The Master’s programme of European Studies at the University of Leipzig is a truly inter-disciplinary programme with contributions from five different schools and more than 15 disciplines, covering not only all of the humanities and social sciences, but also geography, law and economics. Instead of seeing Europe as a state-unit, the programme focuses on processes of Europeanisation in a longue durée. Leipzig, with its long traditions of cultural and economic exchange to the West and the East, as well as to the North and the South of the continent, is located at the centre of Europe. Thus, it goes without saying that Europeanisation is seen not only as an expansion of Western patterns to the East, but also as a creative process of adaptation and mutual influence. A study abroad unit is an important and compulsory part of this master’s programme and is based on the Erasmus exchange programme with a series of universities well-known for their contribution to the field of European Studies all over the continent. This master´s programme prepares excellent students for a critical perspective on the topics of their study and encourages them to solve scientific questions ont their own.

The Master´s in European Studies assumes that the processes of Europeanisation:

•  are no phenomena of recent years, thus their analyses demands a study field with historical depth;
• cannot be explained only by economical developments and the social consequences;
• do not lead to a singular process of homogenization, but require recognition of the various aspects and effects on Europeanisation due to the different European regions;
• depend on the perspective and location of the interpreter who analyses the effects of Europeanisation.