Since 1954, the Europäische Akademie Otzenhausen has been implementing its mission "to conduct information, education and research work in the fields of society and politics and to promote European integration on a liberal and federal basis".
In doing so, the educational concept of the Academy is comprehensive. It combines political-historical with political-aesthetic education. This way, the Academy gains deeper emotional access to the participants, far beyond the everyday life they are familiar with. Because education is not confined to the imparting of knowledge.

Education also includes the ability to acquire values, to develop imagination, creativity, tolerance and openness and to allow emotions to be felt. It is impossible to imagine the work of the Academy without art and culture, as they are one of its methods of conveying its values. In particular, when culture takes an aesthetic or political stance, it appeals equally to the intellect and to emotions, challenging us to debate it. This is all the more true when art provokes and questions accepted norms (content, aesthetics, etc.). The freedom (not only) of art is therefore not an empty slogan at the Academy - but in many ways filled with life.