Founded in 1895 and a University since 1966, Aston is a long established research-led University known for its world-class teaching quality and strong links to industry, government and commerce. Professor Julia King became Vice-Chancellor of the University in 2006.
Aston University is based in the centre of Birmingham, home to over 65,000 students and one of Europe’s liveliest and most welcoming cities.
Our friendly and safe 40 acre campus houses all the University's academic, social and accommodation facilities for our 9,500 students.
The University is consistently ranked in the UK’s top 20-30 Universities, confirming our place amongst the elite.
Aston University is currently ranked 5th in the UK and 1st outside London for graduate employability, making this a great place to study and learn.
Aston offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes, and also works with the public and private sector to develop tailored Continuing Professional Development and Foundation Degree programmes.
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Excellence in Research and Teaching
Research strengths
Aston has broad research strengths in each of its four Schools of Study. The School of Languages & Social Sciences at Aston is renowned for its interdisciplinary, cutting-edge research which includes European Languages and Translation Studies; Politics and International Relations; Sociology and Public Policy; Forensic- Linguistics.
Aston University campus
About the Aston Centre for Europe (ACE)
ACE acts as a ‘hub’ for a range of Europe and EU-related research and teaching activities across the University. Reflecting the ‘European’ strengths of Aston’s research culture, The Centre engages in a programme of rigorous, policy relevant research on Western and Eastern Europe.
ACE hosts high-profile speakers on Europe, through a series of major academic conferences and lectures.
Our staff are leading experts in their fields, and offer supervision to a number of PhD students. The centre offers masterclasses to Undergraduate and Postgraduate students, in addition to providing a number of PhD stipends.
As well as being a leading academic and research centre, ACE also works with the Aston Business School to train the next generation of civil servants from new and aspirant EU member states.
ACE Academic Staff
Aston Centre for Europe is led by the following Aston research experts:
Patron:
Lord Kerr of Kinlochard GCMG
Directors:
Professor John Gaffney - Co-Director – Specialisms: Politics, Political Leadership, Discourse, Role of Political Parties
Professor Simon Green- Co-Director – Specialisms: Immigration and Citizenship policy in Europe
Dr Nathaniel Copsey – Co-Director – Specialisms: European integration with an emphasis on Poland, Ukraine and European Neighbourhood Policy
Staff:
Dr Amanda Beattie – Specialisms: International political thought and political theory, normative discourses of international security & intersection of international politics and ethics
Alexander Burdumy – Specialisms: Former East Germany (GDR), welfare state, dictatorships, economic history (Germany)
Dr Anneliese Dodds – Specialisms: public policy and comparative public policy
Dr Crispian Fuller– Specialisms: Sociospatial political economy of governance, neoliberalism, urban regeneration and economic development
Sarah Hayes – Specialisms: Collaboration with European University Information Systems (EUNIS) colleagues to undertake research and write papers, open educational resources, e-learning case studies from educational and sociological perspectives & visual and media literacy
Dr Lucian Leustean – Specialisms:Religion and politics in post-par Europe, the history and politics of the European Union, the Cold War; nationalism and political power & Eastern and South-Eastern Europe
Dr Stefan Manz – Specialisms: Migration studies, Anglo-German relations, German history and politics
Dr Jörg Mathias – Specialisms:Comparative public policy-making, regional and federal studies, regional economic and social development, German politics & British politics
Dr Jelena Obradovic – Wochnik – Specialisms: Western Balkans, civil war, war crimes, transitional justice, Serbia and Kosovo
Dr Oscar Pardo – Specialisms: European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), EU relations with the Southern Caucasus, energy security, Russia and Eastern Europe
Professor William Paterson OBE - Specialisms:Germany and Europe, German foreign policy, government and politics in Germany & European integration
Dr Carolyn Rowe – Specialisms: Territorialism in Europe, comparative Federalism and political communication
Prof. James Shields - Specialisms:French politics and modern history, movements of the far right in France and Europe & political parties and elections
Simon J. Smith – Specialisms:EU-NATO relations,security, international organizations, relations with Central Asia
Holly Snaith: Specialisms: Multi-Level Governance, the Euro, political economy and political macroeconomics, research methods, epistemology & pedagogy
Professor Michael Sutton – Specialisms:France and European integration since 1945, European political thought in the 19th and 20th Centuries, politics and religion in the 19th and 20th Century France & theories of international relations
Dr Ed Turner– Specialisms:Party politics, sub-national politics & public policy and housing policy
Dr Uwe Wunderlich – Specialisms: Globalisation, global governance and international order, comparative regionalism (EU, Asia-Pacific), international relations theory & integration theory and international security.
Practitioner Fellows:
Sir Michael Arthur KCMG, former HM Ambassador to Germany and High Commissioner to India
Tony Barber, Europe Editor, Financial Times
Andrew Douglas, Head of Public Affairs, Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC)
Daniel Franklin, Commissioning Editor, The Economist
David Harley,Former Deputy Secretary General of the European Parliament
Tom Roe,Former EU Ambassador to Hong Kong
Adrian Rossiter, Former Director, National School of Government, UK
Adam Steinhouse,Former Director, National School of Government, UK
