There are at least three groups of reasons why introducing a course on “Energy Security in Integrating Europe” in the program of the European Studies Institute at TU Chemnitz is a very good idea. Firstly, the topic of “Energy Security in Integrating Europe” has become a vital one, especially in Central and Eastern Europe. The EU confronted with the Ukrainian crisis and heavy dependence on energy resources from politically unstable regions, brought this theme very high on the agenda – it should also be reflected in academic discourse. Secondly, the very method to be proposed to the students, is innovative and therefore constitutes an added value in the so-far academic activities. The novelty would be constituted of a couple of elements. The traditional lecture and seminar type classes would take only a small proportion of the course (in the introductory phase). The point of gravity would be stressed on the research-oriented work of the participants. This would allow the students to pick up a specific topic of their  interest, among the wide spectrum and it would allow them to work individually and in small (project) groups on gathering the data, categorising it, formulating research questions, verifying hypothesis and writing their papers.  Therefore the course would also include introduction to methods and theories applied in researching “Energy Security in Europe”. Last but not least, the European Studies programme did not include so far this dimension in the curricula. Therefore offering such a course to the students of TU Chemnitz will crate a window of opportunities for those who will show interest in different dimensions of the „Energy Security in Integrating Europe”. It is important to highlight that offering such a course would be a unique opportunity to answer the lack of energy dimension in the programme curricula and to stimulate education, debates as well research in specific EU policy that occupies the central and priority field of European integration.

1. Riedel, Supranationalisation of Energy Security In Europe. Theoretical Approaches. Centrum Europejskie Natolin, Zeszyt 40, Warszawa 2010,
2. Riedel, Energy Security in Contemporary Securitology, [in:] P. Mickiewicz, P. Sokołowska (eds.), Energy Security In Central Europe, Wydawnictwo Adam Marszałek 2010, pp. 13-31
3. Midtun, R. Riedel, Internal Diversity of the European Union and the Ashby’s Law – Climate-Energy Dimension, “Przegląd Europejski” (European Review) nr 1 (22) 2011, pp. 113-123