Update: 17th Euro-Asia Summer School 2025 – Global Values and Foreign Policy: European and Asian Perspectives
25 August – 5 September 2025
We are delighted to share the outcomes of the 17th Euro-Asia Summer School, which took place from 25 August to 5 September 2025.
This year’s theme, “Global Values and Foreign Policy: European and Asian Perspectives,” brought together students from around the world to reflect on pressing issues of politics, human rights, sustainability, and global governance. The programme once again fulfilled its mission of fostering intercultural dialogue and academic exchange by bridging European and Asian perspectives.
Organised by the Leuven Centre for Global Governance Studies (Belgium), Hitotsubashi University (Japan), Seoul National University (South Korea), and the Institut Barcelona d’Estudis Internacionals (Spain), the Summer School was proudly supported by the Jean Monnet Networks EU-VALUES and EU RENEW, both funded by the European Union.
Programme Highlights
Week 1: Tokyo, Japan – Hitotsubashi University
The first week of the Summer School was hosted at Hitotsubashi University, offering participants a deep dive into East Asian perspectives on governance, development, and foreign policy.
Highlights included:
H.E. Mr. Yoichi Suzuki (Former Ambassador of Japan to France): Keynote Speech
Prof. Kazuhiro Obayashi (Hitotsubashi University): Internal Armed Conflicts and Peacebuilding
Prof. Woosik Moon (Seoul National University): Economic Development in East Asia: A Unique Case or Universal Model?
Prof. Jeonghun Han (Seoul National University): How do Europeans Understand Hallyu?
Prof. Maiko Ichihara (Hitotsubashi University): Attacks on Democracy on the International and Domestic Levels
Prof. Kazuhiro Fukazawa (Yokohama National University): Is the Free Trade Regime Shrinking?
Prof. Toshihiko Aono (Hitotsubashi University): The End of the Cold War in East Asia
Prof. Anh Doan (Hitotsubashi University): Norms and Trust Building in Nuclear Security
Prof. Yujin Woo (Hitotsubashi University): Migration in Aging Japan
Prof. Nobumasa Akiyama (Hitotsubashi University): Nuclear Weapons in East Asian Security and Japan’s Choice
Participants also enjoyed a field trip to Toyosu, with visits to the Toyosu Senkyaku Banrai market, cultural activities, and the immersive art experience at teamLab Planets.
Week 2: Barcelona, Spain – Institut Barcelona d’Estudis Internacionals (IBEI)
Following the intercontinental transition from Tokyo to Barcelona, the second week was hosted by IBEI in collaboration with KU Leuven, UPF, UAB, and Universidad Carlos III.
The week opened with welcoming remarks by Prof. Atsushi Yamada (Hitotsubashi University) and Prof. Jacint Jordana (IBEI), followed by a group photo and campus visit.
Key sessions included:
Prof. Jacint Jordana (IBEI): EU Values and European Foreign Policy
Dr. Philip de Man (KU Leuven): Commons or Commodity? Competing Value Systems in the Use of Outer Space Resources & The Responsibility to Protect: Global Norm or Western Construct?
Dr. Kari Otteburn (KU Leuven): The EU and Global Trade Governance & Fitting Values into Strategic Autonomy
Prof. Raquel Bouso (UPF): Learning from Asian and European Values
Dr. Adam Holesch (IBEI): The European Union and Democracy
Dr. Diego Badell (UAB): Gender and Authoritarian Populism: A Cross-Regional Perspective
Prof. Yannis Karagiannis (IBEI): The EU’s Influence on Asian Regulatory Policies
Prof. Elisabeth Johansson-Nogués (IBEI): The EU’s Approach to Foreign, Security, and Defense Issues in Asia
Prof. Juan Díez Medrano (UC3M): Comparing Asian and European Values
Prof. Catherine De Vries (Bocconi University): Public Service Deprivation and the Rise of the Far Right in Europe
In addition to the academic programme, participants joined a guided tour of Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter and a field trip to Montserrat Monastery, followed by institutional visits to the Barcelona City Council -welcomed by Felip Roca, director of the International Relations office of the Barcelona city council- and also the headquarters of the Metropolis network of global cities, where Jordi Vaquer, general secretary of Metropolis, welcomed the participants of the school.. The Summer School concluded with a farewell lunch in Barcelona, celebrating the friendships and networks formed during the two weeks.
Conclusion
Students highlighted how the two-week programme offered a rare chance to connect across continents, learn from distinguished scholars, and experience two vibrant academic and cultural contexts: Tokyo and Barcelona.
The Euro-Asia Summer School 2025 offered participants a transformative journey, merging academic rigor with cultural immersion across Asia and Europe. We thank all the students, lecturers, and partner institutions for making this year’s edition a success, and we look forward to continuing this tradition of global dialogue and collaboration in the future.
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