2012
III
24 April 25 April 26 April
3rd International Forum Effective Cooperation in Europe
Brussels, Belgium
April 23 - 27, 2012
In cooperation with:
To receive the registration form, please contact: [email protected], +32488342208
1 April 23, Monday
Hogeschool - UniversiteitBrussel( HUB) H.U.Brussels (HUB) Stormstraat2 \ 2 rue d'Assault 1000 Brussels Pre-Forum
Economic relations between Russia and EU
9.30 - 10.30Welcome address and keynote speech.
Prof. van Hove, Economic integration between Russia and EU.
10.00 - 12. 00 Presentations.
Professionals and students from HUB and Russian and Dutch universities: EU-Russia integration.
12. 00 - 13.00Lunch.
13.00 - 15. 00 Case study.
Economic and business aspects of the EU-Russia relations.
15. 00 - 15.30Coffee break.
15.30 - 17. 30 Debate and interaction.
Businesspersons and students. Doing business between Russia and EU.
17.30 - 18.30 Closing remarks.
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April 24, Tuesday
Committee of the Regions 2, rue Van Maerlant, 1040 Brussels Effective Cooperation in Europe
Regional development in the global perspective.
EU-Russian interaction.
The objective of the Forum is to demonstrate and discuss the most effective recent cooperation models and see how they can be adapted in the situation of economic and environmental crisis and political changes. The event will be held with participation of representatives from different levels of governance, business, education, non-governmental organizations. The preparation and work of the Forum involves young people, both students and young professionals, as future leaders and increase their capacity to develop innovative forms work, which would allow correlating global challenges and regional actions, for responsible “glocal” choice in a rapidly changing world.
09.00 Registration
11.00 – 13.00 (Room VM1)Opening Session
Welcome address
Luc Van den Brande, Chairman of the Commission for Citizenship, Governance, Institutional and External Affairs, Committee of the Regions
Keynote speeches
Alexander Krestyanov,Deputy Permanent Representative of Russia to the EU JaakkoHenttonen, NDEP Director, Northern Dimension Environment Partnership, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
3 Statements and debate with the audience
FilipHamro-Drotz, President of EESC’s Russia Contact Group, Senior Adviser, Confederation of Finnish Industries, of the Economic and Social Committee. Valery Runov, Director, Russian Center for Culture and Science, Brussels Jan van Hove,Internationalization coordinator, HUB(Hogeschool - UniversiteitBrussel) Vladimir Zakharov, Director, The Sustainable Development Institute, Civic
Chamber of Russian Federation
13. 00 - 14.30Lunch and networking
14.30 -16.30Workshops
Workshop 1
(Room VM1)
2020 strategy: Role of universities
14.30 - 15.30
Moderator:Paul Bijleveld, Director, Regional development center Twente, The Netherlands
Jacques Bazen, Internationalization coordinator, School of Business Engineering and Entrepreneurship, Saxion University of Applied Sciences, Enschede, The Netherlands Elena Tegovska,Attaché in International Relations,UniversitéLibre de Bruxelles Peter Teirlinck, Program Director BBA & MBA, Center for Research on Economic Markets and their Environments (CREME), HUBrussel FaridChanhieva,Director of Research and Educational Centre RSUH Moscow Victor Timchenko, Head of the Quality Audit Center of the Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, St. Petersburg ValentinaEkimova,Scientific Director, The Moscow Education Academy Alexey Kokurin,Dean, The Moscow State University of Psychology and Pedagogy
15.30 - 16.30
4 Moderator:Peter Blokhuis, Director, The Effective Cooperation Methods Institute
KlemenŽumer, adviser, Delegation EU-Ukraine; Press and Communication Department (EPP Group), European Parliament Natalia Sofronova, coordinator, The International Federation of University Women, RPANE, Moscow Aude Merlin,Faculty of Political and Social Science, UniversitéLibre de Bruxelles AndrzejAdamchyk, The European Economic and Social Committee StanislavTkachenko,member of the Expert Council on tolerance of the Administration of Saint-Petersburg, Professor, Director of the M.A. Programme “Diplomacy of Russian Federation and foreign countries” at the School of IR, Saint-Petersburg State University
Workshop 2
(Room VM 6/45)
14.30 - 15.30 Sustainable growth: promoting a more resource efficient, greener and more competitive innovation
Moderators: JaakkoHenttonen, NDEP Director, Northern Dimension Environment Partnership, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Vladimir Zakharov, Director, The Sustainable Development Institute, Civic Chamber of Russian Federation
Felix Karmazinov,Director General, SUE Vodokanal-Sankt-Peterburga DilianaSlavova,The European Economic and Social Committee A.A.L. van Kessel, Strategy and Development Director, Vittens Company John van Gemeren,Director, WatersnipAdvies DmitriyEgorov,director, The International Environmental Society
16.30 - 17.30Closing remarks
Luc van den Brande, Chairman of the Commission for Citizenship, Governance, Institutional and External Affairs, Committee of the Regions Inga Ivanova,co-chairperson from the Russian side, The Dutch-Russian International Center
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April 25, Wednesday Effective Cooperation in Europe
European Parliament Rue Wiertz/Wiertzstraat 60 B-1047 Brussels
Room A1H1
9.00 - 9.30Registration
10.00 – 16.00 Plenary Session(12.30 – 13.30 Lunch break)
Keynote speakers
Peter van Dalen, MEP (ECR), European Conservatives and Reformists, Member of the Bureau, Vice Chair, Committee on Transport and Tourism
AlojzPeterle, MEP (EPP), Member of the European Parliament, Vice Chair of Delegation to the EU-Russia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee
Sari Essayah, MEP, (EPP), Christian Democrats, Member Committee on Employment and Social Affairs.
Giles Chichester, MEP (ECR), European Conservatives and Reformists, member of the Committee on Industry.
Statements and debates with the audience
Discussion on the Declaration. Plans for future
Inga Ivanova,co chairperson, The Dutch- Russian International Center
Peter Blokhuis, Director, The Effective Cooperation Methods Institute
14.30Students’ program at the European Parliament. Presentation and tour by the young professional in the EP, Klemen Žumer, EPP Group Press and Communications Department in the European Parliamen
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April 26, Thuesday
European Commission
DG REGIO
Effective Cooperation in Europe
10.30 - 11. 00Registration
11.00 –13.00 Roundtable 1
The European Commission, DG REGIO: financial strategies
Keynote Speech
Dick van Dijk, External Auditor for Romania at the European Commission Directorate General for Regional Policy
10.00 –13.00 Roundtable 2
The House of Dutch Provinces
April 27 Friday
Post- Forum UniversitéLibre de Bruxelles
Av. Jeanne 52, CP 131/2, 1050 Bruxelles
10. 00-16.00 EU-Russia cooperation
Speakers 7
LUC VAN DEN BRANDE
A native of Mechelen (Malines), Belgium, Luc Van den Brande has a doctorate in law and a degree in notarial studies and has been a member of the Mechelen bar for some twenty years.
He has been a Member of the Committee of the Regions since 1994 and has held a number of different positions, such as Head of the Belgian Delegation and, for the last two years, that of President. Since February, he is President of the Commission for Citizenship, Governance, Institutional and External Affairs.
Luc Van den Brande started his career in active politics and as an elected representative more than thirty years ago. His commitments combine responsibilities at the Belgian, Flemish and international levels, in particular the European level. He has most notably been:
• Member of the Belgian House of Representatives (1977-1991) and senator (1991-1995; 1999- 2009); • Federal Minister for Employment and Labour (1988-1992); • Minister-President of the Government of Flanders (1992-1999); • Chairman of the Assembly of European Regions (1996-2000); • Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (2001 - 2009) and President of the EPP-CD Group (2005-2009).
He is also currently:
• President of the Flanders-Europe Liaison Agency (since 2006) • Chairman of the board of VRT - Vlaamse Radio en Televisieomroep (since 2010) • Special Advisor to Commissioner Johannes Hahn on how to strengthen the role of regions, cities and municipalities in cohesion policy and in the implementation of the Europe 2020 strategy, with a special emphasis on multilevel governance
Luc Van den Brande also holds directorships of Flanders Technology International, the Lemmens Institute and the International Association Anton van Wilderode.
ALEXANDER KRESTYANOV
Deputy Permanent Representative of Russia to the EU
PETER VAN DALEN
Vice-Chair : Committee on Transport and Tourism Member: 8 Delegation for relations with India
Substitute: Committee on Employment and Social Affairs Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Delegation for relations with South Africa
Curriculumvitae:
Master's in contemporary history and international relations (Utrecht University)(1983). PassedfoundationcourseinDutchlaw (UtrechtUniversity)(1984). Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management, head of policy department for inland waterways (1995-2001); Transport, Public Works and Water Management Inspectorate, acting director for aviation (at Schiphol)(2001-2005); Transport and Public Works Inspectorate: senior inspector/director for inland waterways (2005-2009). Chair of RPF electors' associations, Utrecht and Houten (1981-1991). Member of advisory board for ChristenUnie (RPF/GPV) and SGP MEPs (1989-). RPF/GPV party leader on Houten Municipal Council (1994-1998). Part-time adviser to the RPF parliamentary group in the Second Chamber (1981-1983). Policy advisor to the non-attached Members in the European Parliament (1985-1989). Part-time teacher of history, political science and historiography at secondary schools and higher education establishments (1983-1985). Various policy-making posts at the Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management (1989-1995).
ALOJZ PETERLE
MEP Group of the European People’s Party Vice Chair, Delegation to the EU-Russia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee Member, Committee on Foreign Affairs Member, Delegation to the EU-Croatia Joint Parliamentary Committee Substitute, Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety First Prime Minister of the independent Slovenia (1990-1992); Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister (1993-1994); Foreign Minister (2000). MEP Awards 2008 (Heath and Food Safety); APOZ Award (Fight Against Cancer).
SARI ESSAYAH
MEP Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) Member, Committee on Employment and Social Affairs 9 Member, Delegation for relations with Israel Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean Substitute, Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs GILES CHICHESTER
MEP Group of European Conservatives and Reformists Vice-Chair, Delegation for relations with the Pan-African Parliament Member, Committee on Industry, Research and Energy Member , Committee on Petitions Member, Delegation for relations with South Africa Substitute, Delegation for relations with Australia and New Zealand
FILIP HAMRO-DROTZ
Mr. Hamro-Drotz, he is member of the European Economic and Social
Committee and President of the EESC's Russia Contact group. Mr. Hamro-
Drotz is alos Senior Adviser in the Confederation of Finnish Industries
(EK). His contribution will be on the role of Civil society in promoting the green economy.
VALERY RUNOV, Director, Russian Center for Culture and Science, Brussels Born in Moscow 1948.
Education: The State Moscow International Relations Institute of the USSR Foreign Ministry (1972); Diplomatic Academy of the USSR Foreign Ministry (1986)
Had various positions at the Central Office of the Ministry and its departments abroad. Used to work for embassies to Guinea Republic, France, Senegal Republic, at representations to international organizations such as UNO.
2003 – 2009 - Deputy Permanent Representative of Russia to UNESCO in Paris, French Republic.
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ANDJEY ADAMCHYK
Member of the employers’ group, The European Economic and Social Committee; trade unions.
DYLIANA SLAVOVA
Member of the EU-Russia group, The European Economic and Social Committee
JAAKKO JUHANI HENTTONEN
2006-present European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), London/ St Petersburg Manager of the Northern Dimension Environmental Partnership Support Fund 2003-06 Finnish Consulate General, St Petersburg; Consul, Environmental Affairs Responsible for coordination of Finnish environmental cooperation in NW Russia.Development of relevant issues for cooperation with Russian counterparts in the fields of environmental crimes, awareness and information. 2001-03 EBRD St Petersburg, Municipal and Environmental Infrastructure Team, Principal Banker Responsible for municipal projects development in NW Russia with MEI Team members. 1993-2001 Ministry of the Environment of Finland Environment Counsellor, Head of Unit for cooperation with the Central and Eastern European Countries. Main task covered full operational responsibility for the Environmental Grant Facility (ca € 10 million/a) coordinated with the Ministry on Foreign Affairs of Finland. 1991-93 Water and Environment Board of Finland (WEBF) 1988-91 International Labour Organisation (ILO)
11 DIRK AHNER
Director General, European Commission, DG Regio.
• January 2007- present : Director-General of the Regional Policy DG. • 2006: Deputy Director-General with responsibility for rural development in the Agriculture DG. • 2003-05: Deputy Director-General with responsibility for economic analysis, evaluation and rural development in the Agriculture DG. • 1998-2002: Director of the "Economic Analysis and Evaluation" Directorate in the Agriculture DG. • 1997-98: Acting Director of the "Economic Analysis and Perspectives" Directorate in the Agriculture DG. • 1991-97: Head of the "Analysis and Overall Approach" Unit in the Agriculture DG. • 1987-91: Assistant to Director-General of Agriculture. • 1982-87: Member of the Group of Advisors (subsequently called Perspectives Unit) to the Commission Secretariat-General, with responsibility for agricultural, environmental and rural development matters. • 1978-82: Administrator in the Agriculture DG. • 1978: Joined the European Commission.
DAVID SWEET
David Sweet is Policy Adviser to the Director-General for Regional Policy at the European Commission. In this role he is responsible for coordinating a range of issues and areas, particularly relating to the practical implementation of cohesion policy in the next period.
The macro-regional strategies in the Baltic Sea and Danube regions have been particular concerns, and before taking up his current post in April 2009 David was team leader preparing the European Union Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. Before that he worked as a desk officer in the DG specialising in preparing and accompanying new Member States (Lithuania, Poland, Romania) as they started to employ cohesion policy.
An economist by training, David has worked in the Commission for nearly 30 years, in statistics and then health promotion (Europe Against Cancer) before joining the evaluation team in DG REGIO in 1994.
PETER BLOKHUIS
Director, The Effective Cooperation Methods Institute From 1984 he was teaching philosophy and ethics at Ede Christian University. In 1989 he became director of the department of Healthcare. From 2000 till 2011 he was director of the Academy of Communication and Journalism at Ede. . From 2005 he is chairman of the Dutch political party Christian Union.
12 PAUL BIJLEVELD
Director, Regional development center Twente, The Netherland.
DrPaulBijleveld has almost twenty years of experience as consultantandpolicyadviserforregionaleconomicdevelopment in the Netherlands, Belgiumand Russia. Heisan economicgeographerandhasamastersdegreein Business Administration fromtheCatholicUniversity ofLeuvenandBusinessInformaticsat theFreeUniversity ofBrussels.
Dr. Bijleveldhas extensive experience inimplementingtheregionalpolicyofthe EuropeanUnion. He was involved inSt. Petersburgwithshapingand implementingthecooperationbetweenSt.Petersburg andthesurroundingLeningrad region. Asprogrammanager for the “InterBrabant-Limburg” program, Paul Bijleveld implemented cross-border projects in the fieldofeconomy, infrastructure andlabor.
JACQUES BAZEN
2010 – Present Researcher Regional Economic Development at Saxion 2007 – Present International relations officer for the School of Business Engineering and Entrepreneurship of Saxion University of Applied Sciences and tutor in the “Small Business and Retail Management” study program. 2005 – 2007 Writer of educational materials for the Dutch LOI training institute, for secondary geography education.. 2000 – 2003 Various research projects for the foundation “Utrecht Landschapsbeheer”, in order to obtain information about land use in the province of Utrecht in previous centuries 2001 – 2002 Research to identify the land use of the area Darthuizen/Leersum/Doorn in the 18th century and identify remnants from that period in the current landscape. 2002 – present Volunteer and part time employee for the MATRA-MPPP program (political cooperation of Holland with Eastern Europe) of the Dutch ministry of foreign affairs. I coordinate contacts and help to organize exchange programs with various Eastern European political parties. 2009 – present Part time job at ROC van Twente, VAVO (Adult education), geography (secondary school level) 2006 – present Board member of foundation “AardrijkskundeOlympiade Nederland” This foundation organizes a yearly competition for the 25 best geography students in the Netherlands.
13 KLEMEN ŽUMER
2006–present, European Parliament, Brussels, BELGIUM. Advisor to the European Peoples Party. Advising on EU foreign and economic policy in the European Parliament legislative process. In charge of public relations of the EPP-ED and its Members of Parliament with international media, incl. CNN, Reuters, BBC, European Voice, Financial Times, the Economist, as well as Slovenian media.
SERGEY KIRSANOV Candidate of economics President of the Municipal Development Institute; head of the Governmental and Municipal Management; Professor, St. Petersburg Institute for Humanitarian Education. At present, Prof. Kirsanov holds the following positions: - Member of the competition commission for expert evaluations for candidates for vacant positions of state civil service of the Leningrad regions - Member of certifying commission for state civil servants in Leningrad region, Energy Complex and Housing Committee - Expert of Ombudsman in St. Petersburg - Expert of the working group for organization and realization of measures for the Administrative reform in Kirovski District of St. Petersburg In 1998 – 2008 -elected member of municipal council Kolpino, St. Petersburg, chairman of the budget commission of the Council, chairman of the commission for landscaping and urban economy; assistant to Member of the State Duma S. Popov. In 2003 - elected Chairman of Municipal Council of Kolpino (the largest municipal body of St. Petersburg). Prof. Kirsanov published over 150 scientific, methodical and academic works, both in Russia and abroad.
Prof. Kirsanov was awarded the medal “InMemory ofthe Tercentenary of St. Petersburg” and the badge of honour named after Alexander Nevski
VICTOR TIMCHENKO
Head of the Quality Audit Center of the Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, Candidate of Pedagogy, Lecturer, Auditor of EUQ, Manager of EOQ and GOST R quality systems, expert of The St. Petersburg Committee for Science and Higher School, Expert of Association for independent expertise for higher school of St. Petersburg, Consultant on Management Systems, Laureate of St. Petersburg Government Award for Achievements in Higher and Secondary Professional Education (2009). Deputy Dean, Management Faculty, the Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia Member of the Board, Management Faculty
14 CORNE JAGERS
Corne studied Chemistry at the University of Twente. After several years of research in the field of polymers and membranes, he decided to become a teacher and lecturer at Saxion University of Applied Sciences. He has been attached to the Department of Chemistry for a couple of years teaching science of materials and coatings, was a tutor for two years at the department of Small Business and now mainly teaches Projectmanagement, besides being a counselor and tutor for students, at the school of Finance and Accounting. Corne also is participant in several international cooperation projects and activities in which the School of Finance and Accounting takes part.
TATIANA YURIEVA
Head of Project and International Management Department, Moscow State University of Economics, Statistics and Informatics, Russia
Doctor of Economics, Professor
Vice-Chairman of the Russian association of Universities of crisis- management, Member of the International Association of Restructuring, Insolvency & Bankruptcy Professionals (INSOL International)
NATALIA SAFRONOVA
Experience: teaching activities, research, organization of educational process, consultancy services in marketing and management, management of social services. Provides scientific leadership of undergraduate, graduate, postgraduate students. Member of the Moscow House of Scientists of the Russian Academy of Sciences Member of the Russian Writers' Union Member of the International Federation of University Women. Publications: More than forty scientific publications, teaching aids
OXANA TROFIMENKO
Director of Education Programs, Centre for Innovations Development and Social Project Planning “VGISA”
Director of Masters Programs
Faculty of Real Estate Management
Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy And Public Administratio
International Federation of University Women
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VALENTINA EKIMOVA
DirectorofInstitutionalResearches, Professor ofPsychology MoscowAcademyof Education.
STANISLAV TKACHENKO Born October 17, 1966.in Sverdlovsk, Voroshilovgrad region, Ukraine. Citizen of Russia. In 1992 StanislavTkachenko graduated from the Faculty of History, the Saint Petersburg State University. Professional experience:
1994 – present: Assistant Professor, Senior Lecturer, Associate Professor of the Department of European Studies of the School of International Relations, Saint Petersburg State University. 1997 – 2002: Vice-Dean of the School of IR (Research). 2002 – 2007: Vice Rector of the Saint-Petersburg State University (International Relations) 2004 – present: visiting professor of International Relations, University of Bologna, Italy 2006 – present: Director of the M.A. Programme “Diplomacy of Russian Federation and foreign countries” at the School of IR, Saint-Petersburg State University 2006 – present: member of the Expert Council on tolerance of the Administration of Saint-Petersburg Fields of research interests: European monetary integration, Foreign economic policy of Russian Federation, International Political Economy.
Publications: 6 monographs and 90 articles.
Lecture courses: Introduction to International Relations (in Russian); Challenges to the European Economic integration (in Russian); International Political Economy (in English and Russian);International negotiations and commercial diplomacy (in Russian);Decision-making in Russian foreign policy (in English).EU-Russia Relations (Graduate School of Management, Saint-Petersburg State University, in English);Economy and Regional Policies of Russia (University of Bologna Italy, in English.
Jan Van Hove
Jan Van Hove is professor of European and international economics at the University College Brussels (H.U.Brussel – HUB) and at the University of Leuven (KU Leuven) in Belgium. His research interests include international trade, innovation and European economic integration. Recent publications and research projects deal with, for instance, product- and firm-level heterogeneity in international trade, the relationship between international trade and innovation and dynamics of international
16 competitiveness. Apart from teaching courses on international and European economics, he is also the programme director of the Master of International Business Economics and Management and the coordinator of the HUB research group on Globalization, Innovation and Competition. As research director of the Leuven Centre for Irish Studies he is involved in comparative economic studies of small open economies as well as in interdisciplinary research dealing with economic geography, economic history and peace studies. Professor Van Hove is also chairman of the International Network for Economic Research (INFER), a worldwide network between several hundreds of economists.
Peter Teirlinck Peter Teirlinck is professor Innovation Management at the University College Brussels (H.U.Brussel – HUB). His main research interest areas include: Innovation in SMEs; Impact assessment of public funding for RTDI; The internationalisation of business research; Innovation and regional development. Peter Teirlinck also is policy adviser for the Belgian Science Policy Office and has been a detached national expert at the European Commission (DG Research). He obtained a Ph.D. in Applied Economics at the UniversiteitAntwerpen in 2009 on the topic "Location of (FDI in) R&D and networking in innovation: analysis and policy making for the business enterprise sector".
John vanGemeren
John vanGemeren was born on the peaty soils of Boskoop in the western part of Holland near Rotterdam. Coming from an agricultural background –owners of nursery-gardens- his love of nature awakened while boating, fishing and skating on the many canals and ditches in the cultivated wetland-area he grew up in.
Until 1976 he was educated as a teacher at the Pedagogical University of Gouda. He studied biology afterwards and took courses in ecology. Up till 1987 he worked as a teacher, specialized in field-studies and environmental education.
Now 25 years ago Van Gemeren founded his company Watersnip, of which he is still a CEO. Watersnip is situated in the midst of the Reeuwijk-lake-area. The consultancy-branch of the firm is contracted by governmental and non-governmental organisations, by other companies and citizens.
Many projects of Watersnip concern water management and water quality , biodiversity and agriculture as well as communication on these topics. Van Gemeren leads his team to innovative ways of integrating economy and ecology and to organizing multidiscipline- development of space in wetland systems.
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THE DUTCH-RUSSIAN INTERNATIONAL CENTER
Forum II is organised by the Dutch-Russian International Centre in cooperation with the European Parliament, the European Commission and the Committee of the Regions of the European Union. Russian and Dutch organizations gave a lot of support. Many specialists from the European institutions were very helpful during the preparation of the conference. We thank them all.
HenkHogeweg, chairperson from the Dutch side Inga Ivanova, chairperson from the Russian side
The Dutch- Russian International Center is an organization aiming to work in the direction toward sustainable development of the international community (including professional and cultural exchange) and supporting the new generation in professional, social and personal growth. HENK HOGEWEG The main focus is on innovation, education and communication. The activities of the Dutch-Russian International Center are directed toward international cooperation in various professional areas; it is resulted in the Effective Cooperation in Europe Platform. The major event gathering international platform participants is the Forum, where regional development issues are discussed, with the task of presenting the most effective cooperation models and see options for their adaptation and implementation.
One of the most important tasks is to equip the youth for working with innovative ways of communication, which allow correlation between global and local tasks. INGA IVANOVA
Tel. +79213474331 (Rus)
Tel. +31(0) 644377896 (Ned) Tel. +32 (0) 488342208 (Bel) [email protected]
18 www.dric.ru
Effective cooperation in Europe
Forum III, a short introduction for students
The event is an activity of the Dutch Russian International Centre in cooperation with the European Commission, the European Parliament and the European Committee of the Regions.
Forum focuses on the relation between Russia and the European Union with special attention to the meeting of young people.
In the communist period the relationship between Russia and the countries of Western Europe were dominated by the cold war. After the fall of the Iron Curtain Soviet Union was collapsed. Many countries of eastern Europe became a member of the European Union.
One of the motives behind the cooperation in Europe is the longing for peace, the same reason that brought together the founding nations of the EU. But there are also economic and educational reasons.
The balance of power in the world is changing fast. In the near future Russia and the EU will need each other. Russia has gas and oil that are already very important for western countries. Russia is also a big market for western companies. Countries like China, India and Brazil are becoming such powerful economies that the EU will not be strong enough to compete.
For the development of education Russia can learn from western countries. Russian students should get the opportunity to study at western universities. For western students it can be a fruitful experience to study for some months at a Russian university. Russia has a rich cultural heritage. We see now that universities in Russia are trying to implement the western Bologna system for higher education to make exchange of students possible.
Cooperation without communication is impossible. In communication people meet and acknowledge each other. Communication means presenting yourself to other people. For DRIC it is important that young people from both sides will meet. It is stimulating the meeting of students, experts and politicians by organizing conferences and small projects. Forum is one of these conferences. In 2010 the first Forum was organized. It was a positive experience for the participants. So it was decided to make it a yearly event.
19 The Dutch-Russian International Center
Agenda 2012-2013
June 1 -10 2011 - The Netherlands, Belgium
July 20 -30 2011 - St. Petersburg – Moscow
October 9 – 20 – program in the Netherlands - Belgium
November 14-19 - the international conference (St. Petersburg - Moscow )
February - March 2013. – The international program (Belgium - the Netherlands)
March 2013 - The European Week (St. Petersburg, Russia)
End of April 2013 - IV International forum “Effective Cooperation in Europe” (Brussels, Belgium).
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