November 09 2021
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Summer School “A Stronger Europe in the World”: Understanding the EU as a global security and resilience-building actor in the EaP region

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Summer School

“A Stronger Europe in the World”: Understanding the EU as a global security and resilience-building actor in the EaP region (interdisciplinary and critical perspectives)

This Summer School is offered by the newly launched (in July 2021) Double Degree Master Program in Human Rights & Security.

Topic of the Summer School: Today’s global community faces numerous challenges and security threats: pandemics, armed conflicts, environmental and climate problems, food safety, the growing role of technologies and AI, migration, etc. The necessity to effectively react to these threats and, at the same time, to preserve individual autonomy leads to the critical sharpening of the dichotomy of Security and Human Rights. It also poses the question regarding the role and the capacity of global actors to prevent these threats or overcome their consequences. The EU today is one of the most active global security actors. However, a lot of problematic questions arise in relation to its acting in this capacity both internally in the territory of the EU and beyond its borders.

In this context, the proposed Summer School focuses on the cases of the EU’s relations with EaP countries (Armenia, Georgia and Ukraine) and the role of the EU as a resilience- and peace-building actor. Being affected by ongoing conflicts and other geopolitical challenges, internal political crises and Covid-related social and economic consequences, the EaP region can serve as a laboratory to critically study the capacity of the EU as a global security and resilience-building actor.

Format: The School is planned to be delivered in the face-to-face format. Depending on travel restrictions, international lecturers may deliver seminars online.

Teaching approach: The program will combine interactive lectures delivered by international scholars with practical activities, talks by invited guest speakers (governmental officials, experts and civil society activists) and visits to domestic governmental institutions and NGOs. At the end of the course, a simulation of the decision-making process in the EU institutions in the field of foreign policy will be organized.

Additionally, a social program will be provided to introduce international students to the cultural context of Armenia.

The School will be open to Armenian and international participants from EU and EaP countries. It is expected that the diversity in the classroom (in the geographical and disciplinary senses) will help to create a favorable environment for the exchange of opinions and an in-depth understanding of the current challenges in context.

Learning outcomes: The course will help participants to:

  • Better understand the role of the EU as a global actor
  • Critically assess the capacity and challenges the EU faces in its external action
  • Better understand the processes of decision-making in the EU in the field of foreign policy
  • Deepen the understanding of the concepts of “security” and “resilience”
  • Get acquainted with the particularities of EaP countries, their geopolitical, political and social contexts
  • Develop argumentation and presentation skills

Core faculty and academic coordinator: Dr. Anna Khvorostiankina – Associate Professor of Law, academic coordinator of the Master Program in Human Rights and Security, EIU

The faculty also includes guest lecturers and invited speakers from Armenia, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Ukraine and the USA.

Duration: 40 contact hours including visits to governmental agencies and NGOs; 80 hours of independent work.

Upon successful completion of the course, participants will get a certificate of achievement with 3 ECTS.

Participation fee is 650 euro.

Financial support will be available to citizens of Eastern Partnership countries.

All applicants can apply for a tuition fee waiver/reduction.

The School is open to advanced Bachelor, Master and PhD of the following academic disciplines:

  • Law
  • Political science
  • International Relations
  • (Eastern) European Studies

To apply, candidates should submit the following documents:

  • Motivation letter
  • CV
  • online application form

 Selection criteria:

  • Relevant degree program
  • Prior experience in one or more of the following areas (as an advantage):
    • Security Studies
    • EU External Relations
    • Conflicts in the post-Soviet space
  • Proven interest in EU external relations, Security and Human Rights issues, or EaP region
  • Strong academic track record
  • Quality of the motivation letter and CV

The application call will be open on 1 March 2022.

Application deadline: 15 June 2022.

Contact: Anna Khvorostiankina (Anna.Khvorostiankina@eiu.am)