years. The project also to reinforce the extensive inter-universities collaboration and joint activities already developed by the EUPOL Jean Monnet Chair within the framework of the Jean Monnet Spanish Partnership (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and Universidad Carlos III Madrid) launched in 2022, to strengthen the Jean Monnet epistemic community in Spain.

Overall, the main rationale of the project is to decisively expand knowledge on the EU’s actorness as a global policy and law shaper in challenging areas of policy-making. The perspective we propose is threefold. First, put emphasis on the historical transcendence of the European Union as a unique political organisation. Second, enlighten the system of government and governance of the EU with particular attention on policy-making (formulation, negotiation, adoption and implementation). And third, demonstrate the scope and value of European public action across new and challenging global outreach. This focus aims at giving to both European and non-European citizens a better knowledge on the meaning and transcendence of a united Europe, and by doing so, at reinforcing the basis of European legitimacy within and beyond the EU borders. Our targeted audience includes school (primary and secondary) and university students, junior researchers (EU and non-EU citizens) as well as civil society, media and political elites.

We could not be more excited of this achievement and we would like to congratulate Dr Ana Mar for the excellent proposal she submitted!