UACES Lifetime Achievement Award
UACES Lifetime Achievement Award
The Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to individuals who have made a substantial contribution to the development of European Studies as a discipline. The Award recognises and values all kinds of contributions to the profession, including non-traditional achievements.
The Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to individuals who have made a substantial contribution to the development of European Studies as a discipline. The Award recognises and values all kinds of contributions to the profession, including non-traditional achievements.
2023 Recipient Prof Ben Tonra
We are delighted to announce that the recipient of the 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award in European Studies is Prof Ben Tonra.
"Ben Tonra has been a pillar of the study of European Union and Irish foreign policy for decades, and this award is well-deserved recognition for the great impact he has had both on academic scholarship and on public debate. With the attention that he has given to the study of developments at the national, EU and global level, his work is a powerful demonstration of the multilevel nature of foreign policymaking in the present era. Ben has been a pioneer in many ways, whether by emphasising the importance of transatlantic security cooperation before it became fashionable, or when becoming a social media influencer before that became unfashionable. I had the good fortune of working side by side with Ben for a couple of years in Aber, on the other side of the Irish Sea - a great opportunity to build up a European Studies teaching programme together, collaborate on research and not least to sample a healthy dose of Irish humour. Many thanks, Ben, and heartfelt congratulations!"– Thomas Christiansen
"Professor Ben Tonra is an outstanding scholar of the international role of the EU. Ben’s work spans Irish foreign policy, the foreign policies of small states and the evolution of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP). He is an excellent coordinator of cross-national EU funded research projects and is deeply embedded in a large international scholarly community. Ben is a committed university lecturer who has brought the teaching of EU foreign policy alive. I should also add that Ben was an excellent and truly valued colleague at UCD." – Brigid Laffan
"Professor Ben Tonra keeps reminding us that academia and a professional association like UACES need meaningful research that engages with real-world problems and academic engagement that fosters academic culture and structures that are inclusive, fair and enable collaboration. We must not choose between the one or the other, but support for early-career colleagues, standing up for just and fair environments and investing in collaborations within academia and beyond make us better academics. His mentorship and support for many UACES members, his principled approach to gender equality and inclusiveness and his dedication to collaborate for a better understanding of European foreign policy make Professor Ben Tonra a much-needed role model in today's academia." – Heidi Maurer
"I can hardly think of anyone who deserves this award more than Ben. His work has been ground-breaking and a constant source of inspiration for those studying the complex dynamics between the member states and the EU. He has been a driving force behind the study of Europeanisation and then de-Europeanisation in foreign and security policy. At the same time, Ben is so kind and supportive, always ready to encourage and help, in particular those in the early stages of their careers and in precarious circumstances. He is also a shining example of an academic standing up for his principles. Thank you, Ben, you made an incredible impact on the life and work of many of us!" – Karolina Pomorska
Previous Winners
Year
Year
Recipient
Recipient
Year
2022
Recipient
Loukas Tsoukalis
Year
2021
Recipient
Ann Kennard
Year
2019
Recipient
Nonna Mayer
Year
2018
Recipient
Drew Scott
Year
2017
Recipient
Jo Shaw
Year
2016
Recipient
Simon Bulmer
Year
2015
Recipient
Geoffrey Edwards
Year
2014
Recipient
Brigid Laffan
Year
2013
Recipient
Neill Nugent
Year
2012
Recipient
Emil Kirchner
Year
2011
Recipient
Wolfgang Wessels
Year
2010
Recipient
Michael H Smith
Year
2009
Recipient
Beate Kohler Koch
Year
2008
Recipient
Alan Milward
Year
2007
Recipient
William Paterson
Year
2006
Recipient
Helen Wallace and William Wallace
Year
2005
Recipient
John Pinder