European Governance

The English-taught multidisciplinary minor’s programme in European Governance brings together insights from the fields of economics, law, public administration and organizational science in order to introduce students to the multi-faceted nature of contemporary governance issues within the European Union. Whether they have to concern themselves with the labour market, public safety, food safety, public service provision or conflicts between EU states resulting from EU decisions, decision makers at both public and private organizations need to understand in what way this European dimension is relevant to their own functioning and the functioning of the institutions in their environment.

An increasing number of the social issues European societies have to deal with required insights from a combination of disciplines. The process of European integration nor the relations between the local, national and European levels can fully be understood without a basic knowledge of the economics of European integration, of European law and of the policy-making and policy-implementation processes within an EU context. The ability to combine insights from different disciplines is imperative for analyzing and understanding the context within which government agencies at both local and national levels try to solve social problems and provide services. European companies are exploring new opportunities as a result of a better access to a growing market; at the same time, they are facing a fiercer competition.   

The minor’s programme in European Governance consists of four courses, which you can choose out of five. Three courses have a disciplinary character: Introduction to the Economics of European Integration, European Governance and the Netherlands, and Foundations of European Law. The other two courses are interdisciplinary in nature: European Integration, and EU Governance in Practice: Analysing the European Union from multiple perspectives. These two courses integrate insights from respectively public administration, law and economics and use these to analyse the development of and changes affecting EU-institutions and policies.

The programme includes lectures, seminars, individual and/or group assignments (e.g. presentations, case analyses) and debate. Students are expected to follow the news on EU-issues and to be able to apply their (academic) knowledge to topical affairs.