European University Institute facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
European University Institute (EUI)

Type	Intergovernmental organisation
Established	1972
Budget	€93,700,000
President	Patrizia Nanz
Secretary General	Marco Del Panta
Doctoral students	Annually 130 postgraduate researchers for four years
Address	Via dei Roccettini, 9 - 50014 , Fiesole , Tuscany, Italy
Campus	San Domenico di Fiesole

The European University Institute (EUI) is a special university for students who have already finished their first degree. It's a place for advanced studies and research. The EUI was created by different countries working together. Its goal is to help grow knowledge in social sciences, especially from a European point of view. You can find its main campus in the beautiful hills above Florence, in Fiesole, Italy.

The EUI gets its money from the countries that are part of it, the European Union, and from its own projects. These projects include research funding and working with public and private groups.

One of the most important things the EUI does is its PhD programs. Every year, about 130 new PhD students join. They study subjects like Economics, History, Law, and Political and Social Sciences. The EUI also has some master's programs and special courses for professionals. Students and researchers come from over 90 different countries, making it a very international place.

Since 1993, the EUI has been home to the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies. This center looks at important issues facing Europe. It does research and helps connect academic ideas with real-world policy decisions. In 2017, the EUI also started the School of Transnational Governance (STG). This school offers graduate programs and training for leaders.

History of the EUI

The European University Institute (EUI) was started in 1972. It was founded by the countries that were part of the European Community at that time.

The idea for a European institute began way back in 1948 at a meeting in The Hague. Later, in 1955, during a meeting about the European Coal and Steel Community, a German official suggested creating a training center. This center would focus on nuclear sciences.

The idea didn't move forward much until 1969. Then, European leaders met again in The Hague. They decided to fund a European University Institute in Florence. By this time, the idea had changed. Instead of nuclear science, it would focus on human sciences. It would also help different countries share their cultures.

Plans were made in 1970 and 1971. It was decided that the institute would be for students doing advanced studies, not just a regular university.

The first six member countries – Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands – signed an agreement in 1972. This agreement officially created the EUI. It was meant to be a key place for research and development. The EUI opened its doors in 1976 to its first 70 researchers. Its main goal, set in the 1970s, is to "help learning grow in areas important for Europe's development."

More countries joined the European Community later, like Denmark, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. They also joined the EUI agreement. In 1992, a new agreement was signed by 12 countries to update the EUI's rules. This new agreement fully started in 2007.

Today, countries that join the EUI must be members of the European Union. As of December 2023, almost all EU countries are part of the EUI. Only Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, and Lithuania are not yet members.

What Students Study

The EUI has different departments where students can do their advanced studies.

Department of Economics

The EUI's Economics Department helps PhD students and Master's students get the training they need. This training prepares them for successful careers in universities or other research groups.

The PhD program helps students build a strong base for jobs in academics or in research departments. It offers high-level courses to give them this background. Students learn a lot by taking part in events and discussions. The main goal is to prepare students with deep knowledge of economics. They will be ready for the challenges faced by scholars and policymakers.

Department of History and Civilisation

The History and Civilisation Department (HEC) offers a program focused on European history. It looks at history across different countries and compares them. The teachers come from many different cultures.

The department mostly studies the history of Europe from the late medieval period to today. It looks at Europe's place in the world. They study history in a broad way, including how societies and economies changed. They also look at cultural, scientific, and intellectual developments. This helps them understand Europe's past and how it affects the present and future.

The History Department also holds a summer school each year. It explores the topic of Global and Transnational History.

Department of Law

The EUI Department of Law wants to help develop Europe's knowledge and culture. It offers a fully funded PhD program and a Master of Laws (LLM) degree. Through a special program called ASPIRE, students from developing countries can also get a funded PhD in Law at the EUI.

Students here study important legal challenges. These include European law, public law, private law, international law, and economic law. They can do PhD research on social, cultural, political, and economic topics. Students get practice presenting their work. They are also encouraged to join conferences and working groups.

The Academy of European Law (AEL) also offers advanced summer courses. These courses cover Human Rights Law and EU Law. The AEL also helps run the European Society of International Law and publishes books.

Department of Political and Social Sciences

The EUI's Department of Political and Social Sciences (SPS) studies how politics and society change in Europe. This includes changes within countries, regions, and across borders. The department looks at four main areas: how different countries' politics compare, how societies work (sociology), how countries interact with each other (international relations), and ideas about society and politics.

The PhD program lasts four years. Students take courses on different research methods in their first two years. They usually do fieldwork and collect data in their second and third years. Most graduates go on to work in universities or get policy jobs in international groups.

Since 2019, the department also holds a summer academy. It focuses on democracy and society in Europe.

Florence School of Transnational Governance

The Florence School of Transnational Governance (STG) started in 2017. Its goal is to make global public policy better for everyone. It's located in a beautiful building in Florence. The STG is a place where academics, civil society groups, policymakers, businesses, NGOs, and the media can meet and share ideas.

The STG's work has four main parts: a Master's degree in Transnational Governance, training for leaders, special fellowships, and events.

The STG also has six main programs. These include the European Digital Media Observatory and the European Media and Information Fund.

Fighting False Information

The STG helps fight against false information (disinformation). It coordinates the European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO) and the European Media and Information Fund (EMIF).

EDMO brings together fact-checkers, scholars, media groups, online platforms, and people who teach media literacy. They all work together to stop disinformation.

EMIF gives money to researchers, fact-checkers, and non-profit groups. These groups work on studying disinformation and making people better at understanding media and checking facts.

Special Centers and Programs

A display table associated with the Florence School of Regulation in 2012.

The Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies

The Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies was started by the EUI in 1993. It aims to be a research center that combines different subjects and focuses on policy. It is named after Robert Schuman, one of the people who helped create the EU. The center has grown a lot over the years. Now, over 300 people work there. They do research on political challenges facing Europe and the EU today. They also bring together academics and people who work in policy. The center's goal is to "help research on the big issues facing European society today." The Robert Schuman Centre has several important programs.

Global Governance Programme

The Global Governance Programme (GGP) is a big program that covers many research areas. These include international trade, development, climate change, citizenship, security, and how regions work together. It hosts many events, like big conferences and policy discussions.

Florence School of Regulation (FSR)

The Florence School of Regulation (FSR) is a top center for research, training, and policy discussions. It started in 2004. The FSR works closely with the European Commission. The school organizes events about rules and regulations. It also trains professionals, does research on regulations, and helps people share ideas about energy, climate, transport, and water.

European Governance and Politics Programme (EGPP)

The European Governance and Politics Programme (EGPP) is an international center for studying Europe's politics. It combines strong theories with real data to understand how European integration affects national politics. It started in 2018.

Migration Policy Centre (MPC)

The Migration Policy Centre (MPC) was founded in 2012. It does research on global migration, asylum, and people moving around. It helps governments in Europe and worldwide. This includes helping to create and check policies related to migration.

Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom (CMPF)

The Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom (CMPF) was set up to make people more aware of media diversity and freedom in Europe. It is funded by the European Union. Experts in law, media policies, economics, and political science work here. They do research, hold debates, offer training, and share their findings. They work with academics, policymakers, and journalists.

The Florence School of Banking and Finance (FBF)

The Florence School of Banking and Finance (FBF) started in 2016. It's a European place where banking and finance experts can meet. They work to create common rules and ways of overseeing banks in the European Union.

The Schuman Centre also has special Chairs. These are named after famous experts in their fields.

Historical Archives of the EU

Fonds from the HAEU being moved.

The Historical Archives of the European Union (HAEU) were created in 1983. This happened after the European Coal and Steel Community decided to open its old records to the public.

In 1984, an agreement placed the Archives in Florence, at the EUI. In 1986, the HAEU opened its doors. It is the official place where all the old records from EU groups are kept. It also holds over 160 private collections from important European people and groups. These people played a big part in creating Europe. Since 2012, the Archives have been in Villa Salviati. You can look at their online database to find descriptions of documents, videos, and other items. You can look at the actual records in the HAEU reading room. The HAEU also helps research on European integration by offering grants.

Doctoral and Master's Programs

Doctoral Program

The EUI offers fully funded PhD programs. These are in economics, history, law, and social sciences. About 130 research grants are given out each year. These grants come from EU countries and other European authorities. A PhD from the European University Institute is recognized all over the world.

The PhD programs prepare students for great careers. They can work in universities, international groups, or in public and private jobs. The EUI has a lively academic atmosphere with many seminars and events. Leading academics and policymakers from around the world visit. Students also have access to great facilities. These include a large research library and the Historical Archives of the European Union.

The EUI also offers workshops and training to help students grow academically and professionally. There are chances for international exchange programs. The completion rate for PhDs is very high.

Grants and Fees

There are ways for PhD students to get money. Most EU countries offer grants that cover living costs and tuition fees. There are also agreements with non-EU countries. The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the EUI itself provide grants for students from other countries. Students not covered by grants need to find money from a foundation or public group. They also need to pay €15,000 each year for tuition. They must also show they have at least €1,380 per month for living costs. However, fees might be lowered or removed in some cases.

PhD grants are set and usually paid by the member countries. The EUI tries to make grants similar, but there are big differences. This includes differences in healthcare, parental leave, and other grants. The EUI pays the same grant to all fourth-year PhD students (€1,505). This is the amount it thinks is needed to live in Florence. However, some countries add more money to this.

Master's Programs

LLM Program in Comparative, European and International Laws

Since 1984, the European University Institute has offered a one-year program for law students. This program leads to a Master's degree in Comparative, European and International Law (LL.M. degree).

The LLM program is mostly focused on research. It helps students learn and practice research skills. They also prepare a big paper (dissertation). It's for students who want to improve their legal knowledge. They also learn to develop and share their academic ideas in an exciting international environment.

Master of Research in Economics

The Master of Research in Economics is a one-year program. It strongly focuses on developing research skills. It attracts students from all over the world. They are chosen very carefully based on tough entry rules. Students get to work with top international scholars through weekly seminars. They also have access to visiting professors and researchers.

Master of Transnational Governance

The Master in Transnational Governance (MTnG) is a special two-year program. It's offered by the Florence School of Transnational Governance. It aims to give students the knowledge and skills to understand how governance works beyond just one country. This program encourages students to think differently. It helps them create new and ethical solutions for governance at local, national, and international levels. Students can also study abroad for a semester at partner universities. This helps them see different international ideas. Students also do internships at important organizations like the European Parliament and the World Bank.

The Global Executive Master

The Florence School of Transnational Governance offers the Global Executive Master (GEM). This is a two-year program designed to help professionals become leaders of change. It's for people from government, private companies, and civil society. The program lets working professionals continue their education while still doing their jobs. It has four special areas: Energy and Climate, Economy and Finance, Tech and Governance, and Geopolitics and Security.

Languages at EUI

Most students and professors at the EUI speak many languages. Everyone needs to know English well. French and Italian are also often used for work. The Institute tries to support other languages when possible.

The EUI's Centre for Academic Literacies and Languages (CALL) helps students with their speaking and writing skills for academic work. It also helps them interact socially in academic settings. The CALL offers language courses in English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish all year. It can also help arrange courses in other languages if needed.

Postdoctoral Fellowships

The EUI offers several postdoctoral fellowships in the social sciences. These are for researchers who have already completed their PhD.

Max Weber Fellowships

The Max Weber Programme is Europe's largest structured program for postdoctoral researchers in the social sciences. It is funded by the European Commission.

Max Weber Fellowships are for new post-docs who want to have an academic career. They can focus on their own research and improve their academic skills in a place where many different subjects are studied. These fellowships last for one or two years. They are open to people who got their PhD in social sciences (like economics, law, political science, sociology, history) within the last five years.

Jean Monnet Fellowships

The Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies offers Jean Monnet Fellowships. These are for scholars who are in the middle or later stages of their careers. During their time at the Centre, fellows work on research that fits the Centre's goals. They also take part in the academic life of the Centre and the EUI. Jean Monnet Fellowships last for one or two years. They are open to people who received their PhD more than five years ago.

Fernand Braudel Senior Fellowships

Fernand Braudel Senior Fellowships are for established academics who are well-known internationally. They can do their research at the EUI for up to ten months. They join in activities like seminars and workshops in one of the EUI's four departments.

Skłodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowships

The EUI (its departments and the Robert Schuman Centre) can host Marie Curie Fellowships. These are given by the European Commission. The EUI helps choose candidates who want to apply for these fellowships with the EUI as their host.

Policy Leader Fellowship (PLF)

The Policy Leader Fellowship (PLF) is a program for policy professionals who are in the middle of their careers. They come from different areas like politics, government, media, and non-profit groups. During their five to ten months at the Florence School of Transnational Governance, these fellows work together. They create policy ideas and practical solutions for important global issues. They use their many years of work experience to do this. The PLF program welcomes 20 to 30 fellows each year. They must have at least 10 years of professional experience.

The program starts in September (for five or ten months) or February (for five months). Fellows receive benefits and are expected to complete their work plan on their own. They also present their progress and results during the program.

Young African Leaders Programme (YALP)

The Young African Leaders Programme (YALP) is funded by the European Commission. It's a three-month fellowship and training program each year. It aims to help bring about big changes in line with Africa's goals and the partnership between Africa and the EU. This program gives policy experts from across Africa a special chance. They can improve their policy work, professional skills, and leadership abilities.

The program is for mid-career professionals, diplomats, and policymakers. They work in various areas like government, international groups, civil society, universities, media, and private companies. It is open to African nationals living in Africa, up to 35 years old. Women and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply. The program is mainly in English, but French is used when possible. It is a full-time and fully funded program.

A short film called "African Renaissance: Young African Leaders in Florence" shows the program's vision and activities. This film won awards in 2022.

Major Events

The State of the Union

The State of the Union is a yearly meeting where important people discuss the European Union. The EUI has organized it since 2011. This conference connects academics with top policymakers in Europe. It brings together leaders, EU representatives, academics, business leaders, and civil society groups. They discuss the main challenges and opportunities facing Europe each year. Presidents, prime ministers, and leaders of the European Commission and European Parliament have all taken part.

Rankings and Reputation

The EUI is one of the top research places for social science in Europe. With about 1,000 researchers at different stages of their careers, it's also one of the largest graduate schools. It has about 90 international partners for research and exchange programs.

In 2024, the EUI was ranked 31st in the world for Politics and International Studies. It was 51st in the world for History, and 89th in the world for Law. These rankings come from the QS World University Rankings.

The EUI's Political and Social Science department was ranked 1st in Europe and 5th worldwide in a ranking from 2004. In 2009, the same department was included in the Die Zeit 'CHE Excellence Ranking' for political science.

Since 2021, the EUI's Department of Economics was ranked 14th for how well its graduates publish their research.

Campus Life

Badia Bell Tower

The European University Institute is located in Fiesole. This is on a hillside in Tuscany, looking over Florence. The main building is the Badia Fiesolana.

The campus is spread across 12 villas in the area. Many of these buildings are from the Renaissance period. They have been restored along with their beautiful gardens. The EUI campus also includes Palazzo Buontalenti in the center of Florence. This building has been home to the STG since 2021.

How the EUI is Run

The main groups that run the EUI are the High Council and the Academic Council. The High Council is made up of representatives from the member countries. The president of the institute is Professor Patrizia Nanz. She is helped by the institute's secretary general, Marco Del Panta.

Publications and Partnerships

The EUI produces its own publications, like:

• EUI Activity Report
• Annual Directory of EUI Academic Publications

The EUI Research Repository (Cadmus) holds academic papers by EUI members. Many of these are available for free online.

EUI and CIVICA Alliance

The European University Institute (EUI) is part of CIVICA. This is a big group of ten leading European universities. Together, they have 72,000 students and PhD candidates. CIVICA was chosen by the European Commission in 2019 as one of the first groups under the European Universities Initiative. It finished its first phase in 2022 and started a new four-year journey.

In 2022, over half of EUI PhD students took part in events organized by other European universities. One-third of these were within the CIVICA group. Also, more than 600 early-stage researchers from outside the EUI benefited from the Institute's programs, including those helped by CIVICA.

EUI scholars have given lectures in CIVICA's Research Excellence Tours. They talked about topics like how to manage biodiversity and how voters might be biased against politicians from immigrant backgrounds. In 2022, the EUI played a big part in CIVICA's Open Science Initiative. As part of CIVICA Research, a project on Digital Trade Integration published a free online database. This database covers rules about the digital economy in 100 countries.

EUI and the European Research Council

In 2022, the EUI hosted 13 European Research Council (ERC) grants. This included two partners in a big Synergy project.

These funded projects cover important social science and humanities topics. They look at identity, tolerance, inclusion, and solidarity. They also study the history of capitalism, globalization, financial risk, and economic ideas. And they address current challenges like digitalization, migration, democracy, risk and crisis management, and providing social welfare.

EUI and the Widening Countries

The European University Institute has a full training program. It aims to make academic excellence and research skills equal across Europe. This program includes activities to build skills. It supports researchers from early career to mid-career. It also focuses on closing knowledge gaps and encouraging international teamwork in countries that are "widening" (meaning they are newer or less developed in certain academic areas).

Alumni of the EUI

Many researchers who get their PhDs from the EUI become professors or lecturers at top universities. Some become officials in European groups and international organizations. Others work in government.

More than 30% of all EUI graduates hold senior positions in their chosen jobs. 69% of EUI graduates go on to careers in universities or research centers. 19% work in private companies or national public offices. And 12% work in international roles, joining European institutions and other international organizations.

Past Presidents

Notable Former Faculty

Notable Alumni