As one Center of Excellence conludes
Un-muting Europe
After three years of intense activity, the Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence “Un-Muting Europe” (EUNMUTE) completed its funding period in September 2025.
Led by the Institute for European Studies (IEE) and coordinated by Denis Duez, the project benefited from the expertise of Thérèse Davio, Florence Delmotte, Sophie Jacquot, and Amandine Orsini, all members of the CReSPo research centre.
The Centre promoted interdisciplinary research and teaching focused on the EU’s capacity to amplify marginalised voices. Its work concentrated on key themes: the protection of the rule of law, social inclusion, gender, environmental protection, migrants’ rights, and the challenges of the digital transition. All EUNMUTE activities and achievements remain accessible on the project website, the IEE’s YouTube channel, and the “Unmuting Europe” podcasts.
Another Research Project begins
Introducing the EUMERGENCIES Centre of Excellence
The new Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence EUMERGENCIES: Unity and Disunity in the EU’s Response to Emergencies is taking over from EUNMUTE and is dedicated to EU emergency management research, with a particular focus on the political and constitutional implications of crises in Europe.
Still coordinated by Denis Duez, EUMERGENCIES intends to cast a critical eye on the role of emergencies in the development of the EU and on the EU’s response to emergencies within and beyond its borders.
The main question guiding this project is: Do emergencies foster European solidarity, or do they, conversely, undermine the EU’s constitutional foundations and its political stability?
We invite you to follow the activities of the EUMERGENCIES Centre of Excellence by subscribing to the IEE newsletter.
Meet the EUMERGENCIES team
EUMERGENCIES is led by a team of 10 researchers and staff members of the Institute for European Studies of UCLouvain Saint-Louis Bruxelles
Denis Duez
Professor of Political Science
General Project Coordinator
Specialist in EU internal security and border management, focusing on the (de)regulation of mobility and the Schengen Area. He ensures general coordination, project supervision, and co-supervises the Asylum and Migration axis.
Antoine Bailleux
Professor of EU Law and Legal Theory
President of the IEE, Co-Supervisor of the Rights and Values axis
Legal scholar specializing in EU fundamental rights, litigation, and the regulation of chemicals and pesticides. He co-supervises the thematic axis on the resilience of EU rights and values.
Teresa Cabrita
Senior Lecturer in International Relations
Head of the Global Europe Thematic Axis
Legal researcher focusing on EU external relations and disaster law. She leads the research and outreach activities exploring the cross-border nature of emergencies and the EU's diplomatic role.
Samuel Defacqz
Professor of Political Science
Co-Head of the Democracy and Voice Thematic Axis
Political scientist focusing on EU governance, institutional lobbying, and the digital transformation of public administrations. He is involved in studying the resilience of EU democratic institutions in the face of internal and external threats, alongside F. Delmotte and S. Jacquot.
Florence Delmotte
Professor of EU Sociology
Co-Head of the Democracy and Voice Thematic Axis
Researcher in historical sociology, examining processes of identification with political communities and the legacy of Norbert Elias. She contributes to the analysis of the instrumentalization of emergency situations and their impact on social mobilization and protest.
Juliette Dupont
Marie Sklodowska Curie Postdoctoral Fellow
Co-Supervisor of the Asylum and Migration axis
Expert in migration and visa policies, researching the sociotechnical challenges of European border control. She co-supervises the research and teaching activities related to the role of crisis narratives in the governance of European migration and borders.
Sophie Jacquot
Professor of Political Science
Co-Head of the Democracy and Voice Thematic Axis
Expert in the sociology of EU public policy, focusing on gender equality, anti-discrimination, and social Europe. She contributes to debates on safeguarding the EU's participatory democracy and counter-strategies against anti-democratic rhetoric.
Amandine Orsini
Professor of International Relations and Environmental Politics
Co-Supervisor of the Climate and Environment Thematic Axis
Specialist in global environmental politics, specifically youth participation in international climate and biodiversity negotiations. She is responsible for analyzing the EU's capacity to address the climate and environmental emergency and its integration into security practices.
Agathe Piquet
Assistant professor in political science, University of Bordeaux
Co-Supervisor of the Climate and Environment Thematic Axis
She co-supervises the research activities on the climate and environmental emergency and its implications for the EU.
Cecilia Rizcallah
Professor of EU Law
Co-Supervisor of the Rights and Values axis
Legal scholar specializing in the protection of the rule of law, liberal democracy, and human rights within the EU. She co-supervises the axis that studies the resilience of fundamental EU rights and values, including respect for the rule of law, in emergency situations.
Thérèse Davio
Executive Officer
She provides essential support for project implementation, event organization, and manages budget and research dissemination issues.
Julie Delacourt
Communication Officer
She is in charge of communication, managing the newsletter, website, social media, and project logistics.
Part of a Major European University
UCLouvain
The Institute for European Studies is anchored within the UCLouvain Saint-Louis Bruxelles campus. This campus represents the integration of the historic Université Saint-Louis – Bruxelles, founded in 1858, with the larger UCLouvain institution (Université catholique de Louvain).
This connection ensures that the EUMERGENCIES Centre of Excellence benefits from:
- Strategic Location: Maintaining a specialized campus and research presence in the heart of Brussels, ensuring proximity and direct dialogue with EU institutions and policymakers.
- Multidisciplinary Depth: Drawing on the academic and human resources of one of Europe’s largest French-speaking universities (UCLouvain), which boasts numerous faculties and research institutes across multiple sites.
This dual identity—specialized excellence in Brussels combined with the extensive resources of a major European university—reinforces the ambition and reach of our Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence
Jean Monnet Chairs and Modules
The IEE actively contributes to the dissemination of knowledge about the European Union through its Jean Monnet labels of excellence.
Jean Monnet Chairs
The Jean Monnet Modules
Fellowships and Notable Projects
The IEE is known for hosting prestigious research projects and high-level postdoctoral fellowships.
The institute hosted Marie Skłodowska-Curie postdoctoral Fellow projects, including GREENEUROPE and VISADIPLO.