May 2007

 

 

 
 
Feature Stories
 
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Professor Desmond Dinan
A European Union Success Story at Mason's School of Public Policy

Photo of Professor Desmond Dinan
Professor Dinan
The European Commission awards Jean Monnet Chairs, named after the founding father of the European Union, to distinguished professors of European integration in the fields of economics, politics, and society. Since 2001, Professor Desmond Dinan has held one of the few chairs awarded to professors of European integration who are based in the United States—most of the chairs are awarded to professors based in Europe.

This year, the European Commission identified a small number of Jean Monnet Chairs to showcase as special success stories. The selected professors, who included Dinan, were invited to a conference in Berlin, May 6–7, hosted by the German government. In addition to launching a major European educational initiative, the “Lifelong Learning Program,” the conference recognized these outstanding professors for their many professional achievements.

Success and recognition are not new for Dinan. This dynamic professor has received the George Mason University Student Government "Professor of the Year" Award for Excellence in Instruction and the first-ever European Community curriculum development grant awarded in the United States.

" It's always nice to be recognized for one's work, but in the end, the work itself is the satisfaction," says Dinan. "I am grateful and honored to hold a Jean Monnet Chair and look forward to continuing both to learn and to educate."

In a special booklet on the Jean Monnet program initiated at the conference, the European Commission notes that "Professor Desmond Dinan has provided a unique outside view on the historical development of European integration." The Commission also highlights the fact that Dinan has published numerous scholarly works that are known for their "clarity and user-friendliness." Dinan's publications include Ever Closer Union: An Introduction to European Integration, 3rd edition (2005); Europe Recast: A History of European Union (2004); the edited works Origins and Evolution of the European Union (2006); and Encyclopedia of the European Union (2000).

Dinan is recognized for being a gifted teacher and playing a major role in explaining the complexity of the European Union to people all over the world. The Commission states, "[his] Jean Monnet Chair has made a significant contribution to spreading awareness, knowledge, and debate on the European integration process."