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Michael Leigh

Michael Leigh

Academic Director, Master of Arts in European Public Policy

Academic Director, Master of Arts in Global Risk

Senior Adjunct Professor

About

Sir Michael Leigh is Academic Director of the Master of Arts in European Public Policy, Academic Director of the Master of Arts in Global Risk, and Senior Adjunct Professor at SAIS Europe. Sir Michael is currently Senior Fellow, Bruegel, Brussels, and Senior Advisory, Covington & Berling LLP, Brussels. Previously he was senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States (2011-2016); Director-General for Enlargement of the European Commission (2006-2011); Deputy Director-General for External Relations (2003-2006); cabinet member and official, European Commission (1977-2003); Assistant Professor of International Relations, SAIS Bologna Center (1976-1977); Lecturer in International Relations University of Sussex (1974-1976). Erskine Fellow (2017) University of Canterbury, New Zealand.

His research, writing and public speaking focus on the future of the EU, Brexit, enlargement, neighborhood policy; Turkey's relations with the EU, Europe's response to political change in the Mediterranean and Middle East; energy questions in the eastern Mediterranean; public opinion and foreign policy. He also has an interest in Asia-Pacific and its relations with Europe. He writes and comments regularly on European affairs for Geopolitical Intelligence Services reports online, Euractiv, and other media.

He holds a Bachelors degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Oxford University and a Ph.D. in Political Science from M.I.T.
 
 

Expertise

Regions

  • Europe
  • Middle East

Topics

  • Energy Issues
  • European Union and Transatlantic Relations
  • European Union Foreign Policy

Languages

  • French
  • Italian