The Jean Monnet Programme for understanding European integration
The Jean Monnet Programme stimulates teaching, research and reflection on European integration at higher education institutions throughout the world. Since its inception, the Jean Monnet Programme has been built on the strict respect of the principle of academic autonomy and freedom.
The Jean Monnet Programme in the Lifelong Learning Programme (2007-2013)
With the adoption of the Lifelong Learning Programme, the Jean Monnet Programme has been turned into a Programme at the same level as Erasmus and Leonardo da Vinci.The Jean Monnet programme contains three distinct key activities:
- The Jean Monnet Action (support for University-level projects on European integration) includes the creation of Jean Monnet Chairs, Centres of Excellence, Modules, Information and Research activities as well as support for academic associations of professors and researchers in European integration. Jean Monnet projects are selected on the basis of their academic merits and following a process of rigorous and independent peer review.
The Jean Monnet Action was originally launched in 1989. It is currently present in 62 countries on the five continents. Between 1990 and 2008, the Action has helped to set up approximately 3,000 teaching projects in the field of European integration studies, including 141 Jean Monnet European Centres of Excellence, 775 Jean Monnet Chairs and 2,007 European modules and permanent courses. The Jean Monnet Action brings together a network of 1,500 professors, reaching audiences of 250,000 students every year.
- Support for six specific academic institutions pursuing an aim of European interest: College of Europe, European University Institute, European Institute of Public Administration, Academy of European Law, International Centre for European Training, and European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education. These six institutions do not need to apply for funding as they have been explicitly listed in the Lifelong Learning Programme by the European Parliament and the Council.
- Support for European-wide associations active at European level in the field of education and training. These European associations must be present in at least 12 EU Member States. There is a specific annual call for proposals for the selection of these associations.
High-level Jean Monnet policy reflection organised by the European Commission
In addition to these three key activities mentioned in the Lifelong Learning Programme, based on the intellectual strength of the Jean Monnet community, the Jean Monnet Programme has established a tradition of debating with the academic world in order to reflect on political issues of European integration and especially on the Dialogue between peoples and cultures. Such reflection activities are organised by the European Commission's Directorate General for Education and Culture and have taken the form of:- Jean Monnet Conferences aim to accompany the decision-making process and allow makers to benefit from academic reflection, to promote the interaction between the academic community, policy-makers and civil society, and to stimulate new thinking on a variety of policy issues;
- Jean Monnet Thematic Groups are composed of a selected number of expert Jean Monnet professors and other high-level intellectuals to discuss a particular topic of political interest with European Commission officials and Members of the European Parliament;
- Jean Monnet policy support on Intercultural Dialogue. The Jean Monnet Unit has been actively assisting the work of the "High-Level Advisory Group on the Dialogue between Peoples and Cultures in the Euro-Mediterranean Area" that was established by President Prodi (2003).
