February 19, 2013, Newsweek published an article that was provocatively titled “France: Leader of the Free World.” Even more provocatively, the subtitle taunted U.S. leaders with “The French are a decisive, manly superpower. Unlike America.” Gendered rhetoric aside, French foreign policy in recent years has led other powers to take note. Rather than waiting for collective decisions from NATO or the EU and citing historical interests in the region, the French intervened in Libya and the Ivory Coast under President Sarkozy and Mali under President Hollande.

What is the Euro Challenge?

The Euro Challenge is an exciting educational opportunity for high school students to learn about the European Union (EU) and the euro. Student teams of three to five students are asked to make presentations answering specific questions about the European economy and the single currency, the euro. They are also asked to pick one member country of the “euro area” (the 17 EU member countries that have adopted the euro so far), to examine an economic problem at the country level, and to identify policies for responding to that problem.

Join the Center at the first of our country-themed social gatherings with a celebration of Oktoberfest! Enjoy music, rootbeer flights and pretzels, and get to know our Center Director, staff, and some of our affiliated faculty. Meet with other students interested in German and/or European Studies, and if you are a student who has traveled to Germany and would like to submit a photo from your travels, enter your favorite for a chance to win our photo contest. Please send your photo to euce@pitt.edu as an attachment prior to the event.

Mircea Geoana served as President of the Romanian Senate from 2008 to 2011 and Chairman of the Social Democratic Party from 2005 to 2011. In 2009 he was a candidate for President of the country. He has served as Ambassador to the United States and as Chair in Office of the OSCE. Goeana’s views on foreign policy, transitional economies and globalization have been featured in the New York Times, International Herald Tribune, The Atlantic, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, CNN, BBC, PBS, Bloomberg, TV5 and Fox Business.

Presentation to a Montessori mixed age classroom of 3-year-olds, 4-year-olds, and kindergarteners about the European Union - an introduction. The students were given individual "passports" and then pretended to visit Europe. They learned that they would only get one stamp when they got to Europe, no matter how many different countries they visited. The students are given regular instruction in the continents and could all name countries in Europe. They learned that some of those countries were member states, some were not.

Dr. Martens is Chief Executive of The European Policy Centre, a Brussels-based think tank set up to promote European integration. He is the founder of Martens International Consulting, specializing in international consultancy and customized training for a number of major companies, and the author of a number of books and articles on European integration, monetary affairs, and business strategies for the European market. Questioning whether Europe finally has the Euro crises under control, Martens will also present his analysis of the future direction of European integration.

Testimonies of Kristallnacht read by Pitt students and a lecture by professor Robert Skloot (University of Wisconsin).

Available for both undergraduates and graduate students, Boren Awards support the study of less-commonly-taught languages through study abroad. Applicants must demonstrate how their proposal and future goals are connected to a broad understanding of national security, and award winners must agree to a one-year government service requirement. The deadline for undergraduate applications in December 2nd.

Learn more about DAAD programs for both undergraduates and graduates, and for German speaking and non-German speaking students. Dr. Wezel will discuss a variety of research, study, and internship DAAD scholarships that can fund up to 2 years of research or graduate study. For scholarship requirements and deadlines, please reference the DAAD’s website, which also includes information for the summer internship program with RISE (Research Internships in Science and Engineering). To R.S.V.P., please email Judy Zang at jaz36@pitt.edu.