WINTER SCHOOL

Dates: 17-21 February 2020

Location: Department of Political and Social Science, University of Bologna, Forlì Campus (Italy)

Overview

The first edition of the "EU-Asia Politics and Markets" Winter School will act as a framework for the promotion of a critical, open and participated assessment of the economic and political relations between Asia and the EU. Benefiting from the contribution of leading scholars and professors from the University of Bologna (Italy), Aoyama Gakuin University (Japan), Korea University (South Korea) and Toyo University (Japan), the Winter School will provide a unique environment to gain a thorough understanding of the historical developments, current trends and prospective scenarios of the many facets of the EU-Asia connections. Whereas economic and political relations will be given particular attention, the Winter School will nonetheless focus on the EU-Asia relationship from a comprehensive perspective involving also cultural and historical considerations. The purpose of the Winter School lays on the improvement of the academic interdisciplinary knowledge exchange on “EU-Asia Politics and Markets Studies,” preparing students in analyzing Asian and EU markets in a multidisciplinary perspective, allowing them to understand this sector’s complex dynamics within the framework of international politics and economics. Moreover, the Winter School will foster the students’ ability to examine the political and economic relations between EU and Asia critically.

Program and Teaching Methodology

An audience of 20 students is expected to partake in the Winter School, with a minimum of two students from each partner university. Eligibility for applying is also acknowledged to five students enrolled at non-partner institutions. The Winter School will consist of six sessions – two per day – of lectures provided by professors affiliated to partner universities. Moreover, participating students will be involved in a roundtable session aimed at setting a critical, collective discussion on selected topics of the Euro-Asian political and economic relationship. Finally, the Winter School will provide participating students with the opportunity to visit the “Europe Direct Punto Europa,” a documentation and information center on the EU integration and politics based in Forlì and supported by the University of Bologna.

Thanks to the Winter School, UNIBO students will have the opportunity to interact with Korean and Japanese students and teaching staff in the analysis of Euro-Asian economic and political connections. At the same time, the School will award Korean and Japanese students the opportunity to study EU politics and markets from an EU perspective. The mirroring of these different perspectives will allow students to deepen their critical and analytical skills. In addition, by providing an open roundtable discussion among participants, the Winter School encourages students to employ a strong independent perspective and a critical understanding of the many complex factors that shape the EU-Asia economic and political relations. Against this backdrop, the Winter School holds clear potential to create a vibrant academic network subject to be further consolidated in the forthcoming years. Finally, the Winter School is intended to bring together leading scholars in the field of the EU-Asia relations studies, promoting opportunities for long-time academic and research cooperation initiatives.

Application

Applicants should email a motivation letter in which they explain how their academic path is in line with the topic covered by the Winter School and a curriculum vitae to alessandro.albana2@unibo.it

The deadline for application is 10 November 2019.

Enrollment Fees, Financial and Logistic Support

There are no participation fees in the Summer School. Lunches, farewell reception and academic materials will be available for free to selected participants.

Accommodation will be provided, free of charge, only to students enrolled at Aoyama Gakuin University, Korea University and Toyo University.

Partner universities will be responsible for the selection of participating students through an internal selection procedure.

This Winter School is promoted by the Department of Political and Social Science at the University of Bologna, within the framework of the “Finanziamento per Attività Innovative dei Dipartimenti nell’Ambito di Accordi Quadro di Ateneo e degli Accordi di Settore con Paesi extra-EU.”