Professors from around the United States and the United Kingdom gathered at OU to discuss Britain and the European Union, headed by two UK leaders.

Henry McLeish, the second first minister of Scotland in history, spoke to the crowd of educators about the debate of devolution and the new regionalism.

Devolution, the term labeled for the process of establishing power in the regions of the United Kingdom, including Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, has created a distinctive debate in the United Kingdom, McLeish said.

"In fact, I'm not sure I would call it a debate at all," McLeish said.

The former minister explained that the process has gone so far that he would like to see a new debate in Great Britain about regionalism and the European Union.

"When has the devolution debate in the United Kingdom or in Scotland linked with what's going on in Europe? I don't think enough," he said.

McLeish said Scotland and the United Kingdom have reached a point when a new debate is essential. One that could bring new terminology in which there would be an end of the devolution debate and a start of a debate about what is going on in Europe.

Marcus Winsley, the first secretary in the chancery at the British embassy, picked up where McLeish left off by saying Britain is not a part of the EU but a strong part of it, even without the Euro as its monetary system.

He said the perceptions of the United Kingdom and its recent policy movements have triggered some strife among other EU nations, suggesting that the United Kingdom is moving towards a centrist view. Winsley said this was not true. He mentioned that Denmark and Sweden do not use the Euro. He also pointed out that France speaks out without EU support on numerous policies.

During his speech, Winsley said the European security and defense policy should be stronger, not like an army but as a peace-keeping force.

Both Winsley and McLeish praised OU for having a European Union Center, one of 15 in the nation and said there needs to be work towards education of the EU.

"There is a view that a lot of American students have no real understanding or information about the rest of the world," McLeish said. "I think its important to understand civilizations, to understand different world groups to let that happen."

He said these activities are sending a positive message that America is a part of the world.

"A lot of people in Europe know about America, it should be vice-versa," McLeish said.

Winsley said knowledge of the EU is low in Europe, so it is no surprise it is non-existent in the United States.

"In some ways, I think it's the responsibilities of the European Union governments and actually the European Union commission and the union itself to explain more to people," Winsley said.

Winsley said the EU and the U.S. universities should make an effort to explain to people what the EU is actually about, adding it will be a long process.

For more information about the EU, visit www.euonline.org.
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