Jean Monnet Summer Academy 2025 Concluded

The European University has successfully completed the Jean Monnet Summer Academy online program “EU Enlargement: Theory, Practice, and Contemporary Challenges.”

Within the framework of the module “EU Enlargement: Lessons from the Past for Future Decisions” (EnlargEU — 101127859, 2023–2026), and with the support of the European Union under the coordination of Tatia Dolidze, the program was held on August 25-29.

More than 400 participants residing in Georgia registered for the English-language Academy. The majority of participants from outside the EU were citizens of Georgia, Ukraine, and the Middle East.

Active engagement varied across days and sessions. Around 150 attendees actively participated in the event.

The five-day course covered a comprehensive analysis of EU enlargement from legal-administrative, economic, political, and security perspectives.

Lecturers included:

• Tatia Dolidze, Ph.D. — Jean Monnet module coordinator; Associate Professor & Head of the IR Programme, European University (Georgia)
• Tinatin Akhvlediani, Ph.D. — Research Fellow, CEPS (Belgium); Visiting Professor, College of Europe (Tirana, Albania); ISET at TSU (Georgia)
• Steven Blockmans, Ph.D. — Visiting Professor, College of Europe (Belgium); Senior Research Fellow, CEPS (Belgium); Senior Fellow, ICDS (Estonia)
• Bidzina Lebanidze, Ph.D. — Head of Jena-Cauc Project, Institute of Caucasus Studies, University of Jena (Germany)
• Tamta Tskhovrebadze, Ph.D. — Adjunct Professor & Academic Coordinator, Webster University (Georgia)
• Mehmet Recai Uyugur, Ph.D. — Senior Researcher & Associate Professor in International Security and Conflict, SMK College of Applied Sciences (Lithuania)
• Frédéric Labarre, Ph.D. — Instructor, Royal Military College of Canada (Canada); Senior Advisor, Regional Stability in the South Caucasus Study Group, Austrian National Defence Academy (Austria)

Participants were actively involved in Q&A sessions and completed evaluation tests, which clearly reflected positive learning outcomes. A brief evaluation questionnaire was also distributed for additional feedback, while lecture recordings and materials were shared with participants.

The closing ceremony and award presentation will take place in September.