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Studium Generale - The European Union History, Reality and Future

The European Union: History, Reality and Future

This presentation will consist of three parts:

Part 1 is mainly informative and presents the creation and expansion of the European Union through the many EU-Treaties. It also addresses the various EU-institutions.

Part 2 intends to analyze the current political situation of the EU, in particular after the Treaty of Lisbon (2009), the ‘alternative’ to the unsuccessful European Constitution. Concepts like ‘national sovereignty’ and the ‘European identity’ will be explored.

In part 3 we will suggest an adapted democratic fabric for the EU, with a new political governance model and room for regional and cultural diversity.

Prof. Dr. Frans van Vught has been professor in public administration at the University of Twente since 1986. He was also the initiator and first scientific director of the Netherlands Institute of Government. From 1997-2004 he was the Rector Magnificus of the University of Twente, and part of this term also chairman of the Executive Board of the UT.  After this, Prof. van Vught has been very active in various European institutions and was special advisor of Jose Manuel Barroso, chair of the European Commission from 2004 till 2014. Prof. van Vught has written over 30 books and published more than 250 articles on planning, governance and education and received honorary doctorates from Strathclyde University in Glasgow and Ghent University.

Moderator: Jaimi van Essen (City Council Member Losser)

This lecture is a coproduction of De Maatschappij and Studium Generale