Activities     Event 1: Workshop "Cross-border cooperation in the Eastern neighbourhood of the EU" - Programme   Description: Romania has an important role in forging regional cooperation. Because it borders the east flank of the EU, Romania could also be regarded as a bridge between the EU and its Eastern neighbourhood. More recently, the EU has developed the Eastern Partnership in order to make a clear distinction between the ENP members from the east and those from the south, also included in the Union for the Mediterranean. With all the expertise and knowledge acquired in the membership process, Romania could bring its contribution to the EU's goal of having a stable, secure and prosperous neighbourhood. Romania is currently involved together with Ukraine and Moldova in important transnational cooperation structures, the so-called Euroregions. This workshop explores the possibilities of further strengthen cross-border cooperation between the three neighbours and which are the ways this goal could be attained.   Date: October 26, 2012 Target groups: researchers, teachers, university students, general public.       Event 2: Workshop "The role of the European funds in promoting regional cooperation" - Programme   Description: The participants in this workshop will be informed about the funds available for both EU and non-EU states region, about the ways institutional partnerships are set up. For instance, the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument plays a vital role in supporting EU's actions towards the neighbourhood and in bringing the countries concerned closer to the European standards. However, there is a lack of clear information about how this financial support can be used, especially in the neighbouring states. This challenge has also been encountered by Romania in both its pre- and post-accesion period. Together with our partners from Ukraine and Moldova we plan to address these issues and find solutions of improving regional cooperation.   Date: March 8, 2013 Target groups: researchers, teachers, university students, general public.       Event 3: International conference The EU as a model of soft power in the Eastern neighbourhood - Programme Description: The international conference, "The EU as a model of soft power in the Eastern neighbourhood", which will run over a three day period (15-17 May 2013) aims to transmit knowledge about the EU international role, particularly in its Eastern neighbourhood, to draw together scholars in order to connect the growing literature on the EU's external affairs, to stimulate the theoretical and professional skills of participants and to encourage an exchange of views. We seek to invite researchers, academics and young professionals for an interdisciplinary dialogue on the economic, social, political dimensions of this theme.   Date: 15-17 May 2013 Target groups: teachers, university students, researchers, professional groups, administrative and other non-teaching staff, general public.       Event 4: Roundtable "The role of the EU in its Eastern neighbourhood: new perspectives, opportunities of networking" - Programme   Description: The EU has a major interest in continuing to preach the merits of sharing sovereignty as a necessary condition to tackling many of today's global problems such as sustainable development, poverty, the environment, transnational crime and terrorism. Since its inception, the EU has also become the largest trading block and aid provider in the world which gives even more weight to its international role. This roundtable debate which will follow the conference aims to critically evaluate EU's role in its Eastern vicinity, to draw together scholars (some of the participants who have clearly expressed their interest), international experts (both from the EU and non-EU member states), civil society representatives (NGO's) and public servants both from Romania and from the neighbouring countries in order to stimulate their theoretical and professional skills and to encourage an exchange of views. We will invite participants for an interdisciplinary dialogue on the economic, social, political dimensions of this theme.   Date: May 18, 2013 Target groups: researchers, teachers, university students, general public.