EIUC Profile

EIUC, identified by Decision N°791/2004/EC of the European Parliament and the Council (21 April 2004) as one of the 7 European Institutions which seek "to extend and deepen knowledge of the building of Europe, or to contribute to the achievement of the common policy objectives in the field of education and training both inside and outside the Community", is founded on a commitment to the realisation of the values enshrined in the draft European Constitution and to contribute to a shared global understanding of human rights and democracy.

EIUC is an interdisciplinary centre formed by 39 European universities. It contributes to the professionalisation of the field by fostering a community of leaders with professional competence, problem-solving capacities and creativity to improve human rights implementation worldwide. In shaping competences and capacities, EIUC advances innovative models for programmes and projects that bridge theory, practice and disciplines, and which are significant for determining human rights and democratisation policies in an enlarged Europe, for assistance to neighbouring countries, and in development cooperation realising the rule of law, democratic principles and good governance.

Supported by the European Union and advised by major intergovernmental, non-governmental, regional and local strategic partners EIUC's activities include:

• Providing high level action-oriented and interdisciplinary education;
• Developing advanced training for field personnel and other human rights professionals meeting operational requirements;
• Identifying processes and means of transferring academic and institutional expertise into the public sphere;
• Creating a fertile environment for research and research cooperation and the transformation of results into realistic policies;
• Representing a network of approximately 700 graduates of the European Master's Degree in Human Rights and Democratisation now working for governments, major international organisations, and non-governmental organisations in and outside Europe.