JEAN MONNET is the sectoral programme of the European Union for enhancing integration of the European educational systems. Being part of the Lifelong Learning Programme JEAN MONNET concerns itself with issues of European integration in the field of higher education as well as funding of institutions and organisations engaged in the field of general and vocational education. 

 

The programme is made up of three key activities:

Key Activity 1): Support for University-level projects on European integration:

Jean Monnet chairs correspond to a full-time teaching post, covering a minimum of 120 teaching hours per academic year, devoted to the subject of European integration.

Jean Monnet chairs 'ad personam' are teaching and research posts with a specialization in European integration studies. Reserved for (i) distinguished professors who deliver evidence of a high-level international teaching and publication record (that was achieved, at least in part, outside their country of residence) and/or (ii) professors with a distinguished background as former high-level practitioners in the field of European integration.

Jean Monnet Centres of excellence are pluridisciplinary networks pooling scientific, human and documentary resources for European integration studies and research in one or more universities, concentrated in a particular region or town.

Jean Monnet Teaching Modules are a short programme of European integration study with a 30 teaching hours' minimum per academic year.

Associations of Professors and Researchers are addressed to the study of the European integration process aiming at the enhancement of the visibility of regional or national scientific and physical resources in this domain.

Jean Monnet information and research activities aim to promote discussion, reflection and knowledge about the European integration process.

Jean Monnet Multilateral Research Groups are partnerships between at least three JEAN MONNET Chairs from three different countries leading to the creation of an integrated academic network with a joint research plan and pluridisciplinary synergies in the field of European integration studies.

Key Activity 2): Support for six specific academic institutions pursuing an aim of European interest, such as the College of Europe and the European University Institute. These six institutions do not need to apply for funding as they have been explicitly listed in the Lifelong Learning Programme by the European Parliament and the Council.

Key Activity 3): Support for European-wide associations active at European level in the field of education and training.

Besides these Key Activities the programme has established a tradition of consulting the academic world in order to reflect on current issues of European integration. This reflection often culminates in a major JEAN MONNET-conference with the participation of policy-makers, civil society and top-level academics.

 

The programme's operational objects are:

advancement of courses of lecture, research projects and scientific studies concerning topics and aspects of the European integration,

raising scientific experts' awareness of topics and aspects of the European integration,

funding of institutes and organisations specificly dealing with issues concerning the European integration and questions of general and vocational education from an European perspective.

 

JEAN MONNET is currently present in 61 countries. Between 1990 and 2008, the programme has helped to set up approximately 3,000 teaching projects in the field of European integration studies, including 134 Jean Monnet European Centres of Excellence, 798 Jean Monnet Chairs and 2,014 European modules and permanent courses. The Jean Monnet Action brings together a network of 1,500 professors, reaching audiences of 250,000 students every year.

In charge of the programme is the European Executive Agency for Education, Audiovisual and Culture (EACEA): http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/index.htmhttp://eacea.ec.europa.eu/index.htm

 

For further information please consult the related websites of the:

European Executive Agency for Education, Audiovisual and Culture (EACEA): http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/llp/jeanmonnet/index_en.htm

European Commission: http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-programme/doc88_en.htm

See also: European Union, Lifelong Learning Programme