The basic mission of the CES is the scientific study and analysis of the process of the Euro-Atlantic integration in social, political, economic, scientific and technical aspects as a contribution to understanding the political system of the European Union,

Europeanization and Croatian accession to the European integrations as well as the countries of the region through the results of research and analysis.

 

Center for European Studies (CES) at the Faculty of Political Science at the University of Zagreb is the leading academic organization for political research of the European Union in Croatia. CES is the first scientific research center at the university level dedicated to scientific and applied researches of political processes, acters, institutions and values within the European Union and the countries that are in the process of joining the European Union.
CES should become a central research and education spot on contemporary issues related to the European Union, it should create a new interdisciplinary understanding of the "European issue", promote and encourage multidisciplinary research on the European Union and developing discipline of European Studies through a wide range of different activities.
Through the affiliation of relevant academic experts who are engaged in political aspects of the European Union, experts in the field of public administration and civil society involved in the process of European integration in Croatia, as well as countries in the region and the decision-makers at the level of governmental institutions, CES will create the first center of excellence in studying the European Union, linking political science and other related disciplines.
The objectives of the center therefore are:
1) within University activities

• cooperation with scientific and university community in development and promotion of programs and new courses within the European Studies at the University of Zagreb and beyond
• initiaton of research activities which deal with the EU or the political system of the EU
• providing advisory and technical assistance in the process of formulating the contents and scientific programs related to the European Union, primarily in the context of political science
• effort to stimulate and encourage exploration of topics related to EU, through the financial support of programs and Eropean Union funds, through publications, conferences, workshops, lectures and similar activities
• development of scientific - journalistic activities devoted to European Studies, as well as publishing translations of foreign publications and studies devoted to the European Union
• encouragement of  research activities in cooperation with foreign scientific research institutions dealing with events in the contemporary EU, especially on the level of Southeast Europe
• creating a network of students on the Croatian level, on the level of the candidate countries and potential candidate countries whose interest is directed towards the European Union and European Studies and their connections with colleagues in the EU member states, particularly in the new Union member states
• encouragement of the creation of a network of scientific-academic researchers who are engaged in European Studies and EU-related issues at the regional level, and their further connection with the Centres of Excellence in the EU, especially those that foster the interdisciplinary study of the European issues
• developing innovative methodologies and techniques to transfer knowledge about the European Union at the undergraduate, graduate, postgraduate and doctoral education level
• providing opportunities for voluntary work for students and young researchers from Croatia, from the region of Southeast Europe and EU member states and acquaintance with the protagonists of the process of European integration in Croatia and the broader region

2) Towards the general public

• developing partnerships with institutions within the Republic of Croatia dealing with the process of European integrations for the purpose of a common organization of lectures, summer and/or winter schools, round tables and seminars for teachers, students and other target groups of the Croatian population for the purpose of education on challenges regarding the Croatia's path towards the European Union
• disseminating information about the process of European integration, and also the activities of the Center to the national and foreign public
• providing organizational and technical support in organizing specialized training courses for Public Administration and Local Government, members of civil society, entrepreneurs ...
• monitoring the process of Europeanization, analysis of the situation and policy in areas that are of immediate importance for the convergence of Croatia to the EU and the research of the institutional capacities to develop and implement pro-European policy
• promotion of understanding the political, cultural, historical and social links with governments and citizens of the European Union, as well as encouraging the development of European identity in Croatia and the European Union

CES is a nonpartisan and nonprofit center opened for scientific analysis of various theoretical and methodological approaches devoted to understanding the process of European integration in Croatia, as well as a better acceptance of Croatia within the context of the European Union and the wider European neighborhood