UGAL

This project aims to resize the academic expertise in the context of the Eastern neighborhood of Romania, especially in the relationship with the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. Increasing international visibility of regional problems and understanding them at political and strategic level, identifying national long-term positions and interests are sine qua non elements in formulating a coherent national and regional policy discourse.

On the same note, the review of the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) - and the Eastern Partnership in particular - has been the subject of numerous public consultations bringing together contributions from Member States, EU institutions, international organizations but also civil society, which reconfirms the need to reevaluate the ENP.

The general objectives of this project are to create a scientific collaboration consortium at academic and research level meant to bring together the already existing expertise on the Eastern neighborhood of Romania. To identify the long-term regional / national positions and interests through a systematic analysis of what has been achieved (or not) so far (foreign policy and strategic review) and informing national policies and strategies focused on the Eastern neighborhood and implicitly formulating a coherent discourse at European / international level.  The reconfirmation of Romania's contribution to the revision of the Eastern Partnership through close coordination in the context of the elaboration of an overall EU strategy in the field of foreign and security policy, having a direct effect on relations with the Eastern states, specifically with the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine.

Participants:

Romania
  • “Dunarea de Jos” University of Galati;
  • University of Bucharest;
  • West University of Timisoara;
  • Babeș-Bolyai University;
  • “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iasi;
  • Laboratory for Transnistrian Conflict Analysis, Sibiu

Republic of Moldova
  • Moldova State University, Chisinau

Ukraine
  • Odessa I. I. Mechnikov National University;
  • Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv

Within this project, these events will be organized:

1. Conference at “Dunarea de Jos” University of Galati

The thematic opportunity and the necessity of creating a transnational network of academic cooperation are analyzed. The general context and theme will be drawn on the Eastern Neighborhood, Moldova and Ukraine and, as a first transdisciplinary approach, the analysis of the Transnistrian problem.
  • Date: December 2019;
  • Duration: 2 days;
  • Topic: Republic of Moldova and Transnistria in the context of Romania's Eastern neighborhood;
  • Objectives: creation of a scientific consortium or partnership between universities / centers of expertise and inventory of the current state of research / interventions in plenary / drafting of the report;
  • Panel suggestions: legal and socio-political context; foreign and security policy, human rights, history, scenario-building (geopolitical predictions and scenarios);
  • Key-note speakers: representatives from Galati, Bucharest and/or Odessa university;
  • NB: guests from Tiraspol will be included.

2. Conference at Moldova State University

Neighborhood conference: examining geopolitical perceptions and conflict and cooperation situations in the region. How do regional actors define / interpret / perceive and translate them into foreign policy!
  • Date: Spring 2019;
  • Duration: 2 days;
  • Topic: The cardinal points of the neighborhood from the perspective of Romania, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. From geopolitical perceptions to cooperation and / conflict.
  • Objectives:
  1. Conference proceedings;
  2. Increasing the international visibility of the regional problems;
  3. A better understanding of them at political and strategic level.
  • Structure: plenary debates / sections / conclusions / extension of the partnership agreement;
  • Suggested thematic sections: foreign and security policy, human rights, history, civil society, war-gaming simulations (predictions and geopolitical scenarios);
  • Key-note speakers: professor (history, international relations), University of Cambridge, Marc Galeotti (region expert/Russia);
  • Suggested panel participants: Adam Hug, Foreign Policy Centre, UK et alii.

3. Conference and future projects: University of Odessa/Kyiv, Brussels, University of Cambridge

Initiative group:
  • Dinu GINDU (“Dunarea de Jos” University of Galati);
  • Cătălina MOISESCU (University of Fribourg, Switzerland);
  • Andra-Lucia MARTINESCU (University of Cambridge, UK);

Scientific council:
  • Florin TUDOR (“Dunarea de Jos” University of Galati);
  • Constantin ARDELEANU (“Dunarea de Jos” University of Galati);
  • Radu CARP (University of Bucharest)