More than seven decades of research on Europe and the European idea.
The History
of Europa-Kolleg Hamburg
From the early 1950s onwards, the classical scholar Bruno Snell worked to establish Europa-Kolleg Hamburg. As a classicist, Snell had studied the roots of European thought in ancient Greece; in his own life, he had witnessed the horrors of the Nazi dictatorship. Both shaped his vision of a democratic and united Europe. He repeatedly championed this vision, including during his term as Rector of the University of Hamburg. On 31 July 1953, his efforts came to fruition when the Academic Senate approved the establishment of Stiftung Europa-Kolleg Hamburg.
The new institution was initially intended for highly qualified students from a wide range of disciplines. Students from Germany and abroad were to live and study together under one roof. In the 1960s, postgraduate training and doctoral opportunities were added.
In 1978, the Institute for Integration Research, now the Institute for European Integration, was established. It formed part of Europa-Kolleg while also holding the status of an academic institution at the University of Hamburg. This provided the organisational framework for developing the Kolleg’s research capacity.
A further milestone was the Research Training Group “Integration Research”, funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), through which around 45 scholars completed their doctorates. In 1998, Europa-Kolleg launched the postgraduate programme “Master of European Studies”. In 2009, it became part of the restructured “Master of European and European Legal Studies”, which continues to this day.
The work of Europa-Kolleg Hamburg has long enjoyed broad recognition. “Born of its founder’s experience and foresight, Europa-Kolleg Hamburg has developed into an institution that has become an indispensable part of Germany’s academic landscape,” wrote Romano Prodi, then President of the European Commission, in 2003. His words appeared in a message marking the Kolleg’s 50th anniversary. “The link between university education and practical European policymaking – far ahead of its time – has also proved highly successful."