European Union Summer Institute

Paris, France and Bonn, Germany

In May 2007 Europeans celebrated the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Rome: a document marking a turning point in the history of post-WWII Europe that set in motion the economic and political wheels of European integration and partnership better known today as the European Union (EU). In summer 2008 KU’s European Studies Program will celebrate the 9th anniversary of its Summer Institute, continuing a tradition of academic study in and travel to major European capitals where students have the opportunity to examine firsthand European institutions, the process of European integration and enlargement, and the historical, political, and economic dynamics that have shaped what Europe is today.

Our 9th anniversary program also inaugurates a new partnership with a long-standing KU Study Abroad partner and friend, the University of Bonn in Germany where our 2008 summer participants will be enrolled in an academic program of study at the Center of European Integration Studies (ZEI).

This intensive 4.5-week program begins with study in and travel to Paris and Normandy, France. This introduction will prepare our work on “Europe Today” by first taking a look at Europe’s past: what was the state of post-war Europe and its challenges in 1945? A short excursion to the Peace Memorial in Caen as well as visits to the Normandy landing beaches and the American Cemetery will provide a refresher course on the consequences of World War II in Europe. France’s role in the early formation of the European unity--from the Schumann Declaration through the formation of the European Community--will also be assessed. Since Paris is the European cultural capital par excellence, students will of course follow several cultural excursions to major monuments and museums: the Louvre and d’Orsay museums, Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame, Montmartre district and the Champs-Elysées.

After Paris, students will travel to Verdun (historical site of WWI battlefield) and Strasbourg (visit to European Union Parliament and the European Council). The group will move on to Bonn to begin their intensive in-class study at the University’s Center of European Integration Studies. Courses will be made up of lectures, panel discussions, briefings, and excursions. Course discussion, examinations, and papers are par for the course. Emphasis will be placed on the origins and development of European institutions, transatlantic relations, Europe’s place within the international community, history of modern Germany, and Germany’s central role and relations within the EU.

During the final week of study, students will travel to Berlin to visit the Reichstag, Chancellery, the Holocaust Museum, and Potsdam among other sites in order to deepen their discussions and understanding of Germany’s leading position in European and international politics and affairs today. While in Bonn, the academic excursions will be complemented by optional field trips to Cologne, Aachen, and the surrounding Rhineland region.

Bonn

Bonn‘s charms are hard to miss: It is not only a beautiful historic city, located peacefully on the banks of the Rhine, but at the same time offers a vibrant and engaging environment in which to live, work, and study. As the former seat of government, it still houses various governmental institutions as well as a number of international organizations such as important UN-organizations and some major corporations like Deutsche Telekom and Deutsche Post. Furthermore, Bonn is an internationally recognized scientific region. Bonn is Ludwig van Beethoven‘s birthplace and proud of its rich cultural life with its own opera house, several theaters, concert halls and a wide range of museums.

With a student body of about 27,000, the University of Bonn is one of Germany‘s largest universities and with about 5,000 foreign students from all over the world also one of the most internationally-oriented ones. A wide range of course offerings, an outstanding reputation in teaching and research and a unique location make the university an especially attractive place to study.

Academic Program

All students enroll in two 3-credit hour courses.

Students choose one of the following:

EURS 604 – The European Union
EURS 511 Topics in European Studies: Politics of European Union
POLS 689 – Topics in: Politics of the European Union
HIST 510 Topics in: The European Union

plus one of the following:

EURS 503 – Europe Today
POLS 689 - Topics in: Europe Today
HIST 510 - Topics in: Europe Today

Accommodations

During the Paris/Normandy portion of the program, students will be housed in hotels (double rooms). During the Bonn study portion, students will be housed in student dormitories within the city center itself and only a short bus or subway ride to the ZEI. Expenses for local transportation (in-city) are included in the program fee.

Dates

Depart US: June 5, 2008
Arrive Paris: June 6, 2008
Depart Paris: June 9, 2008
Depart Berlin: July 6, 2008

Eligibility

Open to students in good standing from any accredited US college or university. Minimum 2.50 GPA required (exceptions considered only after submission of a petition). The program is open to students of all majors with an interest in European Studies, International Studies, History and Political Sciences. Although there are no prerequisites, the pace and depth of the program are geared toward the serious student at the junior level or above.

Credit

Six hours of credit are granted by the University of Kansas upon successful completion of the program.

Cost

Program Fee:Approximately $5,980 ($6,180 for non-KU students). The program fee includes tuition fees, room & board, some meals, group cultural events and admissions, excursions, ground transportation, emergency medical evacuation and repatriation services, and administrative costs.

Additional costs:Airfare, additional meals, passport, books, personal expenses and optional cultural events students attend on their own.

Note

All dates, costs, and program information are subject to change as necessary due to fluctuations in the exchange rate or other reasons.

Financial Aid

KU students who qualify for summer financial aid in the form of Stafford and/or other loans, Pell or SEOG Grants, and scholarships may apply the aid to the cost of a Study Abroad Program.

Limited supplemental scholarships are available to KU undergraduates. Applications are available at the Office of Study Abroad. You can also download the scholarship application. The scholarship application deadline is March 1.

Non-KU students should check into the financial resources available to them at their home institutions.

Application Procedures

Application Deadline: March 1, 2008. Early application is strongly encouraged.

Applications are available in the KU Office of Study Abroad. You can also download the application.

(Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to download an application. If your computer does not have Acrobat Reader you can download it for FREE.)

For more information, contact:

Dr. Diane Fourny, Director
The University of Kansas
Center for European Studies
308 Bailey Hall
phone: 785-864-9070
e-mail: dfourny@ku.edu

The University of Kansas
Office of Study Abroad
Lippincott Hall
1410 Jayhawk Blvd. Room 108
Lawrence, KS 66045-7515
phone: 785-864-3742
fax: 785-864-5040
e-mail: osa@ku.edu