EUSI -EU Studies institute-

What is EUSI(EU Studies Institute in Tokyo)?

EUSI is a centre for academic education and research, and outreach activities on the EU related issues in Japan.  It is managed by the Consortium comprising of three Tokyo universities of Hitotsubashi University, Tsuda College and a new participant, Keio University.  It succeeds the heritage and assets of the EUIJ Tokyo Consortium (Hitotsubashi University, Tsuda College, International Christian University and Tokyo University of Foreign Studies) which has performed from the year of 2004.

Outreach

EUSI promotes the outreach activities on the EU related information such as the EU institutions, economy, law and history in order to enhance the understanding of the EU in Japan as follows:

1) Exchanging of academics between the institutes in the EU member states and Japan in both ways;
2) Holding international academic conferences and providing postgraduate summer schools by collaborating with the other EU centres in Japan and Asia-Pacific;
3) Organising seminars for business community people such as KEIZAI DOYUKAI (Japan Association of Corporate Executives);
4) Managing the Open Public Course;
5) Informing and reporting the EUSI activities through public relations; and
6) Distributing study reports of conferences or seminars on the EUSI website.

Education

EUSI mainly focuses on developing the postgraduate education of EU studies to turn out young talent with advanced expert knowledge on the EU issues who will contribute to the future Japan- EU relations.

First, the thematic omnibus courses on EU studies which cover the most important contemporary issues will be conducted by professors of three universities and others choosing a different title and taking place in rotation of three campuses in each year. In the first operational year (2009/10), “The EU Governance and Citizens” will be organised at Hitotsubashi University. Second, a variety of innovative courses including the regular and intensive courses in English by the visiting professors from abroad will also be held at each university from the first operational year. These courses may result in the credit transfer system in the near future. Third, the internet delivery educational system connecting three universities will be commenced from the second operational year on. Last but not least, scholarships for graduate students studying in the EU and internships to encourage students to do intern in the EU and the related institutions will be provided to financially support graduate and post-doctoral students.

EUSI will build more new EU courses at the undergraduate level as well, while continuing the courses that the EUIJ Tokyo Consortium has previously provided.

Research:

EUSI pursues a goal of producing high quality research outcomes and playing a part of international academic networks on the EU studies through facilitating and developing the joint research works led by the Consortium of three universities.

For achieving this purpose the core projects are launched by two Joint Research Groups: “Law and Politics” and “Economics”. The former group studies on: Theories of European Integration; Institutional history of EU; Law and Politics; Internal affairs including environmental problems; and External Relations such as CFSP and ESDP. The latter studies on: Economic and Monetary Integration including trade and development; Economic and Social Policies of the EU such as competition, finance stability or Social Cohesion; and Enlargement of the EMU to Central and Eastern European countries and its effects on the EU.

Each of the Joint Research Groups regularly holds seminars and issues working papers, and will publish books on their research results. The two groups will hold international conferences/workshops respectively and have a joint international symposium in Japan. In June 2011, they will hold an international conference in Brussels to present the results of joint research and exchange opinions with European counterparts.

To support these activities , EUSI collects dissertations and academic materials on the EU studies to establish the EUSI Library in Tsuda College and invites academics from the EU to Japan every year.