The Institute for European Studies

The Institute for European Studies
Abbreviation	IES
Parent organization	Free University of Brussels
Headquarters	Brussels, Belgium

The Institute for European Studies is a part of the Free University of Brussels. The Institute for European Studies is mentioned several times in the Integrity Initiative leaks, and is probably one of the central nodes in this state-sponsored propaganda network.

About the IES

IES own presentation: The Institute for European Studies (IES) at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) is an academic Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence and a policy think tank that focuses on the European Union in an international setting. The Institute advances academic education and research in various disciplines, and provides services to policy-makers, scholars, stakeholders and the general public.

The IES specifically explores EU institutions, policies and law within the context of globalization and global governance, including a focus on the EU in international affairs and institutions. The disciplines applied at the IES include law, social/political sciences, economics and communication sciences, and the Institute’s activities focus on the various ways in which institutions, law and politics intersect with each other in the EU, its member states and at the international level.

Academic work at the IES is organised in clusters, but is also pursued through horizontal activities cutting across them. Currently, there are the following five clusters:

   International Security
   Environment and sustainable development
   Migration, diversity and justice
   European economic governance
   Educational Development

The Institute for European Studies and Integrity Initiative

The IES uses the term 'clusters' for its study groups. This fairly uncommon term is also used by the Integrity Initiative in its internal documents to describe its national cells.

The Institute for European Studies in Integrity Initiative documents

The IES is mentioned in the document "Integrity Initiative Activity Budget April 2018 - March 2019" point B:

"Sponsoring including via the Free University of Brussels (VUB IES) - (thereby enhancing academic respectability of the topic)- advanced research, publications, workshops, educational courses, mentoring, lectures"

Activity B02:VUB IES: Commission research and educational project"

OUTPUT 9 x Research paths: From Disinformation to Political Warfare

OUTCOME Establishing the academic credibility of the topic internationally; influences EU member states via material sent directly to the EEAS and EU Stratcom Taskforce; provides the academic basis for the whole Integrity Initiative programme and makes the programme attractive to journalists and politicians by demonstrating its accuracy and reliability.

KEY INDICATORS

The VUB team will be called upon to advise and educate influential people interested in this scheme more rapidly. [1]

Activity B03: VUB IES: Outreach with Policy-makers, Academics and the General Public

OUTPUT

Political warfare working meetings with EU Officials, Political warfare workshops, Information Literacy Course, Political Warfare Network, 'Information Warfare and Security' Modules

OUTCOME

The RU disinformation and influence issue will no longer be ignored or belittled.

KEY INDICATORS

National think tanks (e.g. SWB Berlin, IFRI France, Clingendael NL) launch their own programmes on disinformation and malign influence. [2]

People working in IES also mentioned in the Integrity Initiative leaks

• Luis Simon mentioned in [Integrity Initiative/Cluster/Spain] and [Institute for Statecraft/Tor team]
• Antonios Nestoras mentioned in Workshop on Identifying and Combating Disinformation in Big Data

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