The Italian Cultural Institute is proud to announce the Summer Seminar titled “Italy and the European Union” to be held in Brussels from the 9th to the 13th July 2012.
The seminar, now in its 9th edition, is jointly organized by the Italian Cultural Institute together with the Italian National School of Public Administration and the University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, in collaboration with the Italian Perm. Rep. at the EU.
The purpose of this week-long summer seminar is provide an in-depth, comprehensive analysis of how Italy relates to the European Union. Participants will thus acquire an in depth knowledge of the whos and hows of Italy’s action within the European Union. The seminar will have a hands-on practical approach, alternating lectures with meetings with the top Italian and European public servants, diplomats and governmental actors. The teaching format will see the alternating of front teaching, round tables and visits to the EU institutions and the Italian Institutions in Bruxelles. The seminar will focus on themes such as:Actors and procedures (formal and informal): relevant variables in defining Italy’s interests and national positions. How are national interests defined in Italy? Who are the relevant actors? What procedures are followed (formal and informal)? How are national positions defended?
Interests, aims and strategies. Which are Italy’s main interests, aims and objectives in EU policymaking? How much have these changed over the years? Which are the strategies employed to pursue them?
Impact. What is the outcome of Italy’s action in the EU? How has Italy’s action affected “high” and “low” politics in the EU? What is the future of Italy in the European Union and in the EMU?
The Summer Seminars are unique in the way they are thought and organized: participants will interact with world class speakers that in the past have included Giuliano Amato (Former Italian Prime Minister and Vice President of the European Convention); Franco Frattini (former Italian Foreign Minister); Andrew Moravcsik, (Princeton); Simon Hix (LSE); Marta Dassu, (Aspen Institute now Undersecretary of State); Joaquim Roy (University of Miami); Gilles De Kerkove (EU Coordinator for Counterterrorism), Jeremy Shapiro (US Department of State); Amy Verdun, (University of Victoria), David Andrews (Scripps College), Jan Techau (Carnegie Europe), Fernando Gentilini (EEAS), Ian Ifversen (Aarhus University), John Peet (The Economist), Khalid Emara (Egyptian Foreign Ministry), Alfred Tovias (Hebrew University of Jerusalem), Mark Entin (Moscow State University), Amichai Magen (Stanford University) and many other top other national and international scholars and decision makers.
The Summer Seminars address civil servants, journalists, diplomats, people working in NGOs, interest groups, graduate and PhD students. Exceptionally skilled senior undergraduate students can be accepted on an individual base. The seminars are highly selective and intensive (30 teaching hours). In the past editions of the summer seminar, approximately 35% of the applicants have been accepted. The scientific coordinator of the seminar is Prof. Federiga Bindi, Director of the Italian Cultural Institute in Brussels and Jean Monnet Chair in European Political Integration.
The tuition fee is of 450€. Full scholarships and partial scholarships waiving the tuition fees are available and will be awarded on the basis of merit and need. Please refer to the website for details. Accommodation and board are not included in the tuition fee, though organizers do reserve a number of affordable places for the participants. The deadlines are 20 June 2012 for grant requests and 30 June 2012 for full-tuition paying participants. For further information and inquiries, please see www.eusummerseminar.uniroma2.it, or email us at eu.summer.seminar@uniroma2.it or direttore.iicbruxelles@esteri.it .