The Essex website uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are consenting to their use. Please visit our cookie policy to find out which cookies we use and why. View cookie policy.

University of Essex homepage Research Projects Comparative Regional Integration
Research Project

Comparative Regional Integration

Principal Investigator
Professor Emil Kirchner

The European integration process and its implications to East Asia

As European integration showed, the integration process is an interaction of political, economic and social factors. This project involved comparative studies on Asian regional cooperation with European integration.

It was conducted by a Multilateral Research Group of scholars from different disciplines – political science, economics, sociology and history – from academic institutions and think tanks in Europe and China.

The University of Essex was a partner in the Multilateral Research Group, coordinated by Renmin University, Beijing, and funded by the European Commission Jean Monnet Action Programme from September 2008 to August 2010.

Our key research areas
  • European political integration and governance
  • Transferring ‘know-how’ in teaching and research methods on regional integration to Asian universities
  • The suitability of the European integration process for regional integration in Asia

Our contributors

Our research assistants

Max Paiano

Research Assistant

Katja Mirwaldt

Research Assistant

Our objectives

The project was designed

  • to look at European integration from both European and Asian perspectives 
  • to promote mutual understanding of the regional integration processes in Europe and East Asia
  • to conduct academic analysis of the similarities and differences between European and East Asian regionalisation 
  • to provide policy-relevant advice to governmental and societal institutions for regional integration in East Asia
  • to stimulate European studies in Asia and Asian Studies in Europe 
  • to enhance academic networking between European and Asian institutions

Our activity and events

Participants came together for two workshops and a conference, seminars and a training programme.

  • research activities led by Jean Monnet Chairs and research assistants
  • two workshops in Bruges, Belgium and a conference in Beijing, China• Training programme and seminars in China for graduate students and others from public and private sectors in East Asia
  • numerous conference presentations, keynote addresses and lectures given by Professor Emil Kirchner on European integration, security governance and EU-China relations in China, Japan, the UK and Europe, the US and Mexico
  • teaching on European integration at Renmin University summer school (ongoing)

Our publications

Better a good neighbor than a distant friend: the scope and impact of regional security organizations’

Read the full text by Professor Han Dorussen and Professor Emil J. Kirchner in our research repository.

Regional organisations in security governance

Read the full text by Professor Emil J. Kirchner and Roberto Dominguez at the Wiley Online Library.

Security governance in a comparative regional perspective

Read the full text by Professor Emil J. Kirchner and Roberto Dominguez at Research Gate.

Security governance in a regional perspective

Read the full text by Professor Emil J. Kirchner and Roberto Dominguez at Semantics Scholar.

The security governance of regional organizations

Read the full text by Professor Emil J. Kirchner and Roberto Dominguez at Taylor and Francis Group online.

University of Hildesheim logo
University of Trento, Italy logo
United Nations University logo
Warsaw School of Economics logo
University of Essex Logo
Get in touch
Professor Emil Kirchner University of Essex
Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ
Telephone: +44 (0)1206 872749
WE ARE
ESSEX ARE YOU?
Sign up for a prospectus Get to know Essex
STUDY
Find a course
LIFE
RESEARCH
EXPLORE
CONTACT US
Contact


  • +44 (0) 1206 873333
  • University of Essex
  • Wivenhoe Park
  • Colchester CO4 3SQ

 

 

University of Essex - Where change happens

CONNECT WITH US
© 2025 University of Essex. All rights reserved