Jean Monnet Module: European Integration and the South Caucasus

The module on European Integration and the South Caucasus was implemented from September 2010 to August 2013. It was primarily designed as compulsory module for Master’s Students on European Studies, however it was open to everybody interested in Integration issues. The module structured as combination of three courses, where each of them was held for one semester.

Objective: The main objective for the module was to provide students with comprehensive and multifaceted knowledge on various aspects of European integration and EU‟s Relations with the South Caucasus.

The project outputs and results will be the following:

  • Understanding the roots of European integration
  • Understanding of the multifaceted aspects of the relationship between the EU and the South Caucasus
  • Profound understanding of European values and their application in the European Neighbouring countries
  • Creation of common website, ensuring visibility of the project

Project Novelty:

The module included 2 already taught but modified courses, and one completely new course, covering a major gap in the curricula i.e. the developments in the idea of Europe, European identity and cultural integration, multilingualism and multiculturalism in Europe.
Anyone in the country or in the region could apply either for the whole module or for its separate parts.

JM Module Courses

Introduction to European Integration is intended for in the first semester of the first year of the Master’s Program. This course addresses the political and historical aspects of European Integration, but also focuses on the cultural aspects of integration, the issues of identity in Europe and other related topics which continue to be a gap in the curricula of the Masters Programme. A special stress is made on challenges of Cultural integration both in Europe and in the Region. Course presents history of Europe in brief, various theories on origin of European identity are tackled and discussed; special classes are devoted to influence of Renaissance, Reformation and Enlightenment on integration process.  The course presents overview of the role of religion, its past present and future challenges in Europe. Course participants also have chance to discuss issue of multiculturalism in Europe by looking at it from various perspectives and assessing it critically; special stress is put on  language diversity in EU and cultural projects are studied also from the perspective of national minority involvement. Additionally students review various aspects of cultural integration in Europe through movie reviews (for detailed syllabus, please click here).

The course on European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP) will be offered in the 2nd semester of the 1st Year of the Master’s Program. The course focuses on the ESDP from institutional, legal aspects, as well as brings specific examples of ESDP measures directed towards the South Caucasus (for detailed syllabus, please click here).

The last course, European Neighbourhood Policy, covers the policy from multidisciplinary aspects (political, economic and legal). The students will be able to get an insight into the real practical aspects of EU external policy towards a specific region. The course also looks into the policy implementation by South Caucasus countries and gives the students critical insights into both sides of the policy shaping. This course is taught with the use of most up to date information, which is developing along with the policy (for detailed syllabus, please click here).

Apart from the abovementioned the academic added value for all of the courses will be the consideration of ramifications brought by the Lisbon Treaty. Student research activities are also stimulated. They will need to present essays as a part of their assignments for each course. All of the courses will be taught in the form of lecturing combined with seminars, where student involvement will be assessed during each seminar. Role simulations (simulation of negotiations between the EU and Armenia, preparation of agreements and documents, etc), discussions, group works, mooting will be actively used as methods in the module, which are still missing in the university education in Armenia.

JM Teaching Staff

The teaching staff selected for the Module included lecturers with a considerable academic background and practical experience in the relevant areas.

  • Dr. Vladimir Martirosyan, module leader, will be responsible for “Introduction to European Integration” course. He defended his PhD Thesis on Transitional Period of Political Regimes of Armenia and teaches a number of courses at YSU, including one on Western political democracies. Dr. Martirosyan has published a number of articles in the field of democratization in the post soviets countries and the role of external actors, such as the EU, and holds considerable experience in administering educational programs.
  • Ms. Kristine Gevorgyan assistant to the teaching of “Introduction to European Integration” course. She is a PhD candidate at YSU and holds Master’s in Euroculture from the University of Uppsala (MA thesis on Multilingualism in the EU on the example of Sweden and Denmark).
  • Dr. Narek Galstyan conveyed the course on “European Security and Defence Policy”. He  defended his PhD thesis on Political Dimensions of the European Integration of Armenia. He has actively published on EU and South Caucasus matters (over 12 articles and books) and is engaged in teaching at various Universities in Armenia.
  • Dr. Armen Baybourtian will teach the third course on EU’s European Neighbourhood Policy, whose PhD thesis focuses on History of EU‟s Relations with Armenia. He is the former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, and has been the negotiator of the main documents signed between the EU and Armenia.
  • Ms. Anna Hakobyan, a PhD candidate from YSU holding an LLM from the University College London, will cover the legal aspects of the course. Her LLM focused on the External Relations of the EU (Dissertation on the Efficiency of the European Neighbourhood Policy).