About Simon Sweeney

Lecturer in International Political Economy and Business
York Management School, University of York

Simon Sweeney was awarded a National Teaching Fellowship by the Higher Education Academy in 2006. His career spans two professional areas: first as a lecturer in International Business and Governance, with research interests in the role of the state and the impact of globalisation, the Single European Market, and European defence and security. He is a PhD research student at the University of Leeds, and author of Europe, the State and Globalisation (Longman, 2005).

Simon works at York Management School at the University of York, moving in January 2011 from Sheffield Business School at Sheffield Hallam University. Before that he was Head of Programme for MA International Studies at York St John University. Until joining York Management School full time, he held an Associate Lectureship at York for several years teaching International Political Economy and Business, and Education and Development.

He has also worked extensively as a text book writer in English Language Teaching (ELT) with a particular interest in communication skills for adult learners working in business and professional environments. He is the author of English for Business Communication and a co-author of English365, (both Cambridge University Press, 2004). He has a strong interest in English as an international language and in the internationalisation of higher education, especially in relation to the Bologna Process (see below).

In 2006 Simon was appointed as one of 14 Bologna Promoters by the UK Socrates Erasmus Council, now administered by the British Council. The Bologna Process led to the setting up of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) to foster greater mobility and employability among students and graduates. Bologna seeks to establish transparency between qualification frameworks and to encourage effective credit transfer and recognition arrangements throughout Europe. 47 countries have signed up to the Bologna Process. Simon will continue in this role until 2013. Details and related links can be found through the menu on the left.

For information about the University of York visit www.york.ac.uk