Workshops

Workshop in Prague, 24 September 2012
“Financial Management and Economics of Health and Pension Plan Systems”

The 2012 Workshop was held in Prague, in cooperation with the University of Finance & Administration, the University of Piraeus, the Athens University of Economics & Business, the University of A Coruna & the Loyola University of Chicago. The main goal of the ERSJ 2012 Workshop was to address one of the most acute problems that the EU is going to face in the near future, the financial viability of Pension Plan Systems. The European Union is ageing as a result of two developments: firstly, the number of people aged 65 years and over is increasing and, secondly, the number of children (age group 0 – 14 years) is decreasing. This trend coupled with the deterioration of public economic figures and the negative outlook on EU’s economic performance in the short term, constitute a time bomb in the foundations of European societies.

Workshop in Athens, 27-29 May 2010
“What Could We Learn From the Greek Experience With Europeanization?”

The main objective of this Workshop was to highlight some major contrasts that exist between the “core” EU states and those belonging to Eastern and Southern Europe. The research papers were expected to focus on the challenges endemic within the Europeanization process.

Having Greece as a case study, the debate could be placed within the perspective of domestic institutional adaptation, stressing the dynamism, a symmetry and fragmentation of the Europeanization process. The lessons derived from the Greek experience are of paramount importance not only for understanding a pattern of change, but also for the future stability and cohesion of the European Union itself. The insights of this research could be used as a learning experience for these new member states to adjust to the European environment. Given some common traditions and cultural similarities, the new EU members (mostly Central and Eastern Europe) and Greece share also economic and social problems, exacerbated by the global financial crisis.