EUSI -EU Studies institute-

Message

Prof.
Kyoji KAWASAKI
Director of EUSI,
Hitotsubashi University

The EU Studies Institute in Tokyo (EUSI), which was formally launched on 1 April 2009 after a period of preparation beginning in December 2008, is now entering its third year. EUSI, sponsored by the European Commission for a four-and-a-half-year period, was established as a consortium comprising Hitotsubashi University, Tsuda College and Keio University. As a centre for academic education and research, it aims to promote outreach activities and to strengthen Japan-EU relations.
During this time, there have been various developments in the EU, such as Estonia joining the Euro zone and the Lisbon treaty going into effect. EUSI has convened symposiums on such topics as the measures taken the EU to address the financial crisis, the expansion of the EU to the east and the role of the EU and Japan in international standardization. EUSI has also sent graduate students to Europe under scholarships and internships, and has worked to expand EU-related lectures at each university.
EUSI continues to assist three activities: improving EU-related education programmes, both in quantity and quality, to get young people more interested in the EU; developing EU studies in a variety of research fields; and promoting outreach activities to bring about broader awareness of accurate information on the EU among the public.
As a result of these activities, we hope that EUSI will contribute to the advancement of exchange and coordination between Japan and the EU and its member states. In addition, by strengthening partnerships with EUIJ-Kansai, EUIJ Waseda University, the newly founded EUIJ-Kyushu and the EU centres throughout the Asia-Pacific region, we aim to make active progress in academic education and research and in outreach activities in Japan on EU-related issues.
We thank you warmly for your assistance and cooperation with EUSI activities.