, a nongovernment research center, was officially inaugurated here Friday morning.
EUIJ was formed by Kobe University, Kwansei Gakuin University and Osaka University, with financial support from the European Commission, the executive branch of the European Union.
EUIJ was set up to disseminate information to the Kansai region about the EU process and will be based at Kobe University.
EU-related courses will be offered at the center, which will also promote academic exchanges with European universities and research centers. Scholarship and grant money will be available to Japanese students wishing to further their studies of the EU process.