სეუ - საქართველოს ეროვნული უნივერსიტეტი

International Scientific Conference on the theme "Transformation in Times of Transition: European Integration and the Eastern Partnership Initiative"

On February 8th, an international scientific conference was convened at Georgian National University SEU, centering on the theme "Transformation in Times of Transition: European Integration and the Eastern Partnership Initiative." This collaborative endeavor was organized jointly by the European Integration Research Center of SEU and Lazarski University in Poland. 

The conference garnered a diverse assembly, comprising local and international researchers, professors, experts, and other interested parties. Throughout the event, participants contributed thought-provoking ideas, diving into the multifaceted challenges and prospects in European integration. Engaging dialogues ensued, particularly regarding the pivotal role of the Eastern Partnership initiative and its ongoing trajectories. 

Commencing with the opening speeches of Anna Phirtskhalashvili, Vice-Rector for Scientific Research at SEU, and Irakli Samkharadze, Head of SEU's European Integration Research Center, the event was contributed by other guests. 

Ms. Maka Bochorishvili, Chairperson of the European Integration Committee of the Georgian Parliament, and Ernst Peter Fischer, the German Ambassador to Georgia, extended warm welcomes, highlighting its profound thematic significance and Georgia’s course of Europeanization. 

The keynote speakers of the conference included: 

• Prof. Dr. Tanja A. Börzel, Director of the Center for European Integration at the Free University of Berlin, who expounded upon the transformative dynamics and inherent constraints within the European Union.
• Prof. Dr. Tom Casier from the University of Groningen, the Chair in Global Politics of Europe, offered profound insights into the ramifications of EU enlargement. 
• Ms. Nino Mishidze, the Deputy Head of the EU Law Department at the Ministry of Justice of Georgia, revealed the legal aspects of Georgia's EU Integration.  

Moreover, representatives hailing from 11 universities spanning 5 different countries (United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Netherlands, Poland) contributed significantly to the discourse, enriching the collective dialogue with a mosaic of perspectives. 

As the conference drew to a close, Teodora Toma, Executive Director of the World Jurist Association presented the organization's ongoing initiatives and offered a glimpse into the forthcoming World Law Congress, slated for 2025 in the Dominican Republic.