EUI in time

1949

• The idea of a European University is first proposed at the European Cultural Conference, reflecting post-war aspirations for European cooperation through education and research.

1969

• At the Hague Summit, an agreement is signed to establish a European University, laying the foundations for what will become the European University Institute (EUI).

1972

• Signature of the Convention establishing the EUI as a high-level institution for doctoral and postdoctoral research. The founding Member States are Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands.

1975

• Accession: Denmark and Ireland
• EUI President: Max Kohnstamm (1975–1981)

1976

• The EUI opens its doors to its first 70 researchers.
• Creation of the four founding departments: Economics, Law, Political and Social Sciences, History and Civilization
• Badia Fiesolana becomes the first EUI campus. The official inauguration was attended by Italian President Giovanni Leone.

1977

• First Jean Monnet Conference, marking the beginning of the EUI’s public engagement mission. The conference became a regular event over the years and featured guests such as Simone Veil (1980), Altiero Spinelli (1983), Gaston Thorn (1984), Giulio Andreotti (1985), Felipe González (1987) and Aníbal Cavaco Silva (1989).

In 1983, the decision was made to establish the Historical Archives of the European Union (HAEU), and for them to be hosted by the EUI. More than 40 years later, the HAEU continues to be the primary repository to preserve EU institutional memory, facilitate research on the EU's history, and promote European integration.

Early–mid 1980s

• EUI President: Werner Maihofer (1981 - 1987)
• Decision to establish the Historical Archives of the European Union (HAEU) at the EUI.
• Creation of the European Policy Unit (1984–1985)

1985

• Villa Il Poggiolo added to the EUI estate.

1986

• Formal establishment of the HAEU
• Accession: Greece
• First EUI Alumni Weekend

1987

• Accession: Spain
• Creation of the European Culture Research Centre
• EUI President: Emile Noël (1987–1993)

Shortly after the EUI began its strategic expansion towards policy relevance. After the creation of the European Policy Unit in 1984, the European Culture Research Centre in 1987, the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies followed in 1992, and the European Forum in 1993. 

What were these units discussing back in the 80s and 90s? Topics that continue to be relevant today, such as international migration, gender studies, and environmental policy. This laid the groundwork for our researchers decades later.

1990

• Launch of the Academy of European Law (AEL)
• Establishment of the Vasco da Gama Chair, funded by the Portuguese government (no longer active)

1992–1993

• Establishment of the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies (RSCAS) (1992)
• Creation of the European Forum (1993)

1994–2001

• EUI President: Patrick Masterson

1997

• Accession: Finland, Sweden, and Austria

1999

• First EUI conferring ceremony
• Hosting of the Informal Meeting of EU Foreign Trade Ministers 

In September 2006, the EUI launched the flagship Max Weber Fellowship programme. Targeting early-career researchers, this initiative boosts postdoctoral training in the humanities and social sciences. It is a highly selective programme, open to applicants worldwide, and accepts a total of 55-65 fellows every year.

2002

• Villa Schifanoia added to the EUI estate.

2002

• EUI President: Yves Mény

2003

• Establishment of the Swiss Chair (active)

2004–2005

• Creation of the Florence School of Regulation (FSR)
• Accession: Poland (2004); Cyprus, Slovenia, and Estonia (2005).
• Villa La Fonte and Villa Sanfelice added to the EUI estate (2005)

2006

• Launch of the Max Weber Programme, the EUI’s flagship postdoctoral programme
• Establishment of the Stein Rokkan Chair (active)
• Villa Malafrasca and Villa Raimondi added

2007

• Establishment of the Chair in Transatlantic Relations, funded by the Irish government (no longer active)

2008

• Establishment of the Loyola de Palacio Chair, strengthening the EUI’s engagement with European public policy (active)

By 2016 (40 years on) the EUI hosted over 1,000 scholars from more than 60 countries.

In 2017, the EUI launched the Florence School of Transnational Governance (STG), a global hub for teaching, training, and research in governance beyond national borders. Based in the historical Palazzo Buontalenti, the Florence STG brought the EUI into the heart of Florence, strengthening local ties. 

2010–2012

• EUI President: Josep Borrell Fontelles
• Creation of the Global Governance Programme (GGP)

2011

• First State of the Union Conference, the EUI's flagship conference for more than a decade
• Festival d’Europa held in Florence
• Creation of the Centre for Judicial Cooperation (CJC) 

2012

• EUI President: Marise Cremona (2012–2013)
• Accession: Latvia
• Establishment of the Chair in Russia–Europe Relations, funded by the Russian government (no longer active)
• Opening of Villa Salviati, new home of the HAEU, the Department of Law and the Department of History 
• Creation of the Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom (CMPF) and the Migration Policy Center (MPC) 

2013–2016

• EUI President: Joseph H. H. Weiler

2014–2015

• Accession: Romania (2014)
• Creation of the Tommaso Padoa Schioppa Chair (2014)
• Establishment of the Alcide De Gasperi Research Centre (2015)

2016

• Accession: Bulgaria
• EUI President: Renaud Dehousse (2016–2024)
• Creation of the Florence School of Banking and Finance (FBF)

2017

• Establishment of the Florence School of Transnational Governance (STG) 
• EUI becomes part of the Scholars at Risk network, committed in its support for at-risk scholars facing threats due to their work, ethnicity, religion, gender, or political opinions.

2018–2019

• Accession: Malta (2018) and Slovakia (2019)
• Establishment Loyola de Palacio Chair (2018)
• Launch of CIVICA – the European University of Social Sciences (2019)
• Creation of the European Governance and Politics Programme (EGPP) (2018)
• La Pira Lecture series launched (2019)

Ongoing reforms and strategy updates keep the EUI competitive and policy-relevant through new programmes, research priorities, and facility investments.

2020:

• Arrival of the first cohort of the Master in Transnational Governance (MTnG) hosted at the Florence School of Transnational Governance.

2021:

• The EUI established itself for the first time in the centre of Florence with the opening of the Transnational School of Governance at Palazzo Buontalenti
• Launch of the Young African Leaders Programme

2022-2023:

• Creation of the Centre for a Digital Society (CDS) (2022)
• Launch of the EUI Global Executive Master, the EUI's first executive master's programme for working professionals 

2024

• EUI President: Patrizia Nanz
• Launch of the EUI Widening Programme, offering PhD scholarships, fellowships, mobility grants, and collaborative project funding for early-career researchers and academics from countries like Poland, Portugal, Greece, and others. 

2025:

• Creation of a long-term vision and strategy for the years 2026-2031 which positions the EUI for the next decades as both a scholarly and policy actor.
• Accession: Croatia (2025)

• 25^th anniversary of the Max Weber Programme
• 10^th anniversary of the Florence School of Banking and Finance