Making sense of EU - Institut d'études européennes of the ULB

How is the European Union redefining its borders, its identity and its role in an increasingly geopolitical world?

From wars and migration to sovereignty and the debate over “Fortress Europe”, today’s challenges are pushing the EU to rethink what it means to be a political community.

In this second episode of the BoundEUries podcast series, we speak with Professor Frank Schimmelfennig (ETH Zurich), whose research explores how boundary formation shapes European integration, to discuss why borders matter, how geopolitical crises are transforming the EU, and what these changes mean for European politics, teaching and public debate.

 Join us for this conversation about borders, crises and the future of Europe.

If you want to know more about the BoundEUries project: https://iee.ulb.be/fr/projets-de-recherche/boundeuries

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This first episode introduces the BoundEUries project and the questions at the heart of its research agenda. François Foret and Julien Jeandesboz, coordinators of the Centre, discuss what it means to understand the European Union as a community, a space and a political power, and why the relationship between community-making and boundary-making matters today.

The conversation also explores BoundEUries’ interdisciplinary approach and its ambition to bring together different perspectives to better understand Europe and its transformations. At a time marked by war, migration, environmental and digital challenges, and debates over identity and belonging, this episode asks how we can rethink the way we understand, and talk about Europe.

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Global health challenges do not stop at national borders. Yet international cooperation remains fragmented, and the institutions designed to address these challenges are under growing pressure.

In this episode, Óscar Fernández, Postdoctoral Researcher at Maastricht University and contributor to ENSURED (NAVIGATOR's sister project), discusses the future of global health governance and the role the European Union can play.

The host for this episode is Alix Bullman (Université libre de Bruxelles).

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Artificial intelligence is reshaping global power and creating new dependencies between countries. This raises a key question for the European Union: can it shape the future of AI without controlling many of the technologies behind it?

In this episode, Daniel Mügge, Professor of Political Arithmetic at the University of Amsterdam and member of NAVIGATOR’s External Advisory Board, discusses Europe’s place in the global AI landscape and the kind of digital society it should seek to build.

The host for this episode is Alix Bullman (Université libre de Bruxelles).

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Cyber threats are evolving rapidly, with AI making attacks both more sophisticated and easier to carry out. Japan and Europe now face a shared challenge: how to keep pace?

In this episode, recorded in Tokyo, Mihoko Matsubara, Chief Cybersecurity Strategist at NTT, Inc., discusses what these changes mean for Japan and Europe, and why closer cooperation between the two partners matters.

The host for this episode is Alix Bullman (Université libre de Bruxelles).

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This summer, Eyes on Europe decided to spark conversation around the status of youth across Europe: "Young, European and free: rights, opportunities and voices of young Europeans" is the title of the issue n.44 of our student-led magazine! Are you curious to learn more? Listen to this brand new podcast episode featuring Elise Depoortere (EU Interdisciplinary Studies student at the Institut d’études Européennes & Co-President at Eyes on Europe) and Zack Balzan (European Studies student at the Institut d’études Européennes & writer at Eyes on Europe) in conversation with Gauthier Van Outryve (European Studies student at the Institut d’études Européennes & Podcast Co-Manager at Eyes on Europe) on the content of their respective articles. Do you want to read these articles and many more? Check out the digital version of the magazine at https://www.eyes-on-europe.eu/magazine/. 

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There are several narratives about the European Union, narratives that label it as “a peace project” and “a human rights actor", but does this imagery still stand to the test of the current international landscape? This episode aims to find answers to this vital interrogative and to outline new pathways for a more human rights-sensitive external action of the EU. The discussion is hosted by Alessia Ruta (European Studies Student at the Institut d’études européennes & Co-President of Eyes on Europe) and features Beatriz Abellán Merelo (Policy Analyst on International Relations at the Foundation for European Progressive Studies) and Zack Balzan (European Studies Student at the Institut d’études européennes & writer at Eyes on Europe).

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New forms of cooperation are emerging, and countries are increasingly turning to smaller, more flexible alliances to navigate uncertainty.

In this new landscape, partnerships between like-minded actors matter more than ever, and the relationship between the European Union and Japan is a key example of this.

In this episode of Making Sense of EU, recorded in Tokyo, we explore how the EU and Japan are adapting to a more fragmented and unpredictable world. Together with Professor Akiko Fukushima (Tokyo Foundation for Policy Research) and Dr Wrenn Yennie Lindgren (Norwegian Institute of International Affairs), we unpack the evolving balance between multilateralism and so-called “smaller clubs” — from ASEAN to the Quad — and what this means for global governance.

We also discuss where the EU and Japan can act together to shape new rules, relying as much on trust and dialogue.

As global governance continues to evolve, this episode asks: how can the EU and Japan not only adapt to change, but actively shape it? The host for this episode is Alix Bullman (Univerisité libre de Bruxelles).

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The international system faces its gravest crisis in decades. As global democracy retreats, authoritarian regimes actively challenge established international rules and norms.

This episode asks: Which institutions are worth saving in this "burning house" of cooperation? We analyse the paralysis of the UN Security Council and NATO's struggle against illiberal pressures as the world order begins to fragment. You will hear from Roland Paris, Alexandra Gheciu (both University of Ottawa) and NUPI's Ole Jacob Sending. The host for this episode is Marie Furhovden (NUPI).

This episode is part of the NUPI led project NAVIGATOR that is investigating how the EU should navigate multilateral cooperation. The project receives funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under the Grant agreement ID: 101094394.

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Migration has long been a defining issue for the European Union, testing its capacity to act collectively while upholding human rights and international standards. In recent years, the EU has increasingly relied on externalisation (meaning outsourcing migration control to third countries) to reduce irregular arrivals. While this approach may be effective in deterring migration, it raises serious concerns about transparency, accountability, and compliance with the EU’s legal and moral obligations.

In this episode of Making Sense of EU, we explore the tensions in EU migration policy with Johan Ekstedt, postdoctoral fellow at the Université libre de Bruxelles. Johan tells us about the challenges of shared competence with member states, and the rise of informal and bilateral agreements that complicate legal accountability. We also discuss the growing influence of EU agencies like Frontex, and what these trends mean for rights protection and policy effectiveness.

The discussion highlights the need for stronger legal accountability and greater transparency to build a migration policy that truly respects human rights.

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