The European Inter–University Centre for Human Rights and Democratisation (EIUC) is an interdisciplinary centre formed by 41 universities from all European Union Member States. It is founded on a commitment to the realisation of the values enshrined in the European Union Charter of Fundamental Rights, the promotion of high-level inter-disciplinary human rights education, research, training and culture, and a shared global understanding of human rights and democracy. EIUC is located in Venice, Italy.
By facilitating a pan-European pooling of expertise, EIUC's mission is to foster a community of scholars, researchers and professionals, with the problem-solving capacities and creativity to promote democracy and the implementation of human rights worldwide. EIUC advances innovative models for programmes and projects that bridge theory and practice and are significant for determining human rights and democratisation policies in Europe, providing assistance to neighbouring countries, and promoting the rule of law, democratic principles and good governance through overseas development cooperation.
EIUC is the only European institution identified in the Regulation (EC) No. 1889/2006 of The European Parliament and of the Council on establishing a financing instrument for the promotion of democracy and human rights worldwide as beneficiary of EU operational funding in the financial perspective 2007-2013.
Supported by the European Union and advised by major intergovernmental, non-governmental, regional and local strategic partners EIUC's activities include:
- Providing high level action-oriented and interdisciplinary education for students worldwide;
- Developing advanced training with a view to meeting operational requirements for senior officials of international organisations, field personnel, and other human rights professionals;
- Identifying processes and means of transferring academic and institutional expertise into the public sphere, e.g. through the visual arts and mass media;
- Creating a fertile environment for research and research cooperation and the transformation of results into realistic policies;
- Representing a network of more than 1045 graduates of the European Master's Degree in Human Rights and Democratisation now working for governments, major international organisations, and non-governmental organisations in and outside Europe.
