Wolfgang Wessels
Wolfgang Theodor Wessels (born 19 January 1948 in Cologne) is a German political scientist, currently holding the Jean Monnet Chair ad personam for Political Science since 1990 and Director of the Centre for Turkey and European Union Studies (CETEUS) at the University of Cologne. Life. Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Wessels earned a Master's Degree in Economic and Political Science (1973), a doctorate in political science from the University of Cologne (1979) and was also awarded Venia legendi in Political Science of the University of Bonn in 1990. In 2011 he was awarded for 'Lifetime Achievement in Contemporary European  Studies' by the University Association for Contemporary European Studies (UACES). In 2015 he was honored with the “Universitätspreis Forschung“ by the University of Cologne for his excellence in research and in 2016 with the “Vision for Europe” award by the Prague European Summit. Being the director of CETEUS Prof. Wessels is able to continue the work of the former Jean Monnet Chair for European Politics with a focus on research and teaching in EU and Turkey related affairs. CETEUS’ activities at the University of Cologne benefit from a strong and broad EU-Turkey network and longstanding tradition in teaching EU  studies of the staff of the former Jean Monnet Chair for European Politics. He is also a co-editor of the “Jahrbuch der Europäischen Integration” (38th Edition) and the “Europa von A-Z, Taschenbuch der europäischen Integration” (14th Edition) and has published widely in leading journals and edited volumes. In 2016 he published his latest monography "The European Council" (Palgrave Macmillan). He is involved in several research and teaching networks such as FEUTURE. What is more, Prof. Wessels is the Chairman of the Executive Board of the Institut für Europäische Politik (IEP, Berlin). Since 2010 he is Vice-President of  the German consortium for the foundation of the Turkish-German University, Istanbul. Since 1981 he is Visiting Professor at the College of Europe, Brugge and Natolin. Furthermore, he is part time professor of the European University Institute in Florence. His interests include the European Union political system and its deepening and widening, the EU's role in the international system, governance modes and European integration strategies and theories.