The new name more accurately reflects the center’s work and the realities of present-day Europe
The European Union Center has changed its name to the Europe Center.
The new name better reflects the Europe Center’s ongoing mission, said John B. Sherman, dean of The Bush School of Government and Public Service, in which the center is housed. The center’s work encompasses all of Europe, not just the political/economic entity that is the European Union.
“The EU is only one aspect of Europe,” Sherman said. “The EU is important, but the Europe Center’s mission goes beyond the EU. We wanted a name that reflects the expansive nature of the issues and debates that the center addresses.”
The Europe Center’s core mission remains unchanged. It is committed to studying the transatlantic partnership, European political dynamics and public policy issues across Europe, the United States and beyond. In October, the center hosted Irish Ambassador to the United States Geraldine Byrne Nason, who gave a public talk about Ireland’s role in global peace and security. Polish Secretary of State Wɫadysɫaw Bartoszewski explored similar themes during his College Station visit in late January. The Europe Center also cohosted two conferences in the past year: the two-day Global Health Challenges Conference, which in October brought ten speakers from around the world, including three Texas A&M University experts, to discuss health policymaking challenges; and April’s Democracy and Discontent in Europe, the U.S., and Beyond event, which saw experts from around the world analyze the root causes of political polarization and the effectiveness of various interventions to reduce partisan hostility and violence.
The Europe Center, when it was established in 2001, focused on EU member nations. But the EU, and Europe generally, have changed. The EU has nearly doubled its membership, from 14 countries to 27, while the United Kingdom (a collection of countries potentially significant to the Europe Center’s work) left the union.
“The shift in focus to Europe is a natural progression,” according to a Europe Center memo to Texas A&M University System Chancellor Glenn Hager requesting the name change. The new name makes “the center’s work more relatable to the public, policymakers, and stakeholders. … This will also facilitate clearer communication about our mission and objectives, allowing us to engage more effectively with researchers, policymakers, and the community who have interests in European politics and public policy.”
The chancellor recently approved the change.
