Amsterdam Centre for Contemporary European Studies ACCESS EUROPE

The Amsterdam Centre for Contemporary European Studies ACCESS EUROPE, is a cooperation of the University of Amsterdam (UvA) and the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU) as an Amsterdam Academic Alliance initiative. It is a platform for research, education and public debate about Europe, the European Union and its member states. ACCESS EUROPE was developed by prof. Jonathan Zeitlin and prof. Anton Hemerijck.

The UvA faculties of Social and Behavioural Sciences (FMG) Law, Humanities and Economics, and the VU faculties of Social Sciences, Law and Economics participate in ACCESS EUROPE. The FMG acts as the coordinating faculty and hosts ACCESS EUROPE’s office. It has designated ACCESS EUROPE as a so-called Facultair Zwaartepunt (Priority Area), which includes funding until 2018. The Faculty of Social Sciences of the VU has made funding available from 2014 until 2018. The European Commission has awarded ACCESS EUROPE funding as a Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence for three years, starting on 1 September 2014. 

ACCESS EUROPE pursues three main functions: research, education, and public outreach. We organise seminars, research workshops, public lecture series, and other joint activities on which we build systematically. Across each of these functions, ACCESS EUROPE focuses on six interrelated themes.

Amsterdam is the natural location for a Centre for Contemporary European Studies. It is a European capital city, which serves as a global gateway to the EU for domestic and international scholars, students, and businesses. Its strategic location as a transportation and communications hub between Brussels, The Hague, Paris, Frankfurt, and London makes it ideal for attracting speakers and participants to high -profile academic and public events. Amsterdam is also a European knowledge city, with two leading research universities that are increasingly committed to working closely together.