Events

Key Activities

• International workshops
• Regular discussion events with academics, policy-makers and civil servants and civil society actors
• Early career Researchers’ Workshops “Europe in the World

Academic freedom under attack

Opening Event of the Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence “Europe in the World” (CoE WorldEU) at Fulda University of Applied Sciences

“Academic freedom also entails to accept academic findings that contradict some political or personal opinions – just as freedom also must be the freedom of people with another opinion.” This is how Prof. Dr. Claudia Wiesner explained one of the European Union’s core values. At the Opening Event of the Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence “Europe in the World” (CoE WorldEU) on 23 of June 2025, a whole afternoon was devoted to this value and the implications that arise from European values and academic freedom being under attack. Censorship or political interference are on the rise in a worldwide scale. The principle of academic freedom, as it is fixed for instance in the German´s constitution article 5(3), however entails that “academics should not be stopped in their research for political reasons”, as Wiesner put it.

A key part of the afternoon was devoted to current events in the Unites States of America and the conflict between Harvard University and the US government. “Harvard is a political symbol for a number of activities and opinions that the current US government does not support”,  Wiesner explained. Keynote speaker Prof. Dr. Mathias Risse (Berthold Beitz Professor in Human Rights, Global Affairs and Philosophy and Director of the Carr-Ryan Center for Human Rights at Harvard University) discussed whether the US is on the derive towards autocracy.  He explained the positions of the US government and the threats that are posed on his university – but he also explained  what has been done to fight back. “American universities are critical to the global system of universities,” stressed Risse. He highlighted the strong civil society in the US and the power it holds as was expressed for example in the current “No-Kings”-movement. In conclusion Risse was almost positive: “Nothing that really matters is lost as of now”, said Risse while underlining that “something has to happen now not later.”

A recording for Prof. Dr. Mathias Risse’s keynote can be found below.

Two roundtable discussions were part of the Opening as well. In the first one, MAHRS students discussed about European values and the EU’s role in the world. “How far do European values really reach? Under what conditions are they defended?”, asked Frederiki Eracleous. She argued that European values are global aspirations. They are not to be an imposition but should arise from mutual respect and solidarity. Benedetta Favotto pointed to the role of media and education in shaping public perception and advocated for taking youth’s voices more into consideration. This was similarly stressed by Saodat Gazieva who found that the EU should “give power to the youth in a way of acting not just listening.” Mahammad Samadov spoke about the necessity “for faster and agiler responses by the EU” that in his view is needed now.

In the second podium discussion, Dr. Rainer Gruhlich (Head of International Affairs, Hessisches Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Forschung, Kunst und Kultur) asked whether  good research needs democracy. He stated that “open dialogue is necessary” - in respect for each other’s opinions, backgrounds, cultures. Such a dialogue, said Gruhlich, is the essence of both good research and a democratic community. Gruhlich also said that: “We need a strong civil society and strong democratic society to preserve academic freedom.” Panellist Christina Fischer, doctoral researcher at Fulda University of Applied Sciences Department of Social and Cultural Sciences and the Point Alpha Research Institute (PARI), hinted at the distinction between activists and researchers, stressing: “Being emotional hinders you from look at what is actually happening.” She argued for separating the private or activist personality from the one of the researcher. Prof. Dr. Matthias Klemm, professor of sociology at Fulda University of Applied Sciences Department of Social and Cultural Sciences, underlined: “It is not the problem whether you believe in science or not but what the consequences are for you”.

The Centre of Excellence “Europe in the World” (CoE WorldEU, 2025-2027) serves as a hub for academic debate and aims to develop and disseminate new perspectives in research and politics. It is led by Prof. Dr. Claudia Wiesner and focuses on Europe´s role in a world order that changes in (geo)political, economic, ecological, and ideational respects. Ideational dimensions are key in all this: the liberal economic model, the conflict between democracy and autocracy, and, all in all, the concepts, ideas, and values that Europe stands for are often implicitly or explicitly contested. The CoE WorldEU will therefore set its main focus on the ideas, concepts, and values of both the EU and its Member States in the changing world order.

See the student's statements here

On September 12th at 5:00 pm, the Jean Monnet Chair "Bridging the Gap between the EU and its Citizens" concluded with a discussion that delved into the consequences and possibilities for the EU to establish closer connections with its citizens. Distinguished representatives from the realm of political practice participated and exchanged insights, including Thomas Berger, who represented Europe Direct, Peter Schaub from Europa-Union, and Marianne Müller from Pulse of Europe, along with valuable contributions from Muriel Pluschke, a Ph.D candidate of Fulda University of Applied Sciences.For further information and to access the discussion, please click on the link provided below.

On September 12, Claudia Wiesner from Fulda University of Applied Sciences, Virginie van Ingelgom from UC Louvain, and Cecile Robert from Sciences Po Lyon engaged in a discussion regarding citizen democracy and its implications for Europe at Fulda University of Applied Sciences. For further information and to access the discussion, please click on the link provided below.

The preliminary findings of the Jean Monnet Network titled "Debating Europe" were unveiled on September 11th at 6:00 pm. The discussion was led by a group of distinguished academics and researchers, including Claudia Wiesner from Fulda University of Applied Sciences, Cecile Robert from Sciences Po Lyon, Willy Beauvallet from Université de Lyon II, Ana Matan from the University of Zagreb, Meta Novak from the University of Ljubljana, Niilo Kauppi and Kim Zilliacus from the University of Helsinki, and Ruzha Smilova from the Centre for Liberal Strategies. For further information and to access the discussion, please click on the link provided below.

31 March, 2023 Thinkcorner, University of Helsinki, 09.00-11.00

20 September 2021