JEAN MONNET EUROPEAN CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE

About

JEAN MONNET PROJECTS

1. The Civil Society Project

This is a five-year Jean Monnet European Centre of Excellence Project.  In its first year, (Oct 2004- Sep 2005) the Project focused on Anti-Discrimination, Inclusion and Equality in Malta.  The focus of the second year was on The Family, Law, Religion and Society in the European Union and Malta.  This Project is now in its third year, and the theme this year is Ethics in Business and the Mediterranean.  We are pleased to announce that CDs of the first two years of the Project including the Civil Society Project Report and the papers presented at the Conference are now available on the Projects and Research page.
Further details

2. MESA Project

Following the successful completion of the Malta European Studies Association (MESA) Project as the National European Community Studies Association, the EDRC has recently been awarded another Project for the next five years.  Details of this this new Project shall be available shortly. 

Under the "old" MESA programme the EDRC organised six seminars a year on current issues.  These used to be very well attended by the MESA members.   The proceedings of the seminars have been published, and a list is available on http://home.um.edu.mt/edrc/mesa/publications.html
Proceedings of the latest seminars are now available online.

3. Annual EDRC Conference

The EDRC organises an annual Conference.  This Conference used to be held around April in conjunction with the MESA Project and the Jean Monnet Chair Project, the proceedings of which are published.  The full list of EDRC publications is available on: http://home.um.edu.mt/edrc/publications/

The history of the annual conference can be summarised as concentrating on the following topical issues:

• the EU legal order and institutions; 
• changes in the political and economic framework such as monetary union; 
• the individual in the EU; 
• Malta’s position in pre-accession and post-accession as a Mediterranean partner, and as a small state; and 
• on the EU Constitution’s content with its legal, economic, political and cultural implications. 

Now that the Jean Monnet Chair Project and the "old" MESA Project are concluded, a Civil Society Conference is organised every September, following the publication of the Civil Society Project Report in June/July.  The Conferences organised so far are:
- Working For an Inclusive Society (15th September 2005)
- Family Values in the European Union and Malta (19th September 2006)
Links to the CDs of the papers presented at both Conferences and the respective Reports are available in the Projects and Research page of this site.

4. The Dialogue Project

The full title of this two-year Project is The Role of Intercultural Dialogue for the Development of a new (plural, democratic) citizenship.
In this Project the EDRC is participating as one of the four partner institutions, and Prof. Antonio Papisca of the University of Padova is co-ordinating this Project.  Following a number of group meetings, a Conference in March 2006, and a Final Conference in 2007 the papers of all Working Groups shall be published.
Further details

5. The EU-Med Project

The EU-MED Project, which has recently been finalised was a two-year project based on a research network. This network discussed particular problems faced by the Mediterranean such as security, terrorism, economic inclusion, human rights, democracy and gender equality.  The researchers, who came from Mediterranean and European countries, met once a year for a Conference in September, the proceedings of which have been published. 
Further details

COURSES

The EDRC is a research, consultancy and teaching centre in European Policy Studies. Interest in European Studies has grown impressively over the years, especially following Malta’s accession to the EU.  However, this does not mean that the student population is entirely Maltese.  There is a growing number of international students, who are attracted by the relatively low enrolment fees; the study-units incorporating legal, economic and political perspectives; the climate; and the University facilities. 

The EDRC organises the following courses in European Studies at the University of Malta: 

Bachelor of European Studies                            3 years 
Bachelor of European Studies Honours             3 years 
Master of Philosophy (M.Phil)                           15/30 months 
Master of Arts (M.A.)                                        12/24 months

The Bachelor and Master of Arts programmes of study are based on taught courses and a dissertation. The M.Phil is by thesis only. 
Further details

ADMISSION AND SPECIAL COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Prospective candidates shall be required to indicate their choice of either the B. Eur. Studies or the B. Eur. Studies (Honours) course.  To be registered as regular students in either course, applicants must: 

1. satisfy the General Entry Requirements of the University, namely the Matriculation Certificate and Secondary Education Certificate passes at Grade 5 or better in Maltese, English Language and Mathematics and satisfy the following Special Course Requirement: 

• A Pass at Intermediate Level in English 

NOTE FOR INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS

International applicants must contact the International Office before      submitting their application. 
Website:  http://www.um.edu.mt/intoff/
E-mail:    intoff@um.edu.mt 

CAREER PROSPECTS

European Studies’ graduates are “specialised generalists” in European Studies.  Career opportunities for these graduates are influenced by the fact that Malta joined the European Union on May 1st 2004 and the demand for this specialisation increases in many sectors of Maltese society. 

The higher the specialisation in the area the more work opportunities one can have.  Currently, several B. Eur Studies (Hons.) graduates are furthering their studies in Malta and abroad.  In Malta, European Studies graduates, journalists, civil servants, and teachers follow the M.A. in European Studies. 

European Studies’ graduates have work opportunities in the civil service as EU desk officers; in Malta’s Diplomatic Services starting as Second Secretary, and in other governmental bodies.  Many European Studies graduates have found employment with the EU institutions in Brussels. 

Local industries may also benefit from EU specialists who will research information about EU policy and legislation and assess their impact on particular industries.  While large businesses may employ EU specialists on a full-time basis, small industries may make use of EU consultants. 

European Studies graduates may work in Malta and abroad.  Apart from employment in embassies and in the EU institutions in Brussels, they have the opportunity to work in international organisations such as UNESCO and the Council of Europe. 

EUROPEAN DOCUMENTATION CENTRE

The EDRC also hosts the European Documentation Centre [EDC] a comprehensive collection of treaties, legislation, documentation, reports and studies published by the European Commission and other institutions of the European Union. The EDC is open to the public, and its activities in the information field are ever growing. 
Further details

THE EDRC BOARD

Chairman: Prof. Peter G. Xuereb 
Director:  Prof. Roderick Pace 

Members -  Appointed by Senate:
Prof. Dominic Fenech 
Prof. J. V. Bannister 

Member - Appointed by Council:
Prof. Joe Friggieri

Co-opted by the Board: 
Prof. Stephen Calleya 
Ms. Rose Marie Azzopardi
Dr. Paul Heywood 
Dr. Edward Warrington 
Mr. Mark Harwood 

Support Staff
Ms. Anna Saliba - Administrative Assistant 
Ms. Joanne Muscat Dip. Youth Studies - Executive Officer
Ms. Amanda Cardona B.A. (Hons.) - Clerk

This page was last updated on  9th June 2008