EDRC / MESA Newsletter Issue Nbr.1
 

A WORD FROM THE CHAIRMAN

Dear All,

You will see from the contents of this Newsletter how busy we have all been and how busy we propose to remain.
I invite all of you to renew your commitment and involvement in all our activities.  Remember: it is your Centre!
I look forward to seeing you all over the course of the coming year.

Prof. Peter G. Xuereb
 

EDRC NEWS

This first issue of the EDRC/MESA Online Newsletter comes at a time when the EDRC is planning the seminars and Conferences for this year.  It promises to be a very exciting year with the Jean Monnet Civil Society Project which has moved on to its second year and is focusing this year on Family Values.  NGO experts and academics participating in this Project are studying Malta's role as a Member State in preserving traditional family values and its possible impact on the Acquis. These participants will debate issues such as the concept of the family in law, sociology and religion, the reconciliation of work and family, multiculturalism and inclusion, and will write papers that complement each other and that will be published in book form.

Also the EDRC is participating as one of four partner institutions in a new Jean Monnet Project titled "The Role of Intercultural Dialogue for the Development of a new Plural, Democaratic Citizenship."  Prof. Peter G. Xuereb the Chairman of EDRC is co-ordinating the Malta team composed of eighteen academics from across the Mediterranean who will concentrate on The Intercultural Dialogue and the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership. 

Last year the EDRC published two publications.  The Constitution for Europe: An Evaluation was published following the Conference held on 7th April 2005 in part fulfillment of the Jean Monnet Chair Project. Contents
Another book which was also published last year Anti-Discrimination, Inclusion and Equality in Malta was made available before the Conference held on 15th September 2005 so that the participants would reflect on the current situation in Malta in preparation for the forward-looking perspective of the overseas speakers during the Conference. Contents
Full list of EDRC Publications

In this issue you will find A Word from the Chairman, the EDRC News, the Accession List of books, reports and pamphlets received at the EDC as at 31st December 2005, the students' visits to the Institutions of the European Union, News and Events from Malta and Europe, Call for Papers, Grants and Courses and Competitions.
 

EUROPEAN DOCUMENTATION CENTRE (EDC) ACCESSION LIST
 

THE STUDENTS' VISIT TO THE INSTITUTIONS OF THE E.U.
 

NEWS AND EVENTS

1. MALTA

8th European Film Festival 06
The European Commission Representation Office in Malta
Date: Wednesday 1st February to Friday 17th February 06
Film shows are without interval.  Lm1 Voluntary Contribution / Entrance Fee in aid of Id-Dar tal-Providenza.
Venue: Eden Century Cinemas, Malta
            Citadel Theatre, Gozo
Film Festival Schedule
 

Surviving Global Competition: Business Priorities for Growth and Employment
The Malta Business Bureau
Date: Thursday 2nd February 2006
Time: 0830a.m.
Venue: Exchange Buildings, Republic Street, Valletta
The purpose of this Seminar is to inform and update both members of the business community as well as the concerned policy makers and other stakeholders on the business perspectives and implications of Malta's Lisbon Action Plan.  It will also seek to determine whether the programme drawn up by Malta is enough and whether Malta's entrepreneurial ability is strong enough to survive tough global economic competition.
The Seminar will also include two panel discussions.  The first one, "Benchmarking Malta in the EU-25" will focus on innovation and labour market reforms; the second, "Delivering Lisbon in Malta: addressing business needs and concerns" will feature interventions on the importance of better regulation, the sustainability of Malta's manufacturing base, the development of Product Malta in terms of enhancing the Maltese travel and tourism industry and SME access to finance.
This half-day Seminar will be chaired by Mr Adrian Bajada, President of the Malta Federation of Industry and the concluding address will be delivered by the Hon. Censu Galea, Minister for Competitiveness and Communications.
Registration Fees:
COCE/FOI/MHRA Members and Students: Lm5
Non Members: Lm10
MBB Circular, Programme and Registration Form
 

Socrates Programme: Information Session on Grundtvig 2 and Grundtvig 3
Socrates Malta National Agency
European Union Programmes Unit
Date: Tuesday 7th February 2006
Time: 10.00a.m.
Venue: Robert Sammut Hall, (Opposite Sarria Church) Floriana
The Grudtvig 2 Learning Partnership is a framework for small-scale co-operation activities between organisations working in the field of adult learning.
The Grundtvig 3 In-Service Traning Grant enables educational staff working with adults to undertake training activities taking place in a country other than the one in which the participant normally works.
For further information kindly contact: socrates@gov.mt
 

Is the Lisbon Agenda Strategy Enough?
Malta Forum Fl-Ewropa
Date: Thursday 9th February 2006
Venue: to be announced
This Informal Working Lunch follows the National Conference Europe - What's Next? held by the Forum Malta Fl-Ewropa on Thursday 26th January 06 which discussed issues such as Europe's challenges, competitiveness, employment creation and European citizenship.
Reservations: forum@gov.mt
 

E-Learning Seminar in Gozo 
The Mediterranean Virtual University project brings together 11 partner
Universities to offer high quality degree courses online.  E-Learning technologies
offer a number of advantages for islands such as Malta and Gozo.  In this context,
an open day / seminar is being held at the University Gozo Centre entitled
"E-Learning for Small Island States". 
Date: Monday 13th February from 15.30 to 17.30
Further details 
 

2. EUROPE 

Jean Monnet Action and Support for Study and Research Centres 2006
The Jean Monnet Action and the Support for Study and Research Centres have the objective to stimulate knowledge of the European integration process through teaching, reflection, debate, applied research and the activities of Centres of Excellence, Jean Monnet professors and researchers. 
Applicants are requested to read the vade-mecum attentively before completing the appropriate application form. They are also reminded that applications may not be submitted via e-mail but that each form should be downloaded and signed by the Rector/Vice-Chancellor before submission by post to the official address of the Executive Agency. 
Deadline: 31st March 2006
Vademecum and Application Forms
 

Labour Market Reform in the European Union: Learning from the Best Practices Seminar
Cicero Foundation
Paris
Date: 23rd -24th February 06
This seminar is meant for all professionals who deal with labour market refrom: politicians, civil servants from ministries, employment agencies, and local authorities, staff members of NGOs, scientific researchers, lawyers and journalists.
Programme and Application
 

CALL FOR PAPERS

Exchanging Ideas on Europe 2006
Visions of Europe: Key Problems, New Trajectories
UACES  36th Annual Conference and 11th Research Conference
Limerick, Ireland
International Conference: 31st August - 2nd September 2006
Call for Papers Deadline: 13th February 2006
The invitation for proposals this year is for papers belonging to pre-organised panels,
although individual paper proposals will still be considered.
UACES encourage contributions from all academic disciplines, including law, economics, geography, history, sociology, social policy and politics.  UACES also encourages papers from established academics, practitioners and well-prepared postgraduate research students. 
Further details 
 

European Studies: Between Globalisation and Regionalism
European Studies Institute
Siauliai University, Lithuania
International Conference: 12th-13th May 2006
Call for Papers Deadline: 15 February 2006
Proposed topic areas for presentations:
- New European Centres and Peripheries: the Dynamics of Polycentricity in EU
- The Change of Mentalities against the background of European Integration 
   Processes
- Development of National Languages in the New EU: Facts and Prospects
- National Literatures of EU: Globalisation and Pop-Culture vs Artistry and Identity
- Political Identity Crossroads: Between the East-West Concept and North-South 
   Orientation of the New Europe
- Global Integration and Migration of the Work Force: New Technological and 
   Cultural Collaboration Opportunities
- New Historical Identities of EU: the Imagined Community, Propoganda and Facts
E-Mail for application forms: esi@su.lt
 

The Political Economy for Currency Unions in a Globalizing World
The Leonard Davis Institute for International Relations
Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem
International Conference: 30th April -1st May 2006
Call for Papers Deadline: 28th February 2006
Proposed topic areas for presentations:
- The purpose of currency unions
- Currency Unions and their role in economic growth
- Currency Unions and Foreign Policy
- The Future of Economic and Monetary Union and the crisis of the Stability and
   Growth Pact
- The Future of Economic and Monetary Union and Enlargement
- The Bretton-Woods system and East-Asia
- Lessons form the collapse of the Argentinian Currency, and the disintegration of the
  Yugoslavian Dinara
- Historical Lessons of Currency Unions
E-Mail: Dr Tal Sadeh: talsadeh@post.tau.ac.il
 

EU Policy Workshops
College of Europe
Brussels
Workshop III: Info Society and Knowledge-Based Economy: 20-23 March 06
Deadline for Registration: 1st March 2006
Workshop IV: Trade Policy and WTO Negotiations: 24-27th April 06
These workshops are of special interest to:
*  Officials from EU Member States, candidate and neighbouring countries 
*  Managers from large companies and SMEs 
*  Representatives from NGOs, trade associations, development agencies 
*  International consultants working on EU-funded projects 
*  Journalists specialised in coverage of EU affairs 
Further Details
 

10th Conference of the International Society for the Study of European Ideas
(ISSEI) The European Mind: Narrative and Identity
University of Malta, Malta
International Conference: 24th -29th July 2006
Call for Papers Deadline: 15th April 2006
The 10th Iinternational Conference of ISSEI taking place in Malta invites scholars from various disciplines such as History, Politics, Literature, Arts, Philosophy, and Religion to examine the European Identity and the multiplicity of narratives in the age of globalization.
E-Mail: Ezra Talmor: issei@nachshonim.org.il
            Prof. Henry Frendo: henry.frendo@um.edu.mt
Further Details
 

Balagoevgrad Seminar on Social Fragility
American University in Bulgaria
Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria
International Conference: 16th-18th June 2006
Call for Papers Deadline: 15th May 2006
Topics of interest include:
- Definitions of social fragility
- Components and factors of fragility and precariousness in our societies
- Assessment of social fragility.  Is social fragility on the rise?
- Mutations in community links, family links and social networks
- Moral values and social cohesion
- Mental and psychological public health issues
- Economic precariousness and social bond
- Ethnic and cultural contradictions
- Mechanisms of the emergence of new major risks
Further details
 

GRANTS AND COURSES

The Future of Europe: Lobbying in Brussels
European Spring Institute 2006 (ESI 2006) 
The Prague's Centre for Public Policy
Prague, Czech Republic
Date: 2nd-9th April 2006
Deadline: 15th February 2006
The European Spring Institute 2006 is an eight-day academic programme designed to bring together thirty undergraduate students of various nationalities and academic backgrounds from the USA, Eastern and Western Europe. 
The aim of the programme is to provide students with an opportunity to deepen their own expertise, thereby enhancing their knowledge of the EU politics and exchanging their ideas with academics, EU policy practitioners and fellow students from different cultural environments.  The spring programme combines intensive academic courses with cultural, social, and recreational opportunities.
For more details contact: Egle Havrdova on esi@cpcv.cz
 

Unesco Fellowship Programme 2006-2007
The Maltese National Commission for Unesco invites candidates to apply for a UNESCO Fellowship tenable in 2006-2007.  The UNESCO Fellowships Programme provides opportunities for innovative training and high-level studies through the granting of short-term postgraduate fellowships for the benefit of UNESCO's Member States.
The fellowships are aimed for graduate and post-graduate candidates wishing to study abroad, to either pursue further training or undertake advanced research or upgrade skills or attend specialised refresher courses. 
Candidates must have at least an undergraduate degree and must not be more than 45 years of age.  Applicants are expected to have exceptional merit and to have demonstrated that they possess outstanding potential that would enable them to make a significant contribution to their country upon their return.
Deadline: 28th February 2006
For applications e-mail: maria.v.attard@um.edu.mt
 

Cultural Pluralism against Racism and Xenophobia - Communities vs Individuals 
Utrecht Network Summer School on Human Rights
International Summer School
Intensive Programme
Ripatransone (Marche, Italy)
Date: 2nd-15th July 2006
Deadline: 10th April 2006
Lectures will be given by lecturers coming from ten different countries.
The school offers tuition, accomodation and full board, course materials and two excursions.
Registration fee: EUR 500
Application Form
 

Grant Programmes for Study Visits in Austria
The Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Culture offers grant programmes for students, graduates and researchers for study visits in Austria in the academic year 2006/7.
Further Details
 

Intensive Seminar on the EU
College of Europe 
Brussels
Dates: Compact formula: 10-14 July 2006
            Classic formula: 3-21 July 2006
Deadline: Register and Pay by 1 May 06 - 10% Discount 
Final Deadline: 5 June 06
For a 13th year in a row the College will be organising its Intensive Seminar on the EU in Bruges - a highly successful training event which combines study and discussions on European issues and professional skills development with insights into the Brussels EU scene and contacts with professionals from all over Europe. 
Further Details
 

COMPETITIONS

Green Week 2006 School Competition: European Pupils apply their creativity to highlight biodiversity
European Schoolnet 
on behalf of the European Commission's Environment Directorate General
Brussels
Conference and Exhibition: 30th May to 2nd June 2006
Deadline for entries: 25th March 2006
Categories: The competition is open to all schools in the EU, candidate and EFTA countries.  The two categories are:
(1) Artwork - paintings and drawings: for individua pupils aged 5-10 years
(2) Digital Videos - for teams of up to four students aged 11-16 years
Entries and Judging: Entries may only be submitted with the support of a school.  Entries must be scanned or created digitally, and sent to the Environment Directorate General via the entry forms to the Green Week School Competition website accessible in 20 languages.
Teachers are encouraged to make the competition part of the class activity and the website will offer some ideas and support.  A network of expert teachers in the field of environmental education from all over Europe will assist the European Commission 
in carrying out the judging.
Questions about the competition can be addressed to Chris Coakley at the following e-mail address: chris.coakley@eun.org
 
 

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