WRITTEN QUESTION E-0490/01

by Daniel Hannan (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(22 February 2001)

Subject: Jean Monnet Chairs and Centres

What are the criteria for establishing Jean Monnet Chairs and Centres?

Does the Commission review the nature of the material taught rather than simply assess the volume bearing a European element? Does it assess the history of the staff in terms of their longstanding commitment to teaching about Europe?

What is meant by European integration studies in this context?

Can the Commission provide me with a list of those Centres and Chairs in the United Kingdom and their course curricula?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(26 April 2001)

1. The same basic criteria apply to the setting up of Jean Monnet Chairs and Jean Monnet Centres of excellence: the scientific quality and excellence of the project proposed; the feasibility of the project at the level of the university; the teaching content and activities dealing specifically and entirely with European integration issues.

A Jean Monnet Chair corresponds to a full time teaching post entirely devoted to the teaching of European integration. A Jean Monnet Centre of excellence is a framework or structure, provided with a visible label (the title Jean Monnet), within which one or several universities may pool their scientific, human and documentary resources relating to European integration issues.

2. Concerning the assessment of the project by the Commission, it should be noted that the selection procedure involves an independent academic body, the European University Council for the Jean Monnet Project, which represents the rectors/vice-chancellors of universities and the professors specialised in European integration matters.

This body, composed of nine members, advises the Commission through recommendations on each proposed project. This body is also responsible afterwards for the academic follow-up of the Jean Monnet projects.

At the time of the selection, and as already mentioned, two main criteria apply:

- the scientific quality of the project, assessed for the Jean Monnet Chair on the basis of the proposed teaching programme (which must be devoted entirely to European integration matters), the curriculum vitae of the proposed titleholder together with his/her list of publications (both showing a rather longstanding commitment to European integration teaching and researching);

- the academic feasibility of the project at the level of the university, especially important regarding the implementation of Jean Monnet Centres of excellence which must demonstrate an involvement of all the teaching staff specialised in European integration issues, an effort of synergy and co-ordination between the different disciplines, the proposal for new and original activities aimed at civil society, regional involvement, etc.

3. The term European integration studies is taken to mean the study of the construction of Europe and its related institutional, legal, political, economic and social developments i.e. the study of the phenomenon of the integration process as the subject of policies at the level of the European institutions and of the repercussions at the European and/or national level.

The Jean Monnet targets disciplines in which Community developments are an increasingly important part of the subject studied, i.e.:

- Community law;

- European economic integration;

- European political integration;

- history of the European construction process.

4. A list of the 13 Jean Monnet Centres of excellence awarded in the United Kingdom since 1998, together with the names of the professors in charge of co-ordinating these centres, and a list of the 102 Jean Monnet Chairs in United Kingdom, with the title of the Chair, discipline and specialisation of each professor is also available on the Europa website at the following address: http://europa.eu.int/comm/dg10/university/ajm.