Leibniz Research Network Central and Eastern Europe

Photo SEAN PAVONE/ALAMY STOCK FOTO

Political events of recent years have awakened greater public interest in Germany’s eastern neighbours and partners. The headlines have often been dominated by acute crises and conflicts. Yet in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics of Central and Eastern Europe and sustainably shape these complex international relationships in the future, we require deeper insights into the region.

In our globalised society, issues of energy, environmental and security policy are just as important as concerns surrounding migration, identity and the handling of collective memory. In order to tackle these challenges, the Leibniz Association pools the greatest expertise on Eastern Europe-related studies available within Germany’s research organisations.

Since 2015, the Leibniz Institutes have been engaged in interdisciplinary collaboration within the Leibniz Central and Eastern Europe Network, in order to facilitate research on this region and foster dialogue between academia and society. This provides opportunities for collaborations within the fields of policy consulting, academic dialogue, research consortia, the establishment of scientific infrastructures and career development.

Regionally, the network‘s portfolio includes the eastern, north-eastern and south-eastern member states of the European Union; the eastern and south-eastern European candidate countries; the Republic of Moldova and the states of the Caucasus and Central Asia, with which close cooperation is maintained. Research is also being conducted on Russia, even though relations with this country have been suspended since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.