Mission and objectives

The European Institute (EI), created in 1988, is primarily a University department assuming classical academic functions, such as teaching at the graduate and post-graduate level as well as scientific research on the law and policies of the EU.

The European Institute focuses its activities on recent developments in the law and policies of the European Union. This includes the internal as well as the external dimension of EU Law and policy. With regard to the EU’s external relations, issues such as the Enlargement of the EU, Mediterranean and Middle-East strategies, WTO and other external agreements receive special attention.

The research activities conducted in Ghent in the field of Mediterranean Middle East affairs have both a legal and (geo-) political dimensions. Moreover, the European Institute concentrates on EU affairs and is located near the EU capital.