​On 17 July 2014, the European Union (EU) announced its investment of €4.6 million (AUD$6.6 million) to establish six EU centres across Australia (five) and New Zealand (one) for the 2014-2016 period. The centres are co-funded by their host universities and include a range of partners from the community.

The EU Ambassador to Australia and New Zealand, HE Sem Fabrizi, stated

‘This is the largest public outreach program for the EU in Australia and New Zealand and expands the existing network from four to six centres. It shows the commitment of the EU to Australia and New Zealand and the reciprocal enthusiasm and engagement from the universities and the broader community.’
The five centres in Australia are located in the following universities:

• University of South Australia - the Hawke EU Centre for Mobilities, Migrations and Cultural Transformations will focus on the global challenges caused by the increasing displacement of people and communities in the 21st century.

• University of Adelaide - the EU Centre for Global Affairs will focus on enhanced international trade and regional cooperation in the Asia and Pacific regions, promoting the multilateral rules-based trading system and the bilateral trade and investment relationship between the EU, Australia and Asia.

• University of Melbourne – the EU Centre on Shared Complex Challenges will focus on strengthening EU-Australia and international collaboration on challenges such as climate change, regional governance and business innovation through engagement across political, scientific and economic dimensions.

• RMIT University - the EU centre builds on its success of the last four years with a focus on governance and the Single Market, developing stronger science, technology, business and governmental partnerships and comparative regional policy.

• Australian National University – established in 2001, the ANU Centre for European Studies was the first EU centre in Australia. It continues its success and focuses on inter-government relations, policy development and capacity building.

The European Union Centres Network New Zealand, established in 2006, includes all eight New Zealand universities. The centre will focus on the normative power of Europe, comparative transnational integration and EU monetary and financial integration.

The EU centre initiative is part of the European Union’s public diplomacy strategy towards industrialised countries to promote a better understanding of the EU and its relationship with the host country and the region. The centres will address key challenges that the EU, Australia and New Zealand will face over the next three years.
The centres will be launched on 8 August 2014 at a public opening at the Australian National University in Canberra.

More information about the Europe Centres is available of the European Commission website.