New European Union Centres of Excellence-UVic
An EU Centre of Excellence is a distinguished designation by the European Union and is awarded to an academic centre of highest standards which develops and carries out EU-focused curricular and outreach activities.
The European Union currently supports three other Centres across Canada: Carleton University (Ottawa), Dalhousie University (Halifax) and University of Alberta (Edmonton).The Carleton University EUCE serves as the network coordinator.
The European Commission supports these centres’ activities with individual grants of up to €300,000 over three years. Centres are required to fulfill four main objectives:
- Outreach: To promote greater understanding of the EU and dialogue on EU-Canada relations among audiences beyond academic circles
- Academic activities: Develop a focal point of academic excellence in EU studies to widen the base of European Union studies
- Academic Exchanges with the EU: While mobility is not intended as the main focus of a centre’s activities, they are required to seek to increase academic contacts and exchanges with Universities in the EU to support outreach and academic activities and
- Coordinationwith other EU Centres: Consolidate and enhance the effectiveness of the network of EU Centres
The EU Centre initiative is part of the European Union's public diplomacy strategy with important industrialized countries. There are 37 EU Centers of excellence worldwide, including the five in Canada. This initiative has been organised in the framework of European Union actions to strengthen cooperation with industrialized countries.