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«Added value»: Implementation of European Union Center in Siberia Project, 2010-2014
Authors: Deriglazova L.V.
Number of views: 423
Larisa Deriglazova, Director of the European Union Center in Siberia, evaluates the implementation of this project, which has united six Siberian universities: Tomsk, Tyumen, Kemerovo, Barnaul, Irkutsk state universities and Novosibirsk technical state universities. She discusses the Center’s goals, methodology, achievements and possible future. The project introduced new resources, ideas and people to the development of European and EU studies among the partner universities at both undergraduate and postgraduate level, and as a result they have been able to respond to the high interest in Europe among young people and the general public in Siberia through annual student conferences, summer schools, outreach activities and annual international conferences, which attracted participants from across the region.
Additionally, a number of individual and collective research projects on the topic of Europe and the EU were initiated under the auspices of the Centre, allowing regional experts to work in partnership. Research findings and outcomes resulting from this work have been delivered in a both specialist publications and peer-reviews journals. The administrative task of overcoming great distances between project partners did not prevent the successful delivery of the project. Indeed, the project created synergies between partner universities, resting on the accurate evaluation of the strengths and needs of each partner. Overall, the project enhanced established ties between Siberian experts, and created a strong base for the future development and consolidation of academic research on Europe and the EU.