European Studies: Munich – Vienna

About

The EU’s Quest for Competitiveness: Technology, Geoeconomics and International Power Dynamics

The course is designed to introduce the complex political and institutional landscape of the European Union. Participants begin with the historical foundations, tracing the EU’s development from the European Coal and Steel Community to a 27-member union, before exploring the institutions and decision-making processes that shape European integration today.

Building on this foundation, the course examines how the EU responds to contemporary global challenges: rising geopolitical competition, vulnerabilities in supply chains and energy, and the race for technological sovereignty in areas like AI, quantum computing, and biotech. Additionally, it highlights the EU’s efforts to promote human rights, its leadership in global climate action, and its role as a normative power—shaping international norms and values in fields such as democracy, rule of law, and sustainability.

By the end of this course, students will have a solid understanding of EU governance, its challenges, and the innovations now shaping its resilience, competitiveness, and global influence on norms and standards.

Course leader

Prof. Dr. Klaus Goetz, LMU Munich, Chair of Political Systems and European Integration, Dr. Radu-Mihai Triculescu

Target group

LMU Munich’s European Studies Programs are open for students…
…who have an interest in the European Union as well as European history and culture, irrespective of their own academic background
…who are looking for an interdisciplinary learning environment
…who follow a Bachelor or Master program and would like to engage in peer-learning
Achievements
Former participants have evaluated this program very positively and stressed the following benefits:

profound introduction to European Union topics
developing soft skills and rhetoric
cultural immersion

Course aim

Attending our EU Studies programs, participants will

be hosted by the LMU GSI which has just been ranked first regarding research reputation among German political science departments
develop a deep understanding of European history, European politics and current crises
receive ECTS credits for their performance in class
strengthen their soft skills and rhetoric

Fee info