In the framework of the research project "War and Peace in the Challenges of European Security - POWERS" the intensive course “Navigating security in the storming world” for students of all levels of education was organized by Voronezh State University in cooperation with the University "Kore", Enna, (Italy).

The event was held online on the Zoom platform and brought together over 130 students from 15 universities in countries such as Russia, Italy, Turkey, Spain, Hungary and Australia.

The course was held in intensive mode: 5 days for 6 hours every day. Speakers from leading institutions in the field of international security read lectures and held discussions with students and young academics on a wide range of topics, ranging from an overview of global security threats and challenges, regional security strategies in particular in the Middle East and North Africa, UN Security Council reform and countermeasures extremism, to the problems of ethnic conflicts, migration, human rights, cybersecurity and identity politics.

Speakers were representatives of VSU partner universities from France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Turkey, Jordan, Russia and Malta, as well as invited experts from universities that are not a part of POWERS project consortium. Lectures were delivered by Director of the Center for Strategic Studies of the University of Jordan Prof. Zaid Eyadat, Director of the Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Prof. Alexey Gromyko, Professor of International Law, University of Kore, Enna (Italy), Paolo Bargiacchi, Professor of the Department of Politics and Society, University of Turin (Italy) Giovanni Finizio, Professors of the Department of International Relations, University of Dokuz Eilul (Turkey) Gul Kurtoglu-Eskisar and Muge Aknur, Professor at the Emile Durkheim Center at the Bordeaux Institute for Political Studies (France) Caroline Dufy, Associate professor at Voronezh State University Irina Fore, Professor of Politics, Political Science Department of Perm State University Liubov Fadeeva and Manager – Data Analysis / Lecturer of Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST) Dr. Francesca Ruisi.

At the end of the event, students received certificates of completion of the course.

According to the results of the survey, the audience highly appreciated the organization of the event, noting the high professionalism of the lecturers, the relevance and severity of the problems raised, the opportunity to hear expert opinion on a number of international security issues from the standpoint of scientists from different countries and to take part in the discussion themselves. The overwhelming majority answered that the course fully met their expectations.

The students expressed their hope that such courses will be held both in the format of online courses and in the form of international summer schools.

INTENSIVE COURSE MATERIALS

• ■ Monday, 22 March
  • 13:00-14:30
    Prof. Dr. Zaid Eyadat, Director of the Centre for Strategic Studies – University of Jordan
    Global Challenges and Opportunities
    Video-lecture on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpiGIuvRwrQ&t=7s
    
    
  • 16:00-17:30
    Prof. Paolo Bargiacchi, Full professor of Public International Law, Faculty of Economics and Law, Kore University of Enna
    Cyberspace, International Law and Self-Defense
    PDF presentation
    Video-lecture on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YupRY9SVrIk
    
    
  • 18:00-19:30
    Prof. Gul Kurtoglu Eskisar, Professor of the Department of International Relations Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir
    Partner or Rival? Perceptions of China in Europe and Beyond
    PDF presentation
    Video-lecture on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fU4OupW1yI
    
    
• ■ Tuesday, 23 March
  • 14:00-15:30
    Prof. Alexey Gromyko, Professor, RAS Corresponding Member, Director of the Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences, President of the Association of European Studies
    Strategic stability and security issues
    Video-lecture on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pp2ZDK_2WnY
    
    
  • 16:00-17:30
    Prof. Muge Aknur, Associate professor of Political Science, Department of International Relations, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey
    Securitization of Turkish Middle East Relations
    PDF presentation
    Video-lecture on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOxMs6j7M0A
    
    
  • 18:00-19:30
    Dr. Irina Foret, Associate professor, Department of Department of Regional Studies and Economics of Foreign Countries, Faculty of International Relations, Voronezh State University
    Ethnic conflicts in the modern world
    PDF presentation
    Video-lecture on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Xrycd_Qc5w
    
    
• ■ Wednesday, 24 March
  • 14:00-15:30
    Dr. Mohammad Abu Rumman, Head of Policies Studies Department, the Centre for Strategic Studies – University of Jordan
    ISIS investing in COVID-19: a regional overview
    Video-lecture on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fd210S9PbaM
    
    
  • 16:00-17:30
    Prof. Amin Al Mashagbeh, Professor of Political Science, University of Jordan
    Strategic and Security Studies
    Video-lecture on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1E_2_Om8Nkg&t=46s
    
    
  • 18:00-19:30
    Prof. Muge Aknur, Associate professor of Political Science, Department of International Relations, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey
    Security Implications of the Arab Spring and its Aftermath
    PDF presentation
    Video-lecture on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-F47gUPo8k
    
    
• ■ Thursday, 25 March
  • 14:00-15:30
    Prof. Dr. Giovanni Finizio, Assistant Professor, Department of Cultures, Politics and Society, University of Turin, Italy
    UN Security Council reform, EU foreign policy and promotion of regionalism
    PDF presentation
    Video-lecture on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crR_PgNUfIM
    
    
  • 16:00-17:30
    Prof. Paolo Bargiacchi, Full professor of Public International Law, Faculty of Economics and Law, Kore University of Enna, Italy
    The Securitization of European Migration Policies: Learning Lessons from the United States?
    PDF presentation
    Video-lecture on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_o1zxiQXsoI
    
    
  • 18:00-19:30
    Prof. Gul Kurtoglu Eskisar, Professor of the Department of International Relations Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey
    Far right parties and the securitization of immigration in EU: Some facts and an overview of leading theories
    PDF presentation
    Video-lecture on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ddQLyVJHLc
    
    
• ■ Friday, 26 March
  • 14:00-15:30
    Prof. Liubov Fadeeva, Professor of Politics, Political Science Department, Perm State University
    The securitization of the identity politics in contemporary world
    PDF presentation
    Video-lecture on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10Esw8NUo8c
    
    
  • 16:00-17:30
    Dr. Caroline Dufy, Senior lecturer, Center Emile Durkheim, Sciences Po Bordeaux, France
    Food security in Russia
    
    
  • 18:00-19:30
    Dr. Francesca Ruisi, Manager – Data Analysis / Lecturer - MCAST — Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology
    Methodological challenges that security studies face in the hyper-digitalised world
    PDF presentation