The EU’s Georgetown? Top French university Sciences Po eyes Brussels campus
French university Sciences Po is considering opening a campus in Brussels, arguing that the EU capital is missing its own elite academic institution.
Intelligence analysis by Llama
Sciences Po is considering opening a Brussels campus to specialize in EU-level research and training the next generation of Eurocrats, drawing a contrast between Brussels and Washington, D.C., which is home to elite schools like Georgetown University.
Imagine a city that's the center of a big organization, but it doesn't have a good school to teach people about that organization. That's what's happening in Brussels, the EU capital. A French university called Sciences Po wants to open a school in Brussels to teach people about the EU and help them become experts in EU affairs.
Analysis
A $60B Vote of Confidence
Sciences Po's proposal to open a Brussels campus is a vote of confidence in the EU capital's importance. The French university is arguing that Brussels is missing its own elite academic institution, despite the dense network of alumni who staff the EU institutions. This is a paradoxical situation, as Brussels is the hub of EU decision-making and yet lacks a significant presence of elite schools. The report obtained by POLITICO highlights the contrast between Brussels and Washington, D.C., which is home to elite schools like Georgetown University or Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. Unlike its American counterpart, the EU power center lacks such institutions, even though all the other protagonists in the debate are located there.
Why Cursor?
The French school is making the proposal with an eye on the competition. Students interested in Europe do not spontaneously choose Sciences Po and instead turn to the College of Europe in Bruges or the London School of Economics. A Brussels campus would be a way to win them back. The leadership of Brussels' existing SciencePo faculty reacted coolly to the pitch, with Jean-Benoît Pilet, the dean of Université Libre de Bruxelles' Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences, stating that they have already seen projects of this type and many have failed.
The Road Ahead
The report was written by the school's 38-member committee, which includes Laurence Boone, a former French minister for Europe, and luminaries such as former Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta, Nobel-prize-winning economist Philippe Aghion, and the novelist Giuliano da Empoli. It was first reported on by French daily Les Echos. In 2024, a pro-Palestinian protest at Sciences Po sparked accusations that a Jewish student linked to the UEJF was barred from entering, claims disputed by the university's Palestine committee. French President Emmanuel Macron and then-Prime Minister Gabriel Attal swiftly condemned the alleged antisemitism, prompting Sciences Po academics and students to accuse the government of political overreach and importing American-style campus culture wars.
Key points
- Sciences Po is considering opening a Brussels campus to specialize in EU-level research and training.
- The campus would provide a world-class education in EU affairs and attract more students interested in the EU.
- The proposal highlights the lack of elite academic institutions in Brussels and the need for a specialized EU-focused school.
- The report was written by Sciences Po's 38-member committee, which includes luminaries such as former Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta and Nobel-prize-winning economist Philippe Aghion.
If Sciences Po opens a Brussels campus, it could attract more students interested in EU affairs and provide them with a world-class education. This could lead to a new generation of EU experts who are well-equipped to tackle the complex challenges facing the EU.
However, the proposal to open a Brussels campus may face resistance from existing academic institutions in the city, which could lead to a turf war and undermine the proposal. Additionally, the EU's current economic and political challenges may make it difficult to attract students and faculty to the new campus.
