[MUSIC] Welcome to Understanding Europe, one of the first MOOCs entirely devoted to the European experience of life and government. My name is Alberto Alemanno, I'm a law professor at HEC Paris, one of the world's leading business schools. But what is more important to know about me in the framework of this course is that I belong to the so-called erasmus generation. I am one of the first Europeans who, together with hundreds of thousands of people, although is born one of the countries belonging to the European Union first and foremost a European citizen. Europe, not Italy, the country where I was born and raised, is the space where I work, breathe, read, grow my children and live my life. Europe is home. By running this MOOC, I would like to open to you the door of this home. And this regardless of where you live or come from. Hundreds and thousands of people chose the European space as their home. They chose Europe as both their mental and physical environment. That's where they study, they look for a job, they date when looking for a partner, and buy their homes. Can you imagine if instead of doing all these activities in one country, you are suddenly able to that in 28 countries, and all at the same time. You won't be surprised to hear that as a result of Europe, our opportunities are greater than those of our ancestors who lived in a continent devastated by wars and conflict, and where mobility was very limited. European integration has improved our lives in a very tangible way. And we will see many examples of this during the course. Yet, for many reasons, Europe today is not perceived, nor is presented, as an opportunity. Unfortunately, too little is known about the European Union, both inside and outside of the continent, and this often leads to misunderstandings about what Europe really is today. This in turn means missed opportunities for many people who don't grasp the potential of a European life. To address these misunderstandings and feel this gap, between how Europe works and how people know about it this MOOC will address the following questions. Why the European Union? What it is and where it comes from. Who is the European Union? We'll put a face on the main European actors you should know. What the EU can do for you. We'll examine its policies and impact on our life regardless of where we live, and how the European Union works, the European means of action. What can the EU do for you? And what you can do for Europe. But that's not all. This MOOC will not only give you some theoretical knowledge about Europe, it will also provide you some practical experience about how Europe works. You will have the opportunity to have a say on many of the most relevant policies that will be discussed in Europe during these weeks. Some of my physical students, not the virtual ones, these are you, will be presenting some of their clinical work, projects they are running in the real world, and are shaping the European policies. You will be asked for example, whether the EU should regulate the use of your data on social media, how lobbying should be regulated, plastics be prohibited from the market? In addition, regular quizzes, interviews, statements, case studies and essay questions, will help you to better understand and master the content of the course. In this first class we will address the questions, why Europe? By telling you what European Union is, how we develop over the years, why it matters for your life regardless of where you live. And why do so many European myths exists and what is the so-called European paradox?