The new Centre for European and Eurasian Studies, FISIP Universitas Airlangga launched

On 21 November, 2022, the new Centre for European and Eurasian Studies, FISIP Universitas Airlangga, was launched. This is a part of a growing cooperation between Universitas Airlangga and the Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies, Centre for Eurasian and Russian Studies - CEURUS. The opening event, among others, featured the Ambassador of Ukraine to Indonesia, His Excellence Vasyl Hamianin with the keynote speech; Prof. Andrey Makarychev from the Skytte Institute with the workshop "Understanding Eastern Europe and Eurasia: Between Russia and Europe?" and Olga Bogdanova with the workshop "Living in the Borderland: Experience from Narva, Estonia"

Here is Radityo Dharmaputra, one of the facilitators of the opening:

"It was an important event, with the keynote speech from the Ukrainian Ambassador to Indonesia (explaining many things about the current Russia’s war in Ukraine and Ukrainian perspectives about it and about the world). Andrey Makarychev gave an interesting academic perspective on the war from the East European perspectives, and Olga Bogdanova shared an interesting personal experience about being a Russian-Estonian.

It is an important role by the Centre to give voices for many experts and practitioners from the region (especially Eastern Europe and Eurasia), to balance the overwhelming narrative in Indonesia that only look at global events from the “Western” perspectives (American and Western Europe) or from non-Western one, neglecting the other marginal voices from Eastern Europe and Eurasia.

The plan, for the next year, is to invite more experts and diplomats from Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and South Caucasus, to talk (online, and in-person if possible), therefore building the knowledge in our Centre. We have planned at least 6 experts and 6 diplomats to give a lecture in our Centre. Then, after that, we could start some collaborative research. 

Skytte is an important partner, not only in the initial discussion of creating a centre, but also in the future development. The new Centre can also be a hub in connecting Skytte’s expertise to other partners in Asia-Pacific, and to broaden the perspective of both Airlangga (to look more to Eastern Europe and Eurasia) and Skytte (to look more to Asia)."