International Summer School

Prospects for Democracy, Stability and Europeanization in Ukraine:
What lessons from the Baltic experience?

From 25-29 August 2014 the UT Centre for EU-Russia Studies (CEURUS ) is hosting an international summer school for Ukrainian students and recent graduates in Tartu, Estonia. The event is supported from the Development Cooperation programme of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Estonia and 30 students from all over Ukraine as well as 15 Estonian and international students currently studying in Tartu are participating.

The general objective of the summer school is to promote democracy, stability and Europeanization in Ukraine through the training of future decision-makers, social scientists and opinion leaders at the University of Tartu (UT). 30 students or recent graduates of Ukrainian universities will come to Tartu, where they will be joined by international and Estonian students from Tartu University.

During the five-day summer school the students will not only listen to a number of lecture that address themes central to the evolving political situation in Ukraine, they will also have the chance to share their views and experiences with the others and meet high ranking Estonian political representatives. The lectures that will be held at the Faculty of Social Sciences discuss issues of democratization and nation-building in divided societies, European integration, EU enlargement and Eastern Partnership, security issues in Europe and beyond, and matters of truth, justice and the rule of law during and after regime change. During a Q&A session with MEP and former leader of the Estonian Popular Front, Dr. Marju Lauristin, as well as during a student-to-student event on Thursday, the Ukrainian participants will have the chance to share their own thoughts about the current events in Ukraine and reflect on lessons that can be learned from the Baltic experience 25 years ago. See the invitation (.pdf)

As a final highlight, all participants will visit Tallinn, where they will meet with President Toomas Hendrik Ilves at the Kadriorg Palace as well as with officials from the Ministry of Defense. They will also be introduced to newest developments in the field of e-governance and e-democracy in Estonia.

See the full programme (.pdf)

Contact and additional information:

For additional information and inquiries (in English, Russian or Ukrainian) please contact Mariana Semenyshyn (semeny[at]ut.ee).