The UniSA Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence advances public diplomacy, facilitates research and promotes educational activities focussed on the European Union and its member states. The Centre also develops linkages, networks and partnerships between Australian and European institutions, academics, politicians and policy practitioners in areas ranging from robotics and artificial intelligence to creative industries. In undertaking these activities, the UniSA Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence works closely with cultural and community groups, and a variety of international partners to create a dynamic network of EU focused research, thinking, policy and ideas driving solutions and pathways to successfully generate new thinking and policy directions in response to the key issues impacting Australian and European populations.
Public diplomacy
The UniSA Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence advances public diplomacy by promoting the EU and EU-Australian relations across research, business and civic networks. To this end, the Centre hosts events ranging from large public lectures and policy workshops to film screenings and exhibitions. The Centre’s Public Events Program provides the basis for engagement with representatives of the EU Delegation and specific European States, including European Ambassadors and local Consuls. These events are capitalised on through the production of multimedia materials, such as the ‘Europe Now’ Video Series, in which Professor Elliott interviews European Ambassadors about the global challenges and opportunities facing Australia and Europe.
Research
Research facilitated by the UniSA Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence is focussed on subject areas of importance to EU integration and EU-Australia relations. For example, Centre Executive Director, Professor Anthony Elliott, leads a team studying mobility transformations in the global age – with past outcomes including several published books, journal articles, keynotes and media presentations. Additionally, Professor Susan Luckman, Leader of the EU-Australia Creative Industries Policy Research Platform, leads an EU Jean Monnet research project that aims to develop a set of guidelines for how EU-relevant business skills and personal competencies can be better embedded into university creative industries courses and programs within the EU and Australia. Other research is undertaken by Dr Eric Hsu and Dr Louis Everuss under the Risk, Emergency Management and Global Pandemics rersearch strand.
Education
Educational activities undertaken by the UniSA Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence provide opportunities for Australian students to engage with leading European scholars and learn about European theoretical and methodological developments. The centre achieves this by convening UniSA Masterclasses and Seminars that facilitate Australian research students and early career researchers to learn about cutting edge European methodologies and discuss their research with senior European academics, such as Professor Sven Kesselring, Nürtingen-Geislingen University, Germany, and Dr Jennifer Edmond, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. Alongside Masterclasses, the HEUC organises for visiting European scholars to visit UniSA and meet with researchers from the University’s schools.
KEY OBJECTIVES OF THE UNISA JEAN MONNET CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE
- Promote a better understanding of EU action and its policies
- Disseminate information and EU views on issues of interest within regional communities
- Increase awareness about the political, economic and cultural importance of the relationship between the EU and the specific country.
- Build networks of academic and educational excellence to broaden and deepen the base
- Contribute to people-to-people contacts and academic links between the EU and partner countries
- Develop outreach activities tailored to audiences beyond academic circles to enhance the EU’s visibility, its policies and values and to promote a better understanding and knowledge of the EU
- Create an effective network of EU-focused research, thinking, policy and ideas to drive knowledgeable solutions and pathways to successfully confront and deal with the issues of migrating, displaced and vulnerable peoples
