Internet Resources
About EUROPA - "EUROPA is the portal site of the European Union. It provides up-to-date coverage of European Union affairs and essential information on European integration. Users can also consult all legislation currently in force or under discussion, access the websites of each of the EU institutions and find out about the policies administered by the European Union under the powers devolved to it by the Treaties."
Introduction
- Europa - Panorama A brief, simple explanation of what the European Union is. Includes links to information on what the EU does and how it's organized.
- Europa - Europe in 12 Lessons A basic, 12 part introduction to the European Union.
- European Union Center Quiz and Answer KeyA short introductory European Union quiz, complements of the European Union Center.
Basic Facts
- Europa - Key Facts and Figures Includes information on size, population, candidate countries, work, the economy, education, research, etc. Presents information in colorful charts and graphs.
- CIA World Factbook - European Union Detailed information on geography, people, government, economy, communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues for the European Union as a whole. Also contains links to the same information on individual countries. Includes a map of EU member countries and candidates for membership.
- Network of European Union Centers in the U.S.
- European Commission
- European Parliament
- The European Union in the United States
- The European Union at the United Nations
- EU enlargement page (EU website dedicated to the enlargement project)
- European Union Studies Association
- Rand Europe
- University Association for Contemporary European Studies
- European Research Institute, University of Birmingham
- The European Library
Individual Countries and Geography
- BBC News - Inside Europe The bottom of this page includes links to individual country profiles. Each profile includes a general overview, basic facts about that country and information about leaders and media.
- BBC News - Inside Europe - Enlarging Europe Information about countries that are candidates for EU membership. Includes an interactive map with links to brief summaries and more in-depth country profiles about each candidate country.
- CIA World FactbookDetailed information on geography, people, government, economy, communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues for every world country. Also includes information on the European Union as a whole (see above).
- Sheppard Sofware - European Geography Quizzes Website includes European geography quizzes in three different subject areas (capitals, countries, and landscape) with up to nine levels of difficulty.
History
- Europa - History A brief summary of EU history, plus links to key events in EU history from 1946 to 2005.
- BBC News - Inside Europe - EU Milestones An interactive timeline of European Union history from 1948 to 2003, including major events and brief summaries.
- BBC News - Inside Europe - Enlarging Europe An animated map showing EU enlargement from 1952 to 2004.
- MCE European NAvigator A multimedia reference on the history of Europe. Summaries, articles and photographs about the history of Europe. Not all of the site is presented in English, although most summaries, captions and navigational features are. The photographs available under the "historical events" tree structure (on the left hand side of the page) are of particular interest. Requires Flash.
Government and Politics
- Europa - Organization of the EU A brief introduction to the political organization of the EU. Includes sections on the the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union, the European Commission, the Court of Justice, the Court of Auditors, the European Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions, the European Central Bank, and the European Investment Bank.
- Europa - Treaties and LawsAn overview of the treaties on which the political organization of the EU is founded.
- European Union - Delegation of the European Commission to the USA A site dedicated to providing information on EU policies to Americans.
- BBC News - Inside Europe - European Parliament Guide A short, 7 part guide to the European parliament.
- BBC News - Inside Europe Links (at the bottom of the page, under "useful links") to official EU government websites. A good set of resources, although they may be somewhat technical.
- European Parliament Research and Working Papers Database
- European Social Science Data Archives
- European Elections Studies
- Electionworld (database of election outcomes worldwide)
- Observatory of European Foreign Policy
- Robert Schuman Foundation Newletter
- EU-CONSENT. A research network supported by the European Commission working on "improving the understanding of key European processes and challenges", and "to create a forum, easily accessible for researchers, students and a broader public on all major dimensions of the EU integration process."
- FORNET. A network of research and teaching on European foreign policy.
Current Events
- Europa Home Page The right hand side of the Europa home page includes a "quick links" section, which often contains information about news, recent reports, and upcoming events, such as Spring Day in Europe and Green Week.
- BBC News - Inside Europe This is a section of the BBC news website devoted especially to European Union news. Although not designed specifically for secondary school students, the news presented on the BBC website is very accessible. Main stories include photographs, and the website as a whole includes many useful links.
- Cafe Babel European current affairs magazine.
- Europa - Eurojargon Definitions of dozens of terms used in talking about EU affairs.
- BBC Europe
- Christian Science Monitor
- CNN Europe
- The Economist (subscription only)
- EUBusiness.com
- EUobserver
- Euro News
- European Voice (subscription only)
- Financial Times
- Le Monde
- New York Times
- Washington Post
Daily Life and Human Interest
- Europa - Symbols of the EUInformation on some symbols of the European Union, including the EU flag, the EU anthem, the EU motto and EU Day.
- Europa - Languages in the EU Sample written and recorded texts in every official EU language.
- National Geographic World Music Page Information about artists and musical styles from all over the world. Includes audio files.
Economics and Trade
- European Central Bank
- International Monetary Fund
- World Bank
- Institute for International Economics
- Berkeley Roundtable on the International Economy
- U.S. Trade Representative
- World Trade Organization
Legal
Information Sources
- EU Bookshop. Do not be deceived by the title, this site allows search over all official EU publications since 1952, with free pdf downloads in most cases.
- Europeana. Cultural materials, including texts, images, videos and sound recordings, aggregated from libraries, archives and museums of Europe.
- The European Information Association. A UK non-profit whose site provides clear ansd succint explanations of EU basics and links to key parts of Europa.
- European Union Internet Resources at University of California Berkeley Library
- Historical Archives of the European Union
- EUROSTAT (Statistical Office of the European Communities)
- WWW Virtual Library: International Affairs Resources
- European Union Centers of Excellence
Curriculum Resources
- Turkey-EU Curriculum unit developed by the EUC The primary objective of this curriculum is to provide a background to the Turkey-EU through a series of lessons and activities, which can be used in conjunction with classroom materials or expanded on their own. After the unit, students will have a greater understanding of what being European means, how regional integration is built on history, and how European integration affects the rest of the world.
- Globalization101.org A website "dedicated to providing students with information and interdisciplinary learning opportunities on this complex phenomenon." Includes lesson plans for teachers.
- TraveLessons for Teachers Program A series of short study abroad programs in Spain, France, and Mexico designed for teachers and sponsored by Grand Valley State University.
- European Union Teaching ResourcesCurriculum units, EU simulators, Powerpoint materials and other resources suggested by educators.
- UCLA - Center for European and Eurasian Studies Lesson plans on European Union subjects, arranged by topic.
- Lesson Planet A collection of lesson plans on various topics, including the European Union. Registration required.
- New York Times - Daily Lesson Plans Lesson plans for grades 6-12 to help educators bring current events into the classroom.
- Illinois Geographic Alliance - Lesson Plans - European Study Tour Lesson plans from the 2005 European Study Tour. (Click on "Go to lesson plans.")
- European Union in-class simulations Suggestions for running an in-class European Union simulation. (In PDF format.)
Free European Union Teaching Materials
The following bulk publications are available for K-12 teachers for classroom use. To order, please send an email to eucenter@illinois.edu and tell us which publications you would like, and in what quantity. You may also use this printable order form if you prefer to send your request by mail. Shipping and handling are free of charge courtesy of the European Union Center at the University of Illinois. Some publications are also available online.
- The ABC of Community Law
- A Community of Cultures: The European Union and the Arts*
- EUInsight (newletter from the delegation of the European Commission to the United States)
- Europe at the Crossroads: The Need for Sustainable Transport
- European Solidarity With the Victims of Humanitarian Crises*
- The European Union (pdf pamphlet from the delegation of the European Commission to the United States)
- The European Union: A Guide for Americans
- The European Union confronts HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis
- The European Union, Latin America and the Caribbean: A strategic partnership. (pdf)
- From Farm to Fork: Safe food for Europe's Consumers
- Going for Growth: The economy of the European Union
- How the European Union Works* (Available also in German, French, Spanish, Greek, and Italian)
- It's a Better Life: How the EU's Single Market Benefits You
- It's Your Europe: Living and Working Anywhere in the EU
- Key Facts and Figures about Europe and the Europeans
- Let's Explore Europe!
- Making Globalization Work for Everyone: The EU and World Trade (Available also in German, French, Spanish, Greek, and Italian)
- More Unity and More Diversity: The European Union's biggest enlargement
- Panorama of the European Union* (Large Map, currently out of stock in English, but available in German, French, Spanish, Greek, and Italian)
- A Quality Environment: How the European Union is contributing
- Serving the People of Europe: How the European Commission Works
- Traveling in Europe*
- Working for the Region*
* Indicates limited quantities. Please call or write for more information on availability.
See also the Choices Education Program, a nonprofit program within the Watson Institute for International Studies at Brown University. CEP develops interactive, supplementary curriculum resources on current global issues and turning points in US and world history. All materials are student-centered, low-cost, reproducible, and updated frequently.
In addition to ordering these bulk publications for you, the European Union Center maintains a small selection of core European Union resources--books, videos, working papers, and more. All items are available for check-out to both on- and off-campus parties. Contact us for more information.
I2I - Illinois to International
I2I is an initiative of the Joint Area and Thematic Study Centers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign which offers information, resources and professional development opportunities for K-16 teachers.
