The project ‘European Integration: learning theories in negotiation role-plays’ bridges different disciplines and knowledge, namely history and theories of European integration, comparative politics and European law. It is built following the philosophy 'learn by doing'.
The unit aims at developing students’ communication oral and written skills in English. In particular, the course brings to students the necessary theoretical, analytical and practical knowledge on EU decision-making processes and European integration. Overall, the course is designed to encourage students to develop a critical and insightful analysis about the democratic nature of the European institutional functioning. To this end, the course ends by the organization of a role-play game simulating a negotiation at the EU level. The role-play offers students a fertile ground for experimenting with the EU institutional complexity at the light of European integration theories.
The main objectivesof the course are the following:
1. Providing the students with knowledge on history and theories of EU integration as well as on EU decision-making processes;
2. Providing the students with knowledge in comparative politics;
3. Providing the students with the knowledge and skills enabling them to write a position paper to be defended and negotiated at the European level;
4. Providing the students with the necessary communication skills to present their position and to negotiate a common position with the other Member States’ delegations as well as with the Commission and the European Parliament (oral and written communication skills);
5. Providing the students with the necessary theoretical and practical knowledge to critically examine the democratic nature of EU decision-making processes
The course takes place over the entire academic year and is divided into 5 complementary modules. Each module provides students with the specific knowledge and necessary skills for the role-play. Specific covid-19 measures might be adapted introducing e-learning teaching methods.
- Module 1: Understanding the history of EU decision-making processes
- Module 2: Explaining the national position of EU Member States
- Module 3: Preparing ‘Country profiles’
- Module 4: Understanding (inter-institutional) EU decision-making processes
-Module 5: Acting in negotiations (role-play)
Tutorials and Coaching sessions are provided for each module. The details are available via WebCampus.
The evaluation of the course is a continuous and additive process taking place throughout the academic year for the different modules. It is thus crucial that each student start working from day 1 of the course. Overall, the evaluation method of the different modules is both individual and collective and mobilizes different evaluation methods (i.e. ‘classical’ written exam, oral presentations, group paper etc.).
|
|
Responsible |
Focus of the exam |
Evaluation |
|
|
Module 1 |
Prof. Laloux Mrs. Kopsch |
Crash course on EU history (+ coaching) |
Individual written exam (2 questions) at the end of the module (week 5). |
/5 |
|
Module 2 |
Prof. Put Prof. Foissac |
Comparative politics (oral skills & content) |
Group oral presentation (with a poster) on the institutional architecture of their Member States |
/5 |
|
Module 3 |
Prof. Foissac Prof. Put |
Comparative politics and coordination systems of Member States |
Group paper (i.e. country profile) presenting the key characteristics of one EU Member State and their implications on EU negotiations |
/10 |
|
|
|
|
|
/20 |
|
Module 4 |
Prof. Randour
|
EU decision-making processes |
Individual written exam (2 questions) at the end of the module (week 6).
|
/5 |
|
Module 4 |
Prof. Foissac |
EU decision-making processes |
Group oral presentation (with power point) on EU institutions |
/5 |
|
Module 5 |
Prof. Randour Prof. Laloux Prof. Foissac |
Role-play & participation |
Group & Individual assessment during the role-play game and the coaching session |
/5 |
|
End of the year evaluation |
Prof. Randour Prof. Laloux Prof. Foissac |
EU decision-making processes & democracy |
Group paper presenting a critical analysis of the democratic character of EU decision-making processes |
/5 |
|
|
|
|
|
/20 |
All mandatory and optional references are available via WebCampus.
| Training | Study programme | Block | Credits | Mandatory |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelier en sciences politiques, orientation générale | Standard | 0 | 10 | |
| Bachelier en sciences politiques, orientation générale | Standard | 3 | 10 |