To register to this event, please download the registration form on the event webpage of the Training Seminar
For the second year in a row, AER is collaborating with the European College of Cluny to provide a training seminar for policymakers, which brings together both academics and practitioners in an interactive format. This year’s seminar is organised together with the European campus of Sciences Po in Dijon and will be held fully online.
The collaboration with the European College of Cluny was initiated in the framework of an initiative led by Committee 3 President Radimir Čačić and aimed at facilitating civil servants exchanges and capacity building in public administration.
Difficult questions for difficult times
This training seminar will look at a question, which is deemed to have no simple answer: How can local democracy help with constructing European identity and citizenship?
Is the European Union irremediably riddled with the distrust of citizens and the rise of Euroscepticism? Although quite common, this dire depiction is neither accurate nor a fatality. And what if a reinvigoration of the European project could come from the local level? This seminar aims to discuss and brainstorm around this intuition that underlies the very purpose of the European College of Cluny.
About the Training seminar
The training seminar will combine lectures, roundtables and discussions with academics and practitioners from different regions in Europe.
The collaborative approach of the training will provide the opportunity to:
- Share perceptions and thoughts
- Consolidate knowledge of the latest development of the European Union
- Further understanding of the European integration process
- Reflect on the ways in which local authorities can contribute to the development of a“ European grassroots democracy ”
About Science Po – the European campus in Dijon
The European campus of Sciences Po Paris in Dijon hosts about 180 students coming from more than 30 different countries (mostly from France and from Central and Eastern Europe), who follow a multidisciplinary curriculum in social sciences and humanities, with a focus on the EU and the specificities of Central and Eastern Europe.
About European College of Cluny
A higher education and research institution of excellence, strongly European in its spirit, oriented towards the training of future decision-makers who will work within or collaborate with local authorities. It is oriented towards concrete and practical solutions, emphasising the exchange of good practices, vocational training, and the network effect.
Programme
Monday 9 November
Day one will start off with an Introductory world café, which will be followed by Lecture 1 with Bruno Cautrès, a researcher at CNRS/ Centre for Political Research at Science Po (CEVIFOP). Having experience in the analysis of political behavior and attitudes, sociopolitical divisions related to the question of European integration, he will present the State of public opinion in the European Union.
In the afternoon, Yves Bertoncini, President of the Mouvement Européen-France, Vice-President of European Mouvement International, expert, and consultant on EU affairs will provide Lecture 2 on recent political developments in the European Union from the democratic legitimacy perspective
Tuesday 10 November
In this session, practitioners and speakers will debate on projects led in France aiming at involving citizens in the debate on the EU and its future. Participants will share and exchange good practices on EU-related initiatives led locally in the various Member States.
As one of the most important European case studies, Christian Lequesne will provide Lecture 3 on Brexit, the case study of a rejection of the European project. Professor and researcher at Science Po, he has previously taught at the London School of Economics and holds the charge of director of the CEFRES in Prague and Director of the CERI-Science Po. His main research interests are actors and practices of foreign policies in the EU, French European policy, States and their foreign services, the EU, and Brexit.
Wednesday, 11 November
No programme (holiday in several European countries)
Thursday, 12 November
The last day will be dedicated to the presentations and discussions of the results of a preliminary online survey, and the representatives of the Committee of Regions, AER, and experts in EU affairs will present the Local authorities’ representation in the EU debate. The Training Seminar will come to an end with a Closing World cafe’, groups will brainstorm topics related to previous debates, answering to the question ” What local agendas for promoting European citizenship? How can the European College of Cluny help?
