EUR 324:  Introduction to the European Union
- Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the Single Market

Options:
  • EUR 324 - Introduction to the European Union: Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the Single Market (Session A2 only)
  • SOC 324 · Introduction to the European Union: Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the Single Market - with a focus on social issues (Session A2 only)
  • POL 324 · Introduction to the European Union: Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the Single Market - with a focus on policy issues (Session A2 only)
  • EUR 326 - Introduction to the European Union: Managing Innovation Across Cultures (Session A1 only)
Credits: 3 US semester credits (48 contact hours)
Session: B2 (Primary Morning Course, required)
Prerequisites: None
Language of Instruction: English

Course Description

This course introduces students to the European Union (EU) through the lens of innovation and entrepreneurship. Students will study the EU’s origins, institutions, and decision-making processes, then explore how the single market, competition rules, research funding, and digital regulations shape today’s innovation economy. Academic content is directly connected to professional visits and cultural immersion in Berlin, Paris, Barcelona, and Athens. By linking institutional knowledge to local entrepreneurial ecosystems, students gain a credible foundation in EU studies and a nuanced understanding of why innovation looks different across Europe’s diverse regions.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Explain the EU’s origins, institutional structure, and decision-making processes.
  2. Analyze how the single market enables (and constrains) innovation across member states.
  3. Evaluate the role of EU competition law, research funding, and regulatory frameworks in shaping business strategy.
  4. Compare the innovation ecosystems of Berlin, Paris, Barcelona, and Athens, identifying regional strengths and constraints.
  5. Apply institutional concepts to real-world case studies observed during professional site visits.
  6. Demonstrate critical reflection through written work, group projects, and daily debriefs.

Course Structure
  • Lectures & Seminars: faculty-led sessions introducing EU institutions, policies, and innovation frameworks.
  • Professional Visits: startups, accelerators, corporates, and EU-related institutions across multiple cities.
  • Daily Debriefs: linking site visits to institutional concepts.
  • Group Projects & Discussions: collaborative learning.

Weekly Modules & City Integration

Week 1 – Origins and Institutions (Berlin)
  • EU origins: From the ECSC to the Lisbon Treaty
  • Institutions and decision-making: Commission, Council, Parliament, Court of Justice
  • Germany’s innovation landscape: Mittelstand, engineering culture, and research funding
  • Visit: Berlin startup hub or accelerator with EU funding links
  • Debrief: How EU policy flows into startup ecosystems
Week 2 – The Single Market in Practice (Paris)
  • Four freedoms: Goods, services, people, capital
  • Competition law and state aid: How the EU regulates markets
  • France’s innovation landscape: State-driven strategy and industrial policy
  • Visit: French scale-up or corporate innovation lab
  • Activity: Group case analysis on a competition law dispute
Week 3 – Regulation, Digital, and Research (Barcelona)
  • Digital Single Market: Data privacy (GDPR), AI, and platform regulation
  • Horizon Europe: EU research funding and innovation clusters
  • Spain’s innovation landscape: Barcelona’s design and creative industries
  • Visit: Startup in healthtech or digital services sector
  • Activity: Simulation of Horizon Europe project pitching
Week 4 – Regional Divergence and the EU’s Future (Athens)
  • Crisis and recovery: Greece in the Eurozone debt crisis
  • Cohesion policy and structural funds: Supporting lagging regions
  • Greece’s innovation landscape: Entrepreneurship amid austerity
  • Visit: Social enterprise or NGO linked to EU funding
  • Final Debrief: Why Berlin, Paris, Barcelona, and Athens innovate in different ways
  • Final Presentations: Group projects linking institutional concepts with observed ecosystems

Assignments and Assessment
  • Participation & Debriefs (20%): Active contributions to lectures, discussions, and daily debriefs.
  • Field Reflection Papers (30%): Three short essays connecting professional visits to EU frameworks.
  • Group Project (30%): Research and present how EU institutions or policies affect a chosen innovation sector (e.g., fintech, renewable energy, digital platforms).
  • Final Exam (20%): Written integrative assessment covering institutions, policies, and comparative innovation insights.

Readings (Representative Selection)
  • John McCormick, Understanding the European Union (7th edition, 2020)
  • Selected EU policy documents (DG Competition, Digital Single Market, Horizon Europe)
  • Articles from The Economist, Financial Times, Politico Europe
  • The Future of European Competitiveness – A Competitiveness Strategy for Europe (September 9, 2024), Commissioned by the European Commission, authored by Mario Draghi. A 400-page strategic blueprint with 176 targeted recommendations across institutional reforms, sectoral strategies, and innovation policy.
  • The Economist. (2024, September 9). Mario Draghi outlines his plan to make Europe more competitive. The Economist. https://www.economist.com/by-invitation/2024/09/09/mario-draghi-outlines-his-plan-to-make-europe-more-competitive

Unique Features
  • Multi-city travel component with integrated academic and cultural exposure.
  • Direct engagement with entrepreneurs, managers, and policymakers.
  • Structured reflection turning visits into applied learning.

old versions (needs updating):
syllabus_eur324_unyp_summit_summer_2026_v01.pdf
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textbooks_summit_europe_2015.docx
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Host University School of Record:  Partner Universities (while traveling):
  • IESEG School of Management, Paris
  • Middlesex University, London




Note: course offerings are subject to change.
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