Welcome

Welcome to the Pierre du Bois Foundation created in 2008, in accordance with the wishes of Pierre du Bois, who outlined its objectives long ago: to promote and support research on current history and to support researchers and students in this field.

Dialogue on EU Enlargement: Bulgaria and Romania 20 Years Later

Élargir l’Union européenne : l’expérience de la Bulgarie et de la Roumanie, 20 ans après

New | Nouveau – 23 November 2026

The Fondation Pierre du Bois and the Fondation Jean Monnet pour l’Europe are jointly organising a dialogue marking twenty years since the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union. Ana-Maria Bercu, Stella Ghervas, Gergana Passy and Sandra Pralong will discuss the achievements and remaining challenges of enlargement and what this experience can tell us about future enlargements of the European Union. The discussion will be moderated by Gilles Grin.

The event will take place on Monday 23 November 2026, 18:00–20:00, at the Aula de l’IDHEAP, Université de Lausanne, and will also be available live on YouTube.

Registration More information and practical details Watch live on YouTube

Public Lecture of the Pierre du Bois Chair “Europe and the World”

From Empire to Federation: Can the European Union become the paradigm for a new world order?

New | Nouveau – 20 October 2026

The Fondation Pierre du Bois is pleased to announce the next Pierre du Bois Chair Public Lecture, given by Professor Anthony Pagden, Distinguished Professor of Political Science and History at UCLA.

His lecture, “From Empire to Federation: Can the European Union become the paradigm for a new world order?”, will take place on Tuesday 20 October 2026, 18:30–20:00 at the Auditorium Ivan Pictet, Maison de la paix, Geneva, and online. The lecture forms part of the 2026–2027 Pierre du Bois Chair Public Lecture Series, convened by Professor Stella Ghervas.

More about the lecture Registration on IHEID website

Inaugural Lecture of the Pierre du Bois Chair Europe and the World

Europe’s Histories: The View from Geneva

New | Nouveau – 29 September 2026

The inaugural lecture of Professor Stella Ghervas titled “Europe’s Histories: The View from Geneva” took place on Tuesday 29 September 2026 at the Auditorium Ivan Pictet, Maison de la paix, Geneva. Professor Ghervas, newly appointed to the Pierre du Bois Chair “Europe and the World” at the Geneva Graduate Institute, opened the 2026–2027 series of Pierre du Bois Public Lectures.

The lecture was a great success. More information will follow shortly. The series continues with Anthony Pagden (UCLA) on 20 October and David Armitage (Harvard) on 9 December.

Learn more about Professor Ghervas More about the inaugural lecture

Pierre du Bois Prize 2026

Michele Zampa and Atwa R. H. Jaber

New | Nouveau – September 2026

The recipients of the Pierre du Bois Prize in 2026, awarded annually for the best doctoral thesis in International History and Politics defended at the Geneva Graduate Institute, are, ex aequo, Dr Michele Zampa and Dr Atwa R. H. Jaber.

Read more about the Recipients Past Recipients