The "Interdisciplinary Centre for European Studies" (ICES) at the European University of Flensburg (EUF) was officially opened with a ceremony on Friday 16th March 2018.

"European integration is a multi-faceted process that is constantly changing society, politics and culture, and ICES has set itself the goal of identifying and researching these processes through the different perspectives and methods of social sciences and humanities," outlined the director of the Institute Centre, Prof. Dr. Monika Eigmüller, European sociologist and Vice President for Europe and International Affairs at the EUF. It is true that the opening of a research centre
that deals centrally with questions of European integration in politics, economics, culture and society, seems almost anachronistic in view of the current disintegration movements. Yet: "the future of the European project is not that bleak," Eigmüller predicts, referring to a recent study that said that identification with the EU is still high and
confidence in the EU institutions is on the rise again.

The new research centre expands and deepens the European scientific orientation of the European University of Flensburg. It establishes European research in the state of Schleswig-Holstein with the aim of bringing European scientific expertise into national politics and exchanging ideas with political decision-makers. "European research in
Schleswig-Holstein has no tradition so far, and the foundation of the ICES should change that," emphasised Monika Eigmüller.

Following the opening of the Centre for Education, Teaching, Education and Socialization Research (ZeBUSS) in November 2016, ICES will be the second profiling centre of the EUF. Prof. Dr. Werner Reinhart, president of the
EUF, pointed out that the centre is also open to students, as "university is first created by students." Against the backdrop of the current increase in right-wing populist and Eurosceptic parties, he also laid out the task of the centre politically: "The ICES is the Flensburg answer of science to Donald Trump and Brexit and Viktor Orban and AfD.
The sociologists have interpreted Europe differently, what is important is to change it. "
(Source: excerpts from the press release of the EUF, Kathrin Fischer)

Date:         March 16, starting from: 10:30 am

Location:   Europa-Universität Flensburg, Building Helsinki, room 160

Programm: