Events & Publications 
Past Conferences
Policy Conferences
2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999
Social Inclusion and the Transformation of Mental Health Services: Transatlantic Perspectives
June 12-14, 2008, University of Pittbsurgh
This conference will examine the concept of social inclusion and its role in recovery and mental health promotion. It will address the questions of how, in the European Union, public practices and policies based on the concept of social inclusion foster recovery and promote the opening of opportunities in the community for people with psychiatric disorders. How do they promote mental health and resiliency in distressed communities at risk for high rates of mental illness? Moving to a transatlantic perspective, how might such practices and policies be translated into the U.S. context, implemented and evaluated? How can we best learn from each other across international boundaries? How can practice and policy, governmental action and philanthropy be best informed by international learning?
The intent of this conference is to expose health professionals, practitioners, and policy makers in the United States to the experience in the European Union addressing social inclusion/exclusion in mental health and consider its meaning for public and philanthropic policy in the U.S. We also hope to build on the work of the University of Pittsburgh, the International Initiative for Mental Health Leadership and the University of Central Lancaster’s Center on Social Inclusion to foster an environment of mutual exchange and learning and facilitate the creation of an ongoing international learning network on social inclusion linking all stakeholders. Additionally, we aim to elaborate means for the successful translation of health and public policy across international boundaries.
Click here for a copy of the conference program.
A New EU Approach to Chemical Safety: Lessons for the United States?
June 7-9, 2007, University of Pittsburgh
This conference is the 7th in a series of annual policy conferences sponsored by the European Union Center of Excellence. This year's conference topic was chosen in order to consider policy and practice in Europe and the U.S. in the context of the evolving trans-Atlantic relationship in the area of industrial chemical regulation and the need for cooperation both bilaterally and within existing multilateral organizations. The conference is designed to provide an overview of the recent history and current status of the regulation of such chemicals in the environment, including the contrasting trans-Atlantic approaches to the Precautionary Principle"; European Commission actions related to regulation of industrial chemicals with particular reference to regulations under REACH; and U.S. government actions related to regulation of industrial chemicals, with particular reference to regulations under the Toxic Substances Control Act. The final session will address policy needs, impediments and recommendations.
Sponsored by European Studies Center, European Union Center of Excellence, Graduate School of Public Health.
The Bologna Process: Transatlantic Perspectives
June 23-24, 2006, University of Pittsburgh
Developing Policies to Improve Indoor Environmental Quality: Transatlantic Viewpoints
June 8-10, 2005
Private Law Private International Law & Judicial Cooperation in the EU-U.S. Relationship
May 7, 2004
International Aspects of e-Government
June 24-26, 2001
Dr. Toni Carbo, (former) Dean of the School of Information Sciences (SIS), Dr. Martin Weiss, Director of Telecommunications in SIS, and Dr. Phil Wilkin, served as the EU faculty organizers for this conference.
The EU Center has host policy conferences on topics of relevance to the EU-US relationship, of which the conference, 'International Aspects of Electronic Government,' was the third. The conference, co-hosted by the School of Information Sciences, and focused on the relatively neglected group of issues surrounding e-gov in the international arena.
The goal of the conference was to improve understanding of the kinds of policies that might facilitate intergovernmental (especially transatlantic) cooperation on the delivery of information and information-based services to citizens. To achieve that goal, approximately 35 practitioners and academics met June 24-26 at the University Club adjacent the University of Pittsburgh's main campus to investigate the transatlantic dimension of e-gov.
The conference was the first in a series of programs that the School of Information Sciences planned focusing on the broad question: What is the role of electronic information systems in the relationship between citizens and their elected government?
Presentations:
Interoperability issues in Italian E-Government action plan, Carlo Batini, Autorità per l’Informatica nella Pubblica Amministrazione Dipartimento di Informatica e Sistemistica, Università di Roma “La Sapienza”
Recommendations, Toni Carbo, Dean School of Information Science, University of Pittbsurgh
eGovernment Leadership Rhetoric vs Reality — Closing the Gap, Owen Davies, Accenture
Interchange of Data between Administrations (IDA) IDA role in strategies for EU cross-border cooperation, Joris Heeren, DG Enterprise/D5, Networks between Public Administrations, European Commission
Comprehensive Assessment of Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Public Information Dissemination Reforms, F. Woody Horton, NCLIS Consultant
Meeting the Challenges of the Future, Frank Mather, Analysis and policy planning, Directorate General Information Society, European Commission
Benchmarking e-Government Efforts, Moderator - Olov Östberg, Director of Information and Business Process Reengineering at the Swedish Agency for Public Management (Statskontoret)
International Aspects of International Aspects of E-Government Government Case Studies Introduction, Theresa Pardo, Center for Technology and Government
Barriers to E-Government: Privacy and Other Concerns, Ari Schwartz, Center for Democracy and Technology
The Pennsylvania Technology Atlas, Ken Sochats, Director, Visual Information Systems Center, University of Pittsburgh
International Aspects of e International Aspects of e-Government: Government: A United Kingdom Perspective, Simon Towler, First Secretary Trade Policy, British Embassy
Social Policy & Community Practice: University-Community Partnerships For Community Development & Social Inclusion
September 14-16, 2000
Developed with the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Social Work. Held during September 14-16, 2000, the symposium strengthened and expanded existing links between the School of Social Work and colleges and community organizations in the EU. The existing links include faculty and student exchanges.
Community organizers and university-based practitioners participated from several EU-member states, as well as Canada and the US. These participants examined three broad issue areas: social inclusion, civic engagement and participation, and comparative social and economic issues in the EU and the US. Within these issue areas, several sub-themes were explored. The first theme was the impl10/20/08partnership models in Europe and the US. The second theme was concerned with creating best practices for community development. The third theme related to university-community partnerships, including outreach partnership centers and curriculum development for training social/community workers. Finally, a discussion was held focusing on potential future joint initiatives between the EU and the US, and other international efforts.
The Future of EU-US Aviation Relations
April 7-8, 2000
This conference co-sponsored by the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA), brought together officials, representatives of airlines, organizations related to the airline industry, and scholars from the U.S. and the European Union. A commentary reflecting the discussion was subsequently produced and distributed to all the conference's participants. For a published report of the conference see Martin Staniland, “Conference Report: University of Pittsburgh Conference on ‘The Future of E.U.-U.S. Aviation Relations,’” Journal of Air Transport Management 6 (2000), 245-47.
The New Transatlantic Challenge: Strengthening Institutional
Cooperation in Immigration and Criminal Justice
April 9-10, 1999
Conference transcripts:
Panel I Problems and Opportunities in Transatlantic Cooperation
