Maria Anjelica Ancheta, a PhD student from the Asia Institute of Technology in Thailand, who joined our IGSD STS Global in 2024, recently published a blog reflecting about her experience and how it enriched her thinking. The blog is titled 'From Research to Resilience: My Journey at the CR STS 2.0 at Warwick', and is also featured on Anjelica's University's social media site here.

It is amazing to see how ECRs can grow both in their intellectual and cultural journeys when are given the right opportunities to engage!

In partnership with NATO PDD, and Stockholm Centre for East European Studies (SCEEUS), WUB-hub organised a high-level European Belarus Forum on 13 December 2025 at the Mission of Belarus Democratic Forces, in Brussels, as part of the Belarus week. The event was attended by Belarusian experts, and representatives of NATO, EU institutions, Swedish diplomats and Belarusian democratic forces. Major challenges and opportunities for Belarus 2025 were discussed, as well as the support for capacity-building of intellectual and social capital within the country. The event was preceded by a book pre-launch of 'The Unbroken Generation: Youth Voices of Belarus 2020', to be released in January 2025, by Skaryna Press, with the support of WUB-hub Research England funds.

Professor Korosteleva and Dr Hansbury attended a high-level conference in Brussels, as part of a week-long activities organised by the EU institutions on Belarus in Brussels. The conference opened with speeches from Robert Metsola, President of the European Parliament, and Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, leader of the Belarusian democratic forces. The conference discussed pathways forward for a democratic future of Belarus, and measures to address the continued violations of human rights and a rising number of political prisoners in the country.

Dr. Aijan SharshenovaLink opens in a new window, research fellow at SHAPEDEM-EULink opens in a new window project at the IGSD, discussed inter-regional cooperation between Central Asia and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. The interview is a part of the Hollings CenterLink opens in a new window for International Dialogue's (a US-based think tank) series on Responsible Business. The interview is available at https://hollingscenter.org/central-asias-path-to-regional-cooperation/

Chairs of all Research Spotlights met to discuss the results of a university-wide survey and joined needs for further growth and partnership-building.