News & Events
New Zealand Institute of International Affairs
On 11 May, Professor Martin Holland spoke at IPC for the seminar series planned by New Zealand Institute of International Affairs (NZIIA) .
Prof Holland has served as an European Union (EU) election observer, advised on a range of EU policy areas and is internationally recognized for his work on EU development and security and the perceptions of the EU, especially within the Asia-Pacific region. Prof Holland was also instrumental in setting up the New Zealand European Union Centres Network, a group of seven universities in New Zealand aimed at promoting EU studies.
His topic was the EU’s global ambitions and challenges for the future, in which he described the successes and failures of the EU’s hard and soft power initiatives, currency and membership policies, and implications for EU leadership and direction given various intra and interstate concerns. Prof Holland’s talk was illuminated with many examples from his own experience and various news sources.
Following his presentation, the floor was open to several questions from the audience, which included: issues of sovereignty in foreign policy making, the potential of war given the EU’s establishment of a military force, the role of a common language given the large number of member countries and cultures.
The seminar was very well-received and enjoyed by all who attended. The NZIIA Palmerston North Branch looks forward to more seminars from Prof Holland in future.