The Europaeum, a network of leading European universities, is debuting its inaugural annual lecture at Freie Universität Berlin on November 7, 2025. The lecture will be given by Federica Mogherini, former Italian Foreign Minister and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Germany’s former Federal Foreign Minister and Vice Chancellor, Joschka Fischer, will also speak at the event. The event will be held in English. Admission is free, but prior registration is required. A livestream of the event will also be available to watch.
Around the world, nationalism, populism, and authoritarianism appear to be on the rise. Federica Mogherini’s lecture, “The New Global Disorder: Europe’s Future in a Fracturing World,” will provide insights into the countless geopolitical challenges currently facing politics and explore questions such as: How can Europe defend its interests and values in an era of Trump, Putin, and Xi?
Federica Mogherini was a member of Italy’s Chamber of Deputies from 2008 to 2014, before serving as the country’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in 2014 and as EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and Vice-President of the European Commission, from 2014 to 2019. As High Representative, she chaired the EU Foreign Affairs Council (of Ministers) and headed the European External Action Service (EEAS). She has been Rector of the College of Europe since 2020 and also serves (among many other roles) as a trustee of the International Crisis Group and a Fellow of the German Marshall Fund.
Joschka Fischer will join Mogherini on stage and share his perspectives on these issues. Fischer was Germany’s Federal Foreign Minister and Vice Chancellor from 1998 to 2005. He previously served as deputy prime minister and (twice as) minister for the environment and energy in the State of Hesse. Fischer was a member of the German Bundestag (the lower house of the German parliament) from 1994 to 2006. He was a professor at the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University and today works as a consultant and speaker on geopolitical issues.
Tanja Börzel, professor of political science at Freie Universität, will moderate the event. Professor Börzel is the director of the Cluster of Excellence “Contestations of the Liberal Script” and is head of the Berlin Center for European Studies.
Two European University Networks with a Common Goal
The inaugural Europaeum Annual Lecture at Freie Universität Berlin marks the debut of a new lecture series that will take place every year in November at one of the network’s partner universities. The timing of the event at the beginning of November coincides with the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the annual meeting of the Europaeum Academic Council.
The Europaeum is one of the oldest academic networks in Europe. It was founded in 1992 at the University of Oxford and strives to promote European education, research, and public debate. Some of the other prestigious institutions in the network include Leiden University, the University of Bologna, Jagiellonian University (Kraków), and Freie Universität Berlin.
The lecture is also being supported by Una Europa, an alliance of eleven European research universities that is developing joint degree programs, building research partnerships, and strengthening mobility between its international members.
Both networks share the common goal of fostering cross-border European exchange in research, education, and society. “The inaugural Europaeum Annual Lecture marks a significant moment for Freie Universität Berlin: It demonstrates that our university is not only a stage for European dialogue on research and science, but also an active contributor to advancing European cooperation,” says president of Freie Universität Berlin, Professor Günter M. Ziegler.
Further Information
Event Details
- Date and Time: Friday, November 7, 2025, 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Venue: Henry Ford Building, Freie Universität Berlin, Garystraße 35, 14195 Berlin
- Registration and tickets available on eventbrite
- Livestream information available at europaeum.org
Information on the Two European University Networks