Dr Dionyssis Dimitrakopoulos awarded a Jean Monnet Chair – the first in the College’s history
The Jean Monnet Chair is a prestigious European Union specialised teaching post, funded by the Erasmus+ programme.
Dr Dionyssis Dimitrakopoulos, Senior Lecturer in Politics and Programme Director of the MSc European Politics and Policy, has been awarded a Jean Monnet Chair in Parliamentary Democracy and European Integration. The corresponding funding will cover teaching and research activities in the field of European integration over the next three academic years.
Jean Monnet Chairs are awarded through a highly competitive process by the European Commission through the European Union’s Erasmus+ programme. The position is awarded based on promoting excellence in teaching and research on EU studies, fostering debate around European issues, encouraging active citizenship, and disseminating knowledge to the wider public, in a critical and objective manner.
Dr Dimitrakopoulos commented: “I am immensely proud to be the first holder of a Jean Monnet Chair at the unique institution that is Birkbeck. It will enable me to further teaching and research in the politics of European integration at Birkbeck, both at postgraduate and undergraduate level. The Monnet Chair will help Birkbeck foster knowledge generation and dissemination, promote enlightened dialogue and engage students, researchers and the public in debates on issues such as the future of an integrating Europe that has a direct bearing on the lives of people up and down this country.”
Professor David Latchman CBE, Master of Birkbeck, commented on Dr Dimitrakopoulos’s achievement: “This is excellent news; a really significant recognition for Dr Dionyssis Dimitrakopoulos and marvellous for the College.”
Dr Dimitrakopoulos holds degrees from Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences, the Université Libre de Bruxelles and the University of Hull. Dr Dimitrakopoulos is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and has held fellowships at Oxford University and London School of Economics. He is an active researcher, with research interests in the politics of European integration at the European as well as the domestic levels. Dr Dimitrakopoulos is currently researching the EU’s reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Jean Monnet Chair is named after French diplomat Jean Monnet (1888-1979), a key figure in the founding of the European Union. Dr Dimitrakopoulos’ Jean Monnet Chair activities will commence in September.
Further Information
- More information on Jean Monnet Chairs
- Study MSc European Politics and Policy
- Study Politics at Birkbeck
- Watch Dr Dimitrakopoulos’ Talking Europe vlog series