The Centre for European Studies was founded at Carleton University in 2000 on the basis of a grant from the European Commission, which has provided continuing support to the Centre since then. CES aims to further knowledge of European integration and the European Union. The Centre is operated jointly by EURUS and the Department of Political Science. The European Commission designated CES a European Union Centre of Excellence (EUCE) and network coordinator of the Canadian EUCEs Commission in 2006.

The mandate of the Centre for European Studies is fourfold:

  • To support teaching programs in the area of European Studies at Carleton University, including new courses on European security and European integration
  • To create fruitful partnerships with embassies, governmental and non-governmental organizations, and academic institutions, both in North America and in Europe
  • To provide a supportive environment for research activities in the field of European Studies
  • To sponsor talks, round table discussions, and other academic events which bring together scholars, students, government officials, the diplomatic community, and the general public
  • To conduct workshops and conferences on topics related to European identity, EU enlargement, and European Integration

The Centre for European Studies also houses a Strategic Research Cluster called Transatlantic Dialogue: Seeking transnational solutions to 21st century problems, funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRCC), in cooperation with sister units at the University of Montreal/McGill, the University of Toronto, the University of British Columbia, and the University of Victoria.

The Centre employs graduate students as interns and as office staff, and also offers research grants to graduate students for research in Europe. The Centre’s EU Learning project, an interactive web site about European integration for high school students and teachers, is staffed by graduate students under faculty supervision.

For details on the wide range of projects sponsored by the Centre for European Studies, please see CES.