Rethinking and Reshapingthe EU’s Democracy Supportin Its Eastern and Southern Neighbourhoods
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University of Warwick

The University of Warwick is one of the UK’s leading universities with an acknowledged reputation for excellence in research and teaching, for innovation, and for links with business and industry. Founded in 1965 with an initial intake of 450 undergraduates, Warwick now has in excess of 22,000 students. It is ranked in the top 10 of all UK university league tables, 64th in the world (QS World University Rankings 2023), and in the world's top 100 universities for graduate employability (The QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022).

On SHAPEDEM-EU, Warwick is engaged through the Institute for Global Sustainable Development (IGSD). Set up in 2019, the IGSD aims to be at the forefront of knowledge creation that enables transformation towards a more sustainable, prosperous, healthier and just world for all, becoming a gateway to research on sustainable development across at Warwick.

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Professor Elena Korosteleva

COI & IGSD Director

Photo of Dr. Aijan Sharshenova
Dr. Aijan Sharshenova

Research Fellow

Role within SHAPEDEM-EU

The University of Warwick leads Work Package 2 (WP2) Democratic Practices & Democracy Support in the Eastern Neighbourhood.

WP2 takes stock of democracy-related dynamics in the EU's Neighbourhood by studying local expectations & practices of democracy. Case studies include Ukraine, Georgia and Armenia, with Belarus, Azerbaijan and Moldova added where possible.

We aim to:

  • evaluate and contextualise perceptions & social practices of democracy
  • map out gaps in democracy practices & EU democracy support
  • explore mechanisms for a more effective and inclusive Democracy Learning Loop

The project results will be communicated and disseminated through:

  • A comprehensive collective Democracy Support Database, which will include research on local developments in the 6 case countries, the EU’s and selected member states’ and non-EU actors’ democracy support practices.
  • An interactive visualised Democracy Support Digital Dashboard.
  • A pilot tested Democracy Learning Loop.

Our vision for SHAPEDEM-EU

SHAPEDEM-EU is a timely project to interrogate the EU support for nurturing and supporting democracy in its neighbourhoods. We look forward to piloting an innovative model of democracy learning loop developed by Prof. Larbi Sadiki. Its problematisation including in the form of resilience-thinking, is paramount for the countries currently at war, or struggling through crisis or conflict, in rebuilding their democratic futures. IGSD Warwick is delighted to lead on this important trial, working with the SHAPEDEM-EU partners.

- from Professor Elena Korosteleva