American Council On Germany

NYC: Forging the 'China Solution' as a Challenge for the West: How the Chinese Communist Party Tries to Win Influence in Europe
2018-04-12 12:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
The American Council on Germany will host a discussion and luncheon with Dr. Kristin Shi-Kupfer, Director of the Research Area of Public Policy and Society at the Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS). This is discussion is part of the 2018 Transatlantic Global Agenda Series.
There will be no charge for this event. Space is extremely limited.
You must register in order to attend.
RSVP (acceptances only) to the American Council on Germany at 212-826-3636 or events@acgusa.org.
Dr. Kristin Shi-Kupfer heads MERICS’ research on politics, society, and the media. She is an expert on media policy, civil society, religious policy, and ideology in China. Dr. Shi-Kupfer previously worked as a Research Associate at the University of Freiburg’s Institute for Sinology. She earned her Ph.D. from Ruhr University Bochum with a thesis on spiritual and religious groups in China after 1978. From 2007 to 2011, she was the China correspondent for the Austrian newsmagazine Profil, the German Protestant Press Agency epd, and Südwest Presse in Beijing. She also worked as a freelance contributor for other media, such as ZEIT Online, tageszeitung (taz), and Deutsche Welle in China. In May 2017, Dr. Shi-Kupfer was appointed a member of the expert committee of the German-Chinese platform on innovation under the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

Pittsburgh: Germany and the EU's China Policy: Analysis, Assessment and Areas for Competition and Cooperation with the U.S.
2018-04-16 12:00 - 13:30
The Pittsburgh Warburg Chapter and the German American Chamber of Commerce will host a discussion and Luncheon with Dr. May-Britt Stumbaum, Director of the NFG Research Group on Asian Perceptions of the EU at the Free University of Berlin.
There will be no charge to attend. RSVP here by April 15.
Dr. May-Britt Stumbaum is Director of the NFG Research Group “Asian Perceptions of the EU” at the Free University of Berlin, and Team Leader of the EU’s Asia Pacific and Research Network (#APRAN) by Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Chatham House and Clingendael. #APRAN provides tailor-made briefings by Asian experts for EU policy-makers. Dr. Stumbaum previously served as Executive Director of the China and Global Security Program at SIPRI, Fritz Thyssen Fellow at WCFIA Harvard, and in senior positions at the German Council on Foreign Relations and at Berlin Partner. Bridging policy and academia, she worked at renowned think tanks in Europe, the United States and Asia (CHN, TWN, AUS, NZL), the EU Delegation to China, and still serves regularly at the German Ministry of Defense as a Reserve Officer (Air Force Major) in the political unit. She is Editor of the Blog “The SPEAR – Security and Politics in Europe-Asia Relations” and Associate Editor of European Geostrategy Blog. She is the co-founder and former president of Women in International Security Deutschland (WIIS.de), served as the first female President of the Tönissteiner Kreis e.V. and is a full member at the CSCAP EU Committee of the Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia Pacific. Dr. Stumbaum graduated from the London School of Economics and Political Science (MSc) and the Free University Berlin (PhD). She frequently comments in the media (CNN, Al-Jazeera, N24, and others) and testified before the U.S. Congress’ U.S.-China Economic and Security Committee on EU-China security in 2012.
Abstract: The talk will provide a short overview of the current state of play of Germany’s and the EU’s policy vis-á-vis China as a global actor and a rising military power, and analysis and assessments of China’s foreign and security policy from a European/German perspective and discuss with the audience possible areas for cooperation and competition when dealing with China – on China and on cooperation/competition with China on regional and global challenges.
This program was made possible by a generous grant through the European Recovery Program – Transatlantic Encounters.

Washington, DC: Germany and the EU's China Policy: Analysis, Assessment, and Areas of Competition and Cooperation with the U.S.
2018-04-18 08:00 - 17:00
The Greater Washington, DC Warburg Chapter and the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung will host a discussion and luncheon with Dr. May-Britt Stumbraum, Director of the NFG Research Group on Asian Perceptions of the EU at the Free University of Berlin and Team Leader of the EU’s Asia Pacific and Research Network by the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, Chatham House, and Clingendael.
For questions, please contact Dale Medearis at dmedearis@novaregion.org or via telephone at (703) 642-4630.
There is no charge to attend this event. RSVP here by April 19.
Dr. May-Britt Stumbaum is Director of the NFG Research Group “Asian Perceptions of the EU” at the Free University of Berlin, and Team Leader of the EU’s Asia Pacific and Research Network (#APRAN) by Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, Chatham House and Clingendael. #APRAN provides tailor-made briefings by Asian experts for EU policy-makers. Dr. Stumbaum previously served as Executive Director of the China and Global Security Program at SIPRI, Fritz Thyssen Fellow at WCFIA Harvard, and in senior positions at the German Council on Foreign Relations and at Berlin Partner. Bridging policy and academia, she worked at renowned think tanks in Europe, the United States and Asia (CHN, TWN, AUS, NZL), the EU Delegation to China, and still serves regularly at the German Ministry of Defense as a Reserve Officer (Air Force Major) in the political unit. She is Editor of the Blog “The SPEAR – Security and Politics in Europe-Asia Relations” and Associate Editor of European Geostrategy Blog. She is the co-founder and former president of Women in International Security Deutschland (WIIS.de), served as the first female President of the Tönissteiner Kreis e.V. and is a full member at the CSCAP EU Committee of the Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia Pacific. Dr. Stumbaum graduated from the London School of Economics and Political Science (MSc) and the Free University Berlin (PhD). She frequently comments in the media (CNN, Al-Jazeera, N24, and others) and testified before the U.S. Congress’ U.S.-China Economic and Security Committee on EU-China security in 2012.
Abstract: The talk will provide a short overview of the current state of play of Germany’s and the EU’s policy vis-á-vis China as a global actor and a rising military power, and analysis and assessments of China’s foreign and security policy from a European/German perspective and discuss with the audience possible areas for cooperation and competition when dealing with China – on China and on cooperation/competition with China on regional and global challenges.
This program was made possible by a generous grant through the European Recovery Program – Transatlantic Encounters.

Denver: Germany and the EU's China Policy: Analysis, Assessment, and Areas for Competition and Cooperation with the U.S.
2018-04-18 18:00 - 21:00
The Denver Warburg Chapter and the Denver Council on Foreign Relations (DFCR) will host a discussion and reception with Dr. May-Britt Stumbaum, Director of the NFG Research Group on Asian Perceptions of the EU at the Free University of Berlin and Team Leader of the EU’s Asia Pacific and Research Network by the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, Chatham House, and Clingendael.
There is a $15 charge for members and a $25 charge for nonmembers to attend this event.
There will be a cash bar.
RSVP here by April 15.
Please note that cell phone usage, jeans, and commercial sales are not permitted at the Denver Country Club.
Dr. May-Britt Stumbaum is Director of the NFG Research Group “Asian Perceptions of the EU” at the Free University of Berlin, and Team Leader of the EU’s Asia Pacific and Research Network (#APRAN) by Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Chatham House and Clingendael. #APRAN provides tailor-made briefings by Asian experts for EU policy-makers. Dr. Stumbaum previously served as Executive Director of the China and Global Security Program at SIPRI, Fritz Thyssen Fellow at WCFIA Harvard, and in senior positions at the German Council on Foreign Relations and at Berlin Partner. Bridging policy and academia, she worked at renowned think tanks in Europe, the United States and Asia (CHN, TWN, AUS, NZL), the EU Delegation to China, and still serves regularly at the German Ministry of Defense as a Reserve Officer (Air Force Major) in the political unit. She is Editor of the Blog “The SPEAR – Security and Politics in Europe-Asia Relations” and Associate Editor of European Geostrategy Blog. She is the co-founder and former president of Women in International Security Deutschland (WIIS.de), served as the first female President of the Tönissteiner Kreis e.V. and is a full member at the CSCAP EU Committee of the Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia Pacific. Dr. Stumbaum graduated from the London School of Economics and Political Science (MSc) and the Free University Berlin (PhD). She frequently comments in the media (CNN, Al-Jazeera, N24, and others) and testified before the U.S. Congress’ U.S.-China Economic and Security Committee on EU-China security in 2012.
Abstract: The talk will provide a short overview of the current state of play of Germany’s and the EU’s policy vis-á-vis China as a global actor and a rising military power, and analysis and assessments of China’s foreign and security policy from a European/German perspective and discuss with the audience possible areas for cooperation and competition when dealing with China – on China and on cooperation/competition with China on regional and global challenges.
This program was made possible by a generous grant through the European Recovery Program – Transatlantic Encounters.

NYC: Regional Visioning: Transforming City Regions and Public Participation
2018-04-19 18:30 - 20:00
The American Council on Germany, the German Center for Research and Innovation, and the University Alliance Ruhr will hold panel discussion Ullrich Sierau, Mayor of the City of Dortmund; Jamie Bemis, Mechanical Engineer and City Planner and Account Manager at Bright Power, Inc. (2017 ACG McCloy Fellow on Global Trends); Wolfram Hoefer, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Landscape Architecture at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey; James G. Koth, Director of Parks & Recreation for the County of Bergen; and moderated by Bettina Oberhauser, Editor for the European public television channels ARTE and 3sat (2017 ACG McCloy Fellow on Global Trends).
Please RSVP by April 17. Registration is required to attend.
By 2050, more than two thirds of the world’s population is expected to live in city regions and contribute to an ever-increasing percentage share of the global GDP. While cities are often associated with higher levels of literacy and education, better access to health care and social services as well as enhanced opportunities for cultural and political participation, growing urban environs pose significant risks to economic, social and environmental sustainability. Likewise, formerly heavily industrialized regions such as the Ruhr area and parts of New Jersey face similar challenges as they stake out a new future for themselves as new technology and research hubs. Given the growing complexity of urban growth and the transformation of city regions, integrated planning approaches are needed to more equitably and inclusively set policy priorities. The success of sustainable urban development depends to a large extent on the participation of local actors. But how does top-down planning meet bottom-up planning, what forms of public participation in decision-making processes seem particularly promising? What works in New Jersey, what works in Dortmund, Germany? Join an international panel of experts and city officials who will discuss the future of sustainable urban development.

Washington, DC: The Alliance in Question? The Transatlantic Relationship in an Era of Disruption
2018-05-07 08:00 - 15:00
The American Council on Germany and the Atlantik-Brücke will host the annual German-American Conference in Washington, DC.
Over the past year, the strong alliance between the United States and Germany has weakened as both countries have been more inwardly focused. Finding common ground to address common concerns has become more challenging. In an era of disruption, it makes transatlantic dialogue on a range of issues of mutual concern all the more important. This year’s joint conference will address the challenges facing the German-American partnership with a focus on foreign and security policy, trade and economic policy, as well as the socio-political challenges of digital disruption and the dissemination of fake news and alternative facts.
Registration has ended for this event.

Phoenix: 2018 White Asparagus Gala Dinner
2018-05-12 18:30 - 22:00
The Phoenix Warburg Chapter and the German American Chamber of Commerce will host the 2018 White Asparagus Gala Dinner.
There is a $129 charge to attend. RSVP here by May 5.
This exclusive event showcases a German delicacy, white asparagus, harvested at Spargelhof Schulze in Germany. The white asparagus will make its way over to Phoenix with the help of our logistics partners, Emotrans and Lufthansa cargo. We will have an authentic German cuisine experience. A selection of beer (Warsteiner) and wine will be available. Please select you choice of side dish (Beef or Ham ) when purchasing the tickets. We will also have an exclusive raffle for 2 premium economy tickets for our new non-stop connection to Frankfurt with Condor Airlines.
Your ticket will automatically qualify as entry to our raffle!
Additional raffle tickets can be purchased at the event.
Schedule:
6:30 | welcome reception
7:30 | dinner
9:00 | dessert and raffle
Ticket price includes the follwowing items:
Reception: Sparkling wine, orange juice, and orange juice mimosas
Dinner: 3 courses plus wine or beer. For the main you can choose between white asparagus with ham or with a filet
Raffle: Each event ticket automatically participates in the raffle of two premium tickets for a non-stop flight PHX-FRA with Condor
Dresscode: Business Casual

Hot Topics Call: Impact of the Trump Administration’s Decision to Pull out of the JCPOA on EU-US Relations
2018-05-16 11:00 - 12:00
Hot Topics Call with Cornelius Adebahr, Nonresident Fellow at Carnegie Europe, who will discuss the impact of the Trump Administration’s decision to pull out of the JCPOA on EU-US relations and how Europe is likely to proceed. Mr. Adebahr is the author of the book “Europe and Iran: The Nuclear Deal and Beyond.” He is an Associate Fellow at the Research Institute of the German Council on Foreign Relations as well as a member of Team Europe, an experts’ network of the European Commission. In 2012 and 2013, Adebahr taught political science at the University of Tehran in Iran.

NYC: Is Democracy Dying?
2018-05-21 12:00 - 14:00
The American Council on Germany will host a discussion and luncheon with Dr. Yascha Mounk, Lecturer at Harvard University and Author of The People vs. Democracy: Why Our Freedom Is in Danger and How to Save It.
There will be no charge for this event. Space is extremely limited.
You must register in order to attend.
RSVP (acceptances only) to the American Council on Germany at 212-826-3636 or events@acgusa.org.
Dr. Yascha Mounk is a writer, academic, and public speaker known for his work on the rise of populism and the crisis of liberal democracy. Born in Germany to Polish parents, Dr. Mounk received his Bachelor’s in History from Trinity College, Cambridge, and his Ph.D. in Government from Harvard University. He is now a Lecturer on Government at Harvard University, a Senior Fellow in the Political Reform Program at New America, and Executive Director at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change. Dr. Mounk has written three books: Stranger in My Own Country – A Jewish Family in Modern Germany, a memoir about Germany’s fraught attempts to deal with its past; The Age of Responsibility – Luck, Choice, and the Welfare State, which argues that a growing obsession with the concept of individual responsibility has transformed Western welfare states; and The People vs. Democracy – Why Our Freedom Is in Danger and How to Save It, which explains the causes of the populist rise and investigates how to renew liberal democracy.
@Yascha_Mounk

NYC: The Future of European Security Cooperation and the Dangers Facing the Liberal Order
2018-05-24 12:15 - 14:00
The American Council on Germany will host a discussion and luncheon with Nikolas Löbel, Member of the German Bundestag (CDU/CSU)
There will be no charge for this event. Space is extremely limited.
You must register in order to attend.
RSVP (acceptances only) to the American Council on Germany at 212-826-3636 or events@acgusa.org.
Nikolas Löbel has been a member of the German Bundestag since October 2017. He sits on the Foreign Affairs Committee and serves as the CDU/CSU parliamentary group’s rapporteur on development policy. Mr. Löbel has been involved in politics since early in his professional career in his hometown of Mannheim. He is currently a member of the Mannheim local council; a member of the regional executive of the CDU Baden-Württemberg; Chairman of the Junge Union, the youth organization of the CDU, for Baden-Württemberg; District Chairman of the CDU Mannheim; and Deputy Chairman of the CDU district branch in Mannheim. From 2008 to 2014, Mr. Löbel was the Deputy District Chairman of the CDU in Mannheim, and he was a member of the 15th Federal Assembly of Germany in 2012.
Mr. Löbel is the Managing Partner of Löbel Project Management and Immosites Project Development. He holds a law degree from the University of Mannheim and a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Steinbeis University in Berlin.
@NikolasLoebel

NYC: Media in a Society in Crisis: How Can Media Serve as a Control on Power and as a Social Adhesive?
2018-05-30 18:00 - 20:00
The American Council on Germany and the European Union Studies Center at the CUNY Graduate Center will host a Political Salon with Peter Weissenburger, Editor at Die Tageszeitung.
You must register through Eventbrite in order to attend. Eventbrite Registration
Peter Weissenburger is an Editor at Die Tageszeitung in Berlin and is currently an ACG Anna-Maria and Stephen M. Kellen Fellow researching media in the United States. Mr. Weissenburger is the editor of the Society and Media sections focusing on media politics, new media, public discourse, and LGBT politics. He graduated from Humboldt-Universität Berlin with a Master of Arts in Gender Studies and the Freie Universität Berlin with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science.
political salon: promoting dialogue across generations. This series brings together a diverse group of younger and mid-career professionals for informal, open discussions on a range of current political, economic, and social topics in an increasingly interconnected global environment – with an emphasis on issues of concern for the transatlantic agenda. Speakers share brief remarks and engage in a dynamic discussion with participants. Each salon includes refreshments and networking opportunities.

Berlin: Fake News and Alternative Facts: Media's Role in Shaping U.S. Politics
2018-06-01 16:30 - 18:30 | Berlin, Germany
The American Council on Germany will host a discussion and reception with Oliver Bilger, Journalist and 2017 ACG Kellen Fellow.
There is no charge to attend this event. RSVP (acceptances only) to the American Council on Germany at events@acgusa.org.
Oliver Bilger (2017 Kellen Fellow) is a freelance journalist based in Berlin. He regularly works for the political department of Der Tagesspiegel. His reports have appeared in publications including Neue Zürcher Zeitung, Zeit Online, Die Welt, Cicero, and Handelsblatt. In 2017, he spent eight weeks as a visiting journalist at the Philadelphia Inquirer. He studied political science and communications in Mainz, Zurich, Berlin, and London and completed a two-year journalistic training at the Sueddeutsche Zeitung in Munich. During his Kellen Fellowship, he researched how media can protect against fake news and misinformation.

NYC: National Security and the Transatlantic Partnership in a Post-Truth World
2018-06-07 08:00 - 09:30
The American Council on Germany will be hosting a breakfast briefing with General Michael V. Hayden, Principal at the Chertoff Group, Former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and Author of The Assault on Intelligence: American National Security in an Age of Lies
There is not charge for this event. Space is limited. You must register to attend.

General Michael V. Hayden (@GenMhayden) has devoted his life to public service. As Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, General Hayden was responsible for overseeing the collection of information concerning the plans, intentions, and capabilities of America’s adversaries; producing timely analysis for decision-makers; and conducting covert operations to thwart terrorists and other enemies of the U.S. He has received scores of honors from the U.S. and around the world, including the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, Commander’s Cross. Before becoming Director of the CIA, General Hayden served as the country’s first Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence and was the highest-ranking intelligence officer in the armed forces. Earlier, he served as Commander of the Air Intelligence Agency, Director of the Joint Command and Control Warfare Center, Director of the National Security Agency, and Chief of the Central Security Service. At the Chertoff Group, General Hayden uses his broad geographic and political knowledge to brief clients on intelligence matters worldwide – including developments in cybersecurity – that may affect their businesses. General Hayden graduated from Duquesne University with a Bachelor’s Degree in History in 1967 and a Master’s Degree in Modern American History in 1969. He also did postgraduate work at the Defense Intelligence School conducted by the Defense Intelligence Agency. He is currently a Distinguished Visiting Professor at George Mason University. General Hayden has authored two books, The Assault on Intelligence: American National Security in an Age of Lies (2018) and Playing to the Edge: American Intelligence in the Age of Terror (2016).

NYC: End of an Era? Transatlantic Relations in the Age of Trump
2018-06-08 12:15 - 14:00
The American Council on Germany and Deutsches Haus at NYU will host a discussion and lunch with James Kirchick, Journalist, Visiting Fellow at the Brookings Institution, and Author of The End of Europe: Dictators, Demagogues, and the Coming Dark Age
There is no charge to attend this event. You must register in order to attend
James Kirchick (@jkirchick) is a Visiting Fellow at the Center on the United States and Europe and Project on International Order and Strategy at the Brookings Institution. A widely published journalist, he is author of The End of Europe: Dictators, Demagogues, and the Coming Dark Age (Yale, 2017), a correspondent for The Daily Beast, and a columnist for Tablet. Mr. Kirchick’s writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, Ha’aretz, Newsweek, Time, Foreign Policy, Foreign Affairs, Slate, and National Review, among other publications. His writing appears regularly in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. He is a frequent commentator on television and radio. For more than three years, Mr. Kirchick worked at The New Republic, where he covered domestic politics, lobbying, intelligence, and American foreign policy. Following The New Republic, he moved to Prague to become writer-at-large for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, where he wrote about the politics and cultures of the 21 countries in RFE/RL’s broadcast region. Mr. Kirchick previously worked for The New York Sun, the New York Daily News, and The Hill. A leading voice on American gay politics and international gay rights, he is a recipient of the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association Journalist of the Year Award. Mr. Kirchick has been a Robert Bosch Foundation Fellow in Berlin, a Hoover Institution Media Fellow, and a Phillips Foundation Journalism Fellow. Born and raised in Boston, he is a graduate of the Roxbury Latin School and Yale College.

Charlotte: Developing Advanced Work-Based Higher Education – What Germany and the U.S. Can Learn from Each Other
2018-06-18 11:40 - 13:30
The Charlotte Warburg Chapter will host a discussion and luncheon with Prof. Dr. Lukas Graf, Assistant Professor of Educational Governance at the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin.
There will be no charge for ACG Members and a $15 charge for nonmembers to attend this event. RSVP here by June 14.

Prof. Dr. Lukas Graf is Assistant Professor of Educational Governance at the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin. Until August 2017 he was a postdoctoral researcher at the School of Economics and Political Science at the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland, and Managing Director of the Swiss Leading House “Governance in Vocational and Professional Education and Training” – an international research cluster on the governance and inclusiveness of skill formation in Austria, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. At the nexus of political economy, sociology, and educational science, his research combines comparative and historical institutional and organizational approaches to analyze questions of educational governance and institutional change, as well as of social inequality, in Europe and beyond. He has published in leading journals in all three disciplines. His book The Hybridization of Vocational Training and Higher Education in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland (Budrich UniPress 2013) builds upon his dissertation, which received the Best Dissertation Award from the Comparative and International Education Society (Higher Education Section) and the Ulrich-Teichler-Prize of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Hochschulforschung. Previously, Lukas has held research posts at the University of Luxembourg and the WZB Berlin Social Science Center, and he has been a visiting scholar at the American Institute for Contemporary German Studies in Washington D.C., the University of Vienna, and the University of Berne. He holds a BA in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from the University of East Anglia, an MA in Global Political Economy from the University of Kassel, and a PhD in Sociology from Freie Universität Berlin.

Abstract: In both Germany and the United States, employers search for new strategies to recruit and train people in times of a dynamically evolving economy and rising educational expectations. In this context, we observe the proliferation of work-based higher education programs in both countries. This development challenges the common classification found in the political economy and educational policy literature that distinguishes between collectively governed dual apprenticeships in Germany and market-driven on-the-job training in the US. This presentation proposes an alternative that identifies significant similarities in the governance mode of work-based higher education across the two countries. Based on expert interviews and document analysis, this discussion focuses on complex multi-actor governance at the nexus of vocational training and higher education and explores consequences for contemporary policy-making in advanced skill formation.

This program was made possible by a generous grant through the European Recovery Program –Transatlantic Encounters.

Atlanta: Developing Advanced Work-Based Higher Education – What Germany and the U.S. Can Learn from Each Other
2018-06-19 08:00 - 09:30
The Atlanta Warburg Chapter and the German American Chamber of Commerce – South will host a breakfast discussion with Prof. Dr. Lukas Graf, Assistant Professor of Educational Governance at the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin.
There will be no charge for GACC and ACG members and a $15 charge for nonmembers to attend this event. RSVP here by June 14.

Prof. Dr. Lukas Graf is Assistant Professor of Educational Governance at the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin. Until August 2017 he was a postdoctoral researcher at the School of Economics and Political Science at the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland, and Managing Director of the Swiss Leading House “Governance in Vocational and Professional Education and Training” – an international research cluster on the governance and inclusiveness of skill formation in Austria, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. At the nexus of political economy, sociology, and educational science, his research combines comparative and historical institutional and organizational approaches to analyze questions of educational governance and institutional change, as well as of social inequality, in Europe and beyond. He has published in leading journals in all three disciplines. His book The Hybridization of Vocational Training and Higher Education in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland (Budrich UniPress 2013) builds upon his dissertation, which received the Best Dissertation Award from the Comparative and International Education Society (Higher Education Section) and the Ulrich-Teichler-Prize of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Hochschulforschung. Previously, Lukas has held research posts at the University of Luxembourg and the WZB Berlin Social Science Center, and he has been a visiting scholar at the American Institute for Contemporary German Studies in Washington D.C., the University of Vienna, and the University of Berne. He holds a BA in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from the University of East Anglia, an MA in Global Political Economy from the University of Kassel, and a PhD in Sociology from Freie Universität Berlin.

Abstract: In both Germany and the United States, employers search for new strategies to recruit and train people in times of a dynamically evolving economy and rising educational expectations. In this context, we observe the proliferation of work-based higher education programs in both countries. This development challenges the common classification found in the political economy and educational policy literature that distinguishes between collectively governed dual apprenticeships in Germany and market-driven on-the-job training in the US. This presentation proposes an alternative that identifies significant similarities in the governance mode of work-based higher education across the two countries. Based on expert interviews and document analysis, this discussion focuses on complex multi-actor governance at the nexus of vocational training and higher education and explores consequences for contemporary policy-making in advanced skill formation.

NYC: Transatlantic Dissonance: Reporting from Both Sides of the Atlantic
2018-06-19 12:00 - 14:00
The American Council on Germany will be hosting a discussion and luncheon as part of the Garrick Utley Memorial Lecture Series on Global Media Issues with Dr. Christoph von Marschall, 2017/2018 Helmut Schmidt Fellow and Chief Diplomatic Correspondent of Der Tagesspiegel (1999 ACG Kellen Fellow)
There is a $45.00 charge for members to attend. RSVP (acceptances only) to the American Council on Germany.
Dr. Christoph von Marschall is the inaugural Helmut Schmidt Fellow of the German Marshall Fund and the ZEIT Foundation. He is currently working on a book on the future of transatlantic relations with a special focus on the question of what Germany’s immediate neighbors France and Poland, the EU as a whole, and the U.S. are expecting from Germany. Dr. von Marschall serves as Chief Diplomatic Correspondent of Der Tagesspiegel, the leading daily newspaper in Berlin. From 2005 to 2013, he was the U.S. Correspondent, Washington Bureau Chief, and White House Correspondent. Beginning when Barack Obama took office in 2009, Dr. von Marschall was the only German newspaper correspondent in the White House Press Corps. He studied East European history and political science in Freiburg, Mainz, and Krakow and received his Ph.D. from Freiburg University in 1988. From 1998 to 1990, he was a reporter for the Süddeutsche Zeitung, where he reported on the mass exodus of GDR refugees through Hungary to the West and the revolutions in Romania and Bulgaria. From 1995 to 2005, he served as the Editor of the Editorial Page. Dr. von Marschall interviewed nearly all of the Presidents of the Central and Eastern European reform countries during integration into the EU and NATO. In addition to his role at Der Tagesspiegel, he is a guest at ARD-Presseclub and a commentator at Deutschlandfunk and WDR, and he writes for Zeit Online, Cicero, Atlantic Times, and Das Parlament. Dr. von Marschall is the Vice-Chairman of the Berlin Presse Club e.V. and the author of many books.

Hot Topics Call With Stefan Kornelius
2018-06-21 11:00 - 12:00
To register for the Hot Topics Call with Stefan Kornelius, please fill in the form below.

San Francisco: Developing Advanced Work-Based Higher Education – What Germany and the U.S. Can Learn from Each Other
2018-06-22 12:00 - 14:00
The San Francisco Warburg Chapter will host a discussion and luncheon with Prof. Dr. Lukas Graf, Assistant Professor of Educational Governance at the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin.
There will be no charge for members and a $15 charge for nonmembers to attend this event. RSVP here by June 20.

Prof. Dr. Lukas Graf is Assistant Professor of Educational Governance at the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin. Until August 2017 he was a postdoctoral researcher at the School of Economics and Political Science at the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland, and Managing Director of the Swiss Leading House “Governance in Vocational and Professional Education and Training” – an international research cluster on the governance and inclusiveness of skill formation in Austria, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. At the nexus of political economy, sociology, and educational science, his research combines comparative and historical institutional and organizational approaches to analyze questions of educational governance and institutional change, as well as of social inequality, in Europe and beyond. He has published in leading journals in all three disciplines. His book The Hybridization of Vocational Training and Higher Education in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland (Budrich UniPress 2013) builds upon his dissertation, which received the Best Dissertation Award from the Comparative and International Education Society (Higher Education Section) and the Ulrich-Teichler-Prize of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Hochschulforschung. Previously, Lukas has held research posts at the University of Luxembourg and the WZB Berlin Social Science Center, and he has been a visiting scholar at the American Institute for Contemporary German Studies in Washington D.C., the University of Vienna, and the University of Berne. He holds a BA in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from the University of East Anglia, an MA in Global Political Economy from the University of Kassel, and a PhD in Sociology from Freie Universität Berlin.

Abstract: In both Germany and the United States, employers search for new strategies to recruit and train people in times of a dynamically evolving economy and rising educational expectations. In this context, we observe the proliferation of work-based higher education programs in both countries. This development challenges the common classification found in the political economy and educational policy literature that distinguishes between collectively governed dual apprenticeships in Germany and market-driven on-the-job training in the US. This presentation proposes an alternative that identifies significant similarities in the governance mode of work-based higher education across the two countries. Based on expert interviews and document analysis, this discussion focuses on complex multi-actor governance at the nexus of vocational training and higher education and explores consequences for contemporary policy-making in advanced skill formation.

This program was made possible by a generous grant through the European Recovery Program –Transatlantic Encounters.

NYC: Transatlantic Relations After the G7 Summit
2018-07-13 12:00 - 14:00
The American Council on Germany will host a discussion and luncheon with Ambassador Emily M. Haber, German Ambassador to the United States.
Ambassador Emily M. Haber has been German Ambassador to the United States since June 2018. Immediately prior to this, Ambassador Haber, a career Foreign Service Officer, was deployed to the Federal Ministry of the Interior, serving as State Secretary overseeing security and migration at the height of the refugee crisis in Europe. In this capacity, she worked closely with the U.S. administration on topics ranging from the fight against international terrorism to global cyberattacks and cybersecurity. In 2009, she was appointed Political Director and, in 2011, State Secretary at the Foreign Office, the first woman to hold either post. Earlier in her career, she served at the German Embassy in Ankara; in Berlin, she has served as Deputy Head of the Cabinet and Parliamentary Liaison Division, as Director of the OSCE Division, and as Deputy Director-General for the Western Balkans. She has extensive knowledge of the Soviet Union and Russia, having worked both in the Soviet Union Division at the German Foreign Office and on various occasions at the German Embassy in Moscow, where she served as Head of the Economic Affairs Section and Head of the Political Affairs Department.
Ambassador Haber attended schools in New Delhi, Bonn, Paris, Brussels, Washington, Bonn, and Athens. From 1975 to 1980, she studied history and ethnology in Cologne, earning her Ph.D. with a dissertation on German foreign policy during the Morocco crisis on the eve of World War I. During her time as State Secretary of the Ministry of the Interior, Ambassador Haber spoke at the ACG’s American-German Young Leaders Conference.

NYC: Planning for the Future: Current Environmental Challenges Facing Germany
2018-07-17 18:00 - 20:00
The ACG will host a political salon with Klaus Mindrup, Member of the German Bundestag (SPD).
You must register in order to attend. Eventbrite Registration
Klaus Mindrup has been a member of the German Bundestag for the Social Democratic Party (SPD) since 2013. He is a member of the Bundestag’s Committee on the Environment, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety, as well as the Committee on Building, Housing, Urban Development, and Local Government. Prior to being elected to the Bundestag, Mr. Mindrup worked freelance as a biologist and was the Founder and Managing Director of a project development business. He was a district Council Member in Berlin-Pankow from 1999 to 2014, and since 2002 he has also served as a Board member for a residential building cooperative in Berlin. Mr. Mindrup is a strong advocate of cooperatives and the ecological movement, and has been active in various organizations supporting environmental protection and sustainability throughout his life. He studied biology and received his diploma from the University of Osnabrück, Germany, in 1988.

political salon: promoting dialogue across generations. This series brings together a diverse group of younger and mid-career professionals for informal, open discussions on a range of current political, economic, and social topics in an increasingly interconnected global environment – with an emphasis on issues of concern for the transatlantic agenda. Speakers share brief remarks and engage in a dynamic discussion with participants. Each salon includes refreshments and networking opportunities.

Berlin: 40th American-German Young Leaders Conference
2018-07-22 08:00 - 2018-07-26 17:00
The American Council on Germany will hold the 40th American-German Young Leaders Conference, “Business Unusual: Setting a Transatlantic Agenda for Challenging Times,” in Berlin.

NYC: Transatlantic Stammtisch for Young Professionals
2018-07-27 18:30 - 21:00
The ACG will host a Transatlantic Stammtisch which brings together young professionals for informal networking opportunities with individuals interested in transatlantic relations, Germany, and the German language.
For more information, please email rcammarota@acgusa.org.

Los Angeles: Dr. Emily Haber, German Ambassador to the United States, and Ambassador John B. Emerson, Chairman of the American Council on Germany
2018-08-13 12:00 - 14:00
The Los Angeles Warburg Chapter will host a discussion and luncheon with Dr. Emily Haber, German Ambassdor to the United States, in conversation with Ambassador John B. Emerson, Chairman of the ACG and Vice Chairman at Capital Group International.
There will be a $49 charge for members and a $59 charge for nonmembers to attend. RSVP here by August 8.
Dress Code: Business attire. Valet parking is available to $12 per car.
Ambassador Emily M. Haber became the German Ambassador to the United States in June 2018. A career diplomat, she was previously deployed to the Federal Ministry of the Interior, where she served as State Secretary overseeing security and migration at the height of the refugee crisis in Europe. In 2009, Ambassador Haber was appointed Political Director and, in 2011, State Secretary at the Foreign Office, the first woman to hold either post. Earlier in her career, she served at the German Embassy in Ankara. In Berlin, she has served as Deputy Head of the Cabinet and Parliamentary Liaison Division, as Director of the OSCE Division, and as Deputy Director-General for the Western Balkans. She has extensive knowledge of the Soviet Union and Russia, having worked both in the Soviet Union Division at the German Foreign Office and on various occasions at the German Embassy in Moscow, where she served as Head of the Economic Affairs Section and Head of the Political Affairs Department.
Ambassador Haber attended schools in New Delhi, Bonn, Paris, Brussels, Washington, Bonn, and Athens. From 1975 to 1980, she studied history and ethnology in Cologne, earning her Ph.D. with a dissertation on German foreign policy during the Morocco crisis on the eve of World War I.

Ambassador John B. Emerson was named Chairman of the American Council on Germany on January 17, 2018. He is Vice Chairman at Capital Group International. Previously, he was U.S. Ambassador to Germany, from 2013 to 2017. Serving at a particularly challenging time, in 2015 Ambassador Emerson was awarded the State Department’s prestigious Sue M. Cobb Award for Exemplary Diplomatic Service. Before going to Berlin, he was the President of Capital Group Private Client Services from 1997 to July 2013. Previously, he served on President Clinton’s senior staff, from 1993 to 1997, as Deputy Director of Presidential Personnel, and subsequently as Deputy Director of Intergovernmental Affairs. Ambassador Emerson also coordinated the Economic Conference of the Clinton-Gore transition team and led the Administration’s efforts to obtain congressional approval of the GATT Uruguay Round Agreement in 1994, and the extension of China’s Most-Favored-Nation trading status in 1996. In 2010, President Obama appointed Ambassador Emerson to serve on the President’s Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations. Earlier in his career, Ambassador Emerson served as the Los Angeles Chief Deputy City Attorney (1987-1993). In 1988, he traveled to Germany on an ACG Political Exchange Fellowship, carried out in collaboration with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation. Ambassador Emerson graduated from Hamilton College (AB, 1975) and University of Chicago (JD, 1978).

CANCELLED Phoenix: Germany and the United States: An Indispensable Relationship?
2018-08-27 17:30 - 19:00
The Phoenix Warburg Chapter will host a discussion and reception with Ambassador John B. Emerson, Chairman of the Board of the American Council on Germany, Vice Chairman at Capital Group International, and former U.S. Ambassador to Germany.
Ambassador John B. Emerson was elected Chairman of the American Council on Germany at the Council’s Annual Meeting of the Members on January 17, 2018. He is Vice Chairman at Capital Group International. Previously, he was U.S. Ambassador to Germany, from 2013 to 2017. Serving at a particularly challenging time, in 2015 Ambassador Emerson was awarded the State Department’s prestigious Sue M. Cobb Award for Exemplary Diplomatic Service, which is given annually to a non-career Ambassador who has used private-sector leadership and management skills to make a significant impact on bilateral or multilateral relations through proactive diplomacy. Upon his departure from the post, he was also awarded the highest civilian awards given by the Navy and the CIA, respectively. Before going to Berlin, he was the President of Capital Group Private Client Services from 1997 to July 2013. Previously, he served on President Clinton’s senior staff, from 1993 to 1997, as Deputy Director of Presidential Personnel, and subsequently as Deputy Director of Intergovernmental Affairs. Ambassador Emerson also coordinated the Economic Conference of the Clinton-Gore transition team and led the Administration’s efforts to obtain congressional approval of the GATT Uruguay Round Agreement in 1994, and the extension of China’s Most-Favored-Nation trading status in 1996. In 2010, President Obama appointed Ambassador Emerson to serve on the President’s Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations. Earlier in his career, Ambassador Emerson served as the Los Angeles Chief Deputy City Attorney (1987-1993). In 1988, he traveled to Germany on an ACG Political Exchange Fellowship, carried out in collaboration with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation. Before that, he was a Partner at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, specializing in business and entertainment litigation and administrative law. Active on a number of civic and charitable Boards, Ambassador Emerson graduated from Hamilton College (AB, 1975) and University of Chicago (JD, 1978). He is married to human rights activist Kimberly Marteau Emerson. The Emersons have three daughters.

NYC: The Future of Europe and Transatlantic Relations in a New Global Order: A View from the European Parliament
2018-08-27 18:00 - 20:00
The ACG and the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung will host a discussion and reception with Klaus Welle, Secretary-General of the European Parliament.
RSVP (acceptances only) to the American Council on Germany at 212-826-3636 or events@acgusa.org.
Klaus Welle has been the Secretary-General of the European Parliament in Luxembourg since March 2009. He has served in various roles within the European Parliament in Brussels including Head of the Cabinet of the President (2007-2009), Director-General for Internal Policies (2004-2007), and Secretary-General for the European People’s Party (EPP) in Parliament (1999-2003). He also served as the Secretary-General for the EPP and the European Union of Christian Democrats (EUCD), as well as the Head of the European and Foreign Policy Department at the CDU Central Office.
Mr. Welle holds a degree in Economics from the University of Witten/Herdecke and is the recipient of grants from the Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes (German Academic Scholarship) and the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung.

NYC: What Does the World Expect of Germany?
2018-09-04 18:00 - 20:00
The American Council on Germany and the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung will host a discussion and reception with Frances A. Devlin, ACG Board Member and Director of Global Policy & International Public Affairs at Pfizer Inc, and Paul Ziemiak, Member of the German Bundestag (CDU) and Federal Chairman of the Junge Union.
There is no charge to attend this event. RSVP (acceptances only) to the American Council on Germany at 212-826-3636 or events@acgusa.org.

Multilateralism and international governance systems are increasingly challenged by populist voices emphasizing nationalism over shared goals and common values. The value systems developed after the Second World War and taken as universal achievements cannot be taken for granted anymore; the next generation of leaders on both sides of the Atlantic is grappling with a new world order. In the run-up to Germany’s non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council in 2019, join us for a discussion about multilateralism and Germany’s global engagement.
Frances A. Devlin is Director of Global Policy & International Public Affairs at Pfizer Inc. In this capacity, she leads development and implementation of public policy and government relations strategies in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Ms. Devlin’s previous position was the Chief of Staff and Director of Strategic Initiatives & External Engagement, and she has served in various Corporate Affairs roles since joining the company in 2008. Prior to working at Pfizer, she was a fundraising and public affairs consultant for major national political and charitable campaigns. She serves on the ACG’s Board of Directors and was an ACG Young Leader in 2012.
Paul Ziemiak assumed his duties as Federal Chairman of the Junge Union in September 2014. During the German federal election in 2017, he successfully ran for a seat in the electoral district of Herne-Bochum II and is now a member of the Bundestag. He has served in various roles within the CDU, including Chairman of the CDU Iserlohn, a member of the CDU Federal Board, and a member of the state executive board of CDU NRW (North Rhine-Westphalia). During his trip to New York, he is joined by the Chairmen of the Junge Union from the Federal States of Baden-Württemberg, Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, North Rhine-Westphalia, Thuringia, and Saarland.

NYC: Authoritarianism, Populism, and Challenges to Democracy: A German Perspective
2018-09-10 18:00 - 19:30
The American Council on Germany will host a Political Salon with Annalena Baerbock, Co-Chair of Alliance 90/The Greens and Member of the Bundestag.
There is no charge to attend this event. You must register in order to attend. Eventbrite Registration

Annalena Baerbock is a member of the German Bundestag and was appointed Co-Chair of Alliance 90/The Greens on January 27, 2018. In this capacity, she has led the Green Party to a surge in the polls She has been instrumental in developing strategies to reach out to new voters and strengthen progressive politics in the age of authoritarian challenges.
Ms. Baerbock is a member of the Committee on Family, Senior Citizens, Women, and Youth, as well as a deputy member of the Economic and European Committee. From 2013 to 2017, she served as spokeswoman on climate policy and was a member of the Committee on Economic Affairs and Energy, the European Affairs Committee, and the German-Polish Parliamentary Group. After the 2017 election, Ms. Baerbock was part of the coalition negotiation team for her party. Prior to joining the Bundestag, she was Chairman of Alliance 90/The Greens Brandenburg from 2009 to 2013. She was also a Board member of the European Green Party (2009-2012) and a member of the party council of Alliance 90/The Greens (2012-2015). She graduated in 2005 with an LLM degree in International Law from the London School of Economics. She previously worked as a journalist for the Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung.

political salon: promoting dialogue across generations. This series brings together a diverse group of younger and mid-career professionals for informal, open discussions on a range of current political, economic, and social topics in an increasingly interconnected global environment – with an emphasis on issues of concern for the transatlantic agenda. Speakers share brief remarks and engage in a dynamic discussion with participants. Each salon includes refreshments and networking opportunities.
With special thanks to the German Consulate and Heinrich Böll Foundation for supporting this event.

NYC: Transatlantic Stammtisch for Young Professionals
2018-09-13 18:00 - 20:00
The ACG will host a Transatlantic Stammtisch with Kai Hennig, Deputy Chief of Mission of the German Embassy in Romania.
RSVP (acceptances only) to the American Council on Germany at 212-826-3636 or events@acgusa.org.
Transatlantic Stammtisch brings together young professionals for informal networking opportunities with individuals interested in transatlantic relations, Germany, and the German language.

NYC: Transatlantic Cooperation: Indispensable for American Prosperity, Freedom in Europe, and Global Security
2018-09-17 12:00 - 14:00
The ACG will host a discussion and luncheon with Peter Beyer, Coordinator of Transatlantic Cooperation at the German Federal Foreign Office and Member of the German Bundestag (CDU).
There is no charge to attend this event. RSVP (acceptances only) to the American Council on Germany at 212-826-3636 or events@acgusa.org.

Peter Beyer serves as the Coordinator of Transatlantic Cooperation at the German Federal Foreign Office. He has been a member of the German Bundestag since 2009 and a member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) since 1996. Mr. Beyer is also a member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, where he serves as Special Rapporteur on Transatlantic Relations. He is Executive Vice President of the Southeast Europe Association. Prior to his current roles, he served as Managing Chairman of the Heiligenhaus town branch of the CDU and a member of the Heiligenhaus town council from 2008 to 2009. In addition, he was an elected member of the Executive Committee of the Mettmann county branch of the CDU. Before joining the public sector, he worked as an attorney specializing in industrial property law in the Cologne office of Mayer Brown LLP, the Los Angeles office of Murchison & Cumming LLP, and the Chicago office of Brinks, Hofer, Gilson & Lione LLP. Mr. Beyer completed his undergraduate studies at the Universities of Düsseldorf and Bonn, and received his Master in Law at the University of Virginia School of Law in Charlottesville.
With special thanks to Penguin Random House for hosting this event
