KEI Contributor

Dr. Michael Reiterer, EU Ambassador (ret.) is a Distinguished Professor at the Centre for Security, Diplomacy and Strategy (CSDS) of the Brussels School of Governance (BSoG). He is the editor of the CSDS policy brief series.

Michael Reiterer pursued his academic career always in parallel to his diplomatic one at the Austrian and then European service. After graduating as Dr. jur. from the University of Innsbruck (1978), post-graduate studies at the Johns Hopkins University/Bologna Centre (Diploma 1979) and the Graduate Institute for International Studies in Geneva (Diploma 1983) were further stepping stones to his habilitation (PhD equivalent) in International Politics at the University of Innsbruck (2005, Institute for Political Science) focussing on EU-Asia relations. EU foreign policy, EU-Asia relations in particular with Japan and Korea, the Indo-Pacific, inter-regionalism, security issues, new forms of diplomacy, human rights are now the main focus of his research, having previously published extensively on international trade law and relations including WTO, trade and environment and the Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM). Adjunct professor for international politics at Webster University, Vienna; Libera Università Internazionale degli Studi Sociali "Guido Carli" (LUISS), Rome; University of Innsbruck; Danube University, Krems/Austria. In 2022 he was Guest Professor at Ritsumeikan/Kyoto (March 2022 online) and Kobe University (April-July 2022). Previously he has taught at various universities in Europe and Asia, In Japan he was invited professor at the University of Kobe (2014, 2015), Keio University (2008), the Graduate School of Political Science,Tokyo Japan. He gave guests lectures i.a. at Waseda University, International Christian University, University of Tokyo, University of Foreign Languages, Hitosobashi University), Aoyama University, Hosei University, Sophia University (Tokyo); Kyushu Sangyo University (Fukuoka), Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, APU (Beppu), Ritsumekan University (Kyoto), Doshisha University (Kyoto), Kyoto University, Kwansei University, Setsuma University, Osaka University; Kagawa University, University of Oita, Kyushu University. Korea: i.a. Seoul National, Korea University, Yonsei University; Ewa Womens University/ Seoul; Wonkwang University/Iksan, Busan National University. In September 2020 he retired from the European Diplomatic Service (European External Action Service-EEAS) as Ambassador plenipotentiary and extraordinary of the European Union to the Republic of Korea (2017-2020); previous posts included Ambassador to Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein (2007-2011), Deputy Head of Mission/Minister at the EU Delegation to Japan (2002-2006), Counsellor in charge of ASEM (Asia-Europe Meeting) at the European Commission (1998-2001), Minister Counsellor at the Austrian Permanent Representation to the EU (1997-1998), Counsellor at the Austrian Permanent Representation to the GATT (1990-1992), Austrian Deputy Trade Commissioner for West Africa (out of Ivory Coast, 1982-1984)) and to Japan (1985-1988). He co-chaired the Joint Group of Trade and Environment Experts at the OECD, served as panellist at the WTO dispute settlement and was a member of the European Economic and Social Committee.