Yes. The European Union Center at the University of Illinois has a robust history of fostering discussions across the U of I’s colleges on relations between countries of Europe (the majority currently represented by the European Union) and the U.S. The EUC at the U of I has drawn from the general importance of Chicago and the State of Illinois in overall U.S. international trade to facilitate discussions between U of I scholars and students and the diplomats, business leaders, and scholars from Europe who shape the ongoing underpinning of U.S.-EU relations in questions of trade, security, and human rights.

Highlights of the EUC’s contributions to conversations about transatlantic relations include regular invitations to high-ranking diplomats from Europe and the opportunity for them to engage with business leaders in Central Illinois and Chicago, as well as ongoing involvement with the research of faculty such as in the College of ACES in international partnerships and small grants to advance research and teaching. Collaborations with the U of I’s College of Law also frequently allow for rich discussions of current problem in translatlantic relations, such as Brexit, and the exploration of what can be learned in the area of human rights, including issues such as LGBTQI rights.

The study of transatlantic relations at the University of Illinois also benefits from the work of other centers and units on campus who are focused on issues of international cooperation, such as in the sciences or the U of I’s Program in Arms Control & Domestic and International Security (ACDIS). The EU Center has seen several undergraduates who pursue the ACDIS Undergraduate Certificate in Global Security also take interest in EUC undergraduate and graduate offerings.