IGSD News

Professor Korosteleva was invited to participate in the UWED research funding and project activities during 12-15 November 2025, organised and hosted by the Institute of Advanced International Studies. The week of learning brought together 30 researchers from different fields of knowledge - international politics, economics, sociology, anthropology, and legal studies - to focus on the issues and challenges of sustainable development and how they can be addressed through research collaboration and funding-building. Professor Korosteleva shared her experience of leading IGSD and chairing the Sustainability Spotlight, as well as her experience of being involved in the EU - UPTAKE, EUTOPIA, SHAPEDEM - and the UK (COMPASS and COMPASS+, AGRE, AHRC) capacity-building projects.

EISA organised its 12th exploratory symposium in Rapallo, on the coast of Italy, to host 5 selected workshops over three nights, to explore research themes, to present papers, consider funding opportunities and publications. Professor Korosteleva was invited to participate in 'Resilience, complexity and relationality: A comparative analysis of resilience policies, practices and narratives in China and Europe'. The workshop was convened by Dr Julia Trombetta (Nottingham Ningbo), and in addition to Elena, also included Profs. David Chandler (Westminster), Emilian Kavalski (Tampere), and Liv Nielson (EUI/SDU). The workshop explored various aspects of resilience, and focused on unpacking resilience as anticipatory governance and mobilisability of society.

On the 16th October the University of Warwick signed an MOU with El-Yurt Umidi Foundation for the training of prospective personnel and students, from Uzbekistan. The Delegation was led by Professor Gulnoza Ismayilova, its Executive Director. She signed an MOU with Warwick, represented by Professor Virinda Kalra, DPVC International, and accompanied by Professor Elena Korosteleva. This will offer opportunities for introducing spotlights, IGSD STA and various course provision to Uzbekistan Universities and its Early Career Researchers, and other professionals.

The Sustainability Spotlight, together with IGFSD colleagues, had a follow-up event at WBS, to hear research initiatives from sustainability champions, and to discuss how best the spotlight can support them, in the course of the year. Initiatives came from PAIS, WBS, WMG, Stats, Law, and Economics, offering such a breadth and depth of sustainability research across the university! Thank you to all who joined us on the day, and to Cher and Tanya - for such an efficient (and yummy) organisation and lunch!

On 23-25 September in Brussels I participated in the final SHAPEDEM-EU project conference joined by a sister Embrace project. It is thrilling to see how much we have done over three years taking stock of local democracy perceptions in both neighbourhoods, and engagement from various stakeholders! I was also fortunate to have support from my two talented colleagues Asya Kudlenko & Aijan Sharshenova - indebted to them! I also thank the leadership team - Andrea Gawrich & Fabian Schöppner - for their unwavering determination in the face of so many challenges this project has had, and all my fellow researchers who made this project enjoyable and worthwhile!
As part of WP2 we are expecting a series of outputs, in addition to our reports. These among others, will include our article 'From the communities of practice' to the 'Community of Relations: lessons learned from Ukraine & Belarus' in Contemporary Politics SI, and a book chapter in a joint monograph. My own OUP book 'Complexity & Community in IR: nurturing resilience in Central Eurasia's (out on November 2025) will reference the project and our fieldwork too! Thank you all, especially the European Commission & University of Warwick for the financial & logistical support!!