Meet the Ambassador, 21 June 2022
On 21 June 2022, the EU Ambassador to Norway, HE Nicolas de La Grandville, visited the Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence and the European Integration Summer School (EISS). He gave a lecture on “The European Union and Norway – Navigating Together in a Turbulent World”.
The lecture was followed by a panel discussion with:
- Erik Rostoft, Deputy Mayor of Kristiansand
- Sunniva Whitaker, Rector, UiA
- Isabelle-Louise Aabel, EU Advisor, GCE Node
- Christophe Pinck, International Affairs and EU Advisor, Eyde
- Nicolas de La Grandville, EU Ambassador to Norway
- Moderation: Clare P. Jortveit and Stefan Gänzle, UiA

Interdisciplinary Trans-Nordic Conference on European Differentiated Integration, 1-2 June 2022
On 1 and 2 June 2022, the Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence hostet a trans-nordic interdisciplinary conference on European Differentiated Integration at UiA. The conference brought together scholars, journalists, and practitioners.

Wolfgang Behrendt, Deputy Head of the European Union Delegation to Norway
Cristian Bădescu, Ambassador of Romania to Norway
Anne Pintsch, Coordinator of the Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence at UiA
Eszter Sándorfi, Ambassador of Hungary to Norway
Iwona Woicka-Żuławska, Ambassador of Poland to Norway

Participants from left to right:
Anders Ahnlid, Director General, Swedish Board of Trade and former Swedish Ambassador to the EU
Rolf Einar Fife, Ambassador, Mission of Norway to the EU
Kristján Andri Stefánsson, Ambassador, Mission of Iceland to the EU
Iain Begg, Professor, London School of Economics, former editor of the Journal of Common Market Studies

Saturday University/ Lørdagsuniversitetet, 6 November 2021
Romulo Pinheiro gave lecture on “Europe of Knowledge”:

Arendalsuka, 17 August 2021
As part of the UiA- arrangement in Arendal, the Jean Monnet Centre organized a panel debate on the Nordic Region as an area for joint policy development.
Norden – en arena for felles politikkutvikling eller prateklubb i skyggen av EU?
Nordisk Ministerråd fyller 50 år i år. Hvordan står det egentlig til med det nordiske samarbeidet i dag? Er det en jubilant i midtlivskrise eller er det (fortsatt) politisk kraft i samarbeidet? Hvor integrert er Norden og hvilken plass og tyngde har et samlet Norden i politikkutformingen i Europa? Da Finland og Sverige gikk inn i EU i 1995 var flere bekymret for fremtiden til det nordiske samarbeidet. Hvilken rolle spiller EU – og hvordan forholder Norden seg til europeisk integrasjon?
Panel participants
- Jan Erik Grindheim, Førsteamanuensis, Universitetet i Sør Øst Norge
- Michael Tetzschner, Stortingsrepresentantant, Utenriks og forsvarskomiteen
- Kjerstin Lianes Kjøndal, Phd Kandidat, Universitetet i Agder
- Anne Elizabeth Stie, Førsteamanuensis, Universitetet i Agder
- Martin Stangborli Time, Phd Kandidat, Universitetet i Agder
For the full panel programme, please see here:
Europe Conference, 6 May 2021
On 6 May 2021, the Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence was formally openend at The European Conference for Democracy and Human Rights . The opening ceremony was followed by a panel discussion on the current state of democracy in Europe, the tools and possibilities that international organizations have to advance the democratic development of their member states, and the challenges these organizations face in their activities.
European Democracy in Crisis –
Challenges and Opportunities for International Organizations
Panel participants:
Pieter de Wilde | Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Professor |
Stefan Gänzle | University of Agder, Professor, Head of the Department of Political Science and Management |
Marianne Riddervold | Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Professor/ Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI), Researcher |
Anne Elizabeth Stie | University of Agder, Associate Professor (moderator) |
Jarle Trondal | University of Agder, Professor |
For the full programme, please see here:
Open Day at UiA/ UiA Åpen Dag, 9 March 2021
The Jean Monnet Centre’s video contribution on “EU og Brexit forklart” (EU and Brexit explained) can be accessed here.
Eilert Sundt Pupils Day/ Eilert Sundt Elevdagen, 26 November 2020
Romulo Pinheiro‘s presentation on “Higher Education in Europe” at the Eilert Sundt Pupils Day can be watched here.