Organised by the Institute for European Studies and the Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences, Université libre de Bruxelles.

The summer school

The global spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and its devastating social-economic impact represent a considerable challenge for nation states and international organisations. While the effects of the crisis are global, nation states have acted as primary actors through a wide range of individual decisions. They sought to stop the spread of the virus by radically limiting internal and international travels, suspending economic activity, closing schools and universities, shops and public places and confining persons at home.

Many of these drastic limitations to individual freedom of movement and assembly have been taken without cross-border coordination. Transnational problems require transnational solutions and but establishing these been a visibly challenging task for the European Union but also for international and regional organisations in general.

The aim of this summer programme is to address a set of timely questions such as:

  • What is the role of regional and international organisations in responding to the COVID-19 crisis as a global challenge?
  • How do they assert themselves against nation states surging ahead on their own?
  • How do they react to the socio-economic, informational as well as human rights and rule of law challenges within their member states?
  • What is their organisational capacity and mandate to (re)act and has there been a change due to the crisis?
  • How is international and regional solidarity translated into concrete action?
  • How is the COVID-19 pandemic affecting the multilateral system and the balance of power of nation states and regional organisations

Speakers include

Andrew Bradley Chief of Staff, OACPS
Diego Canga Fano Principal Adviser, European Commission
Ramona Coman President of the Institute for European Studies, ULB
Gisella Gori Council of Europe Liaison Office to the EU
Oana Lungescu NATO Spokesperson
Frank Mattheis Post-Doc Research Fellow, Institute for European Studies, ULB
Dorit Nitzan Regional Emergency Director, World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe
Barbara Pesce-Monteiro Director, United Nations Brussels
Mario Telo Emeritus President of the Institute for European Studies, ULB
Tony Venables Founder of the ECIT Foundation

Practical Information

When: 27 to 29 August 2020

Where: Institute of European Studies, Université libre de Bruxelles. Safety measures (physical distance, face masks, limited number of participants) will be implemented.

The summer school will also be offered online via Teams (synchronous format).

Registration is free and mandatory. 

Info & Registrations