The European University Institute (EUI) from Florence was created in 1972 by the six founding countries of the European Communities. It opened its doors in 1976 in order to provide a high quality training to its PhD students and to promote a high level academic research. The EUI concentrates its activities on European studies in the four following fields: history, law, economics, political and social science. Today, EUI welcomes PhD students and researchers originating from all the European Union t participate to doctoral programs. EUI has diversified its research programs and its structures; it is now a doctoral and post doctoral school. The Institute possesses an exceptional documentary fund as it shelters the historical archives of European Union Institutions. The EUI is partly supported financially by the European Union budget.