Skip to main content

UACES Lifetime Achievement Award

Awarded annually to individuals who have made a substantial contribution to the development of European Studies

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

 

"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