The Chair will provide a focal point for teaching, research, and outreach activities in EU Studies at Carleton University. Its thematic emphasis will be on the analysis of democratic institutions, processes, and practices in the EU's multilevel system. In the area of teaching, the Chair will help grow Carleton's undergraduate programs in European Studies by creating a new introductory course for incoming students and by establishing a regular distance learning option for advanced undergraduates. It will strengthen graduate programs in the field by expanding course offerings on democracy in the EU, including a course that examines the implications of the EU's democratic processes for EU-Canada relations. The new courses are designed to attract additional students to Carleton's academic programs in European Studies, and/or to expose students who would not otherwise study European integration to EU-related content. The Chair will also reinforce Carleton University's role as a leading Canadian institution for research and policy advice in EU Studies by hosting a number of academic and outreach events that engage not only scholars, but also the policy community and civil society in Ottawa, Canada’s capital city. These events, as well as the policy briefs prepared as a result, will facilitate discussions of how the EU’s democratic institutions and processes shape EU policies and how they affect the relationship with Canada.