THINK VISEGRAD - V4 THINK TANK PLATFORM
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Think Visegrad—V4 Think Tank Platform is a network for structured dialogue on issues of strategic regional importance. The network analyzes key issues for the Visegrad Group (V4), and provides recommendations to the governments of V4 countries, the annual presidencies of the Group, and the International Visegrad Fund. Think Visegrad covers the thematic priorities of V4, including energy security, V4’s internal cohesion, EU institutions and politics, the Western Balkans, relations with Eastern Partnership countries, development assistance, hard security, environmental protection, Roma-related issues, migration, transport, etc.
Formation of the network of V4 think-tanks was one of the priorities of the Czech Presidency in the Visegrad Group of 2011–2012. This idea reflected the long-term interest and willingness of Central European think-tanks to enhance their cooperation within the Visegrad Group and to deepen its cohesion. Think Visegrad was established in 2012 by eight V4 research centers and institutes, and is funded by the International Visegrad Fund.
Members
(Core Network)
The founding members of the V4 Think Tank platform are the following institutes (in alphabetical order):
Central European Policy Institute (Slovakia)
Centre for Eastern Studies (Poland)
Hungarian Institute of International Affairs (Hungary)
EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy (Czech Republic)
Institute of East-Central Europe (Poland)
Institute of International Relations (Czech Republic)
Research Center of the Slovak Foreign Policy Association (Slovakia)
University of Pécs (Hungary)
The core network of think-tanks includes these founding institutions with their coordinating abilities. The V4 think-tank platform, however, remains open to cooperation with other think-tanks from all V4 countries.
Think Visegrad aims to prepare extensive and detailed long-term analyses focusing on the most important priorities of the Visegrad Group, as well as short-term analyses reflecting the most current and urgent topics.
Fellowships
Every year, each of the core network organizations hosts a non-V4 fellow who will have the opportunity to take part in the institute’s activities. Each visiting fellow will also be expected to develop a policy paper and give a public talk. This fellow exchange program is anticipated to be launched in the Spring of 2013.
The core network of think-tanks will also be responsible for the coordination of 4 visiting fellows annually, to be selected by the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) based in Washington, D.C. This hosting of CEPA fellows will take place in cooperation with the International Visegrad Fund and the foreign ministries of the V4 countries.
Contact
CALL FOR 2013 THINK VISEGRAD FELLOWSHIPS
Think Visegrad—V4 Think Tank Platform is inviting applications for fellowships for non-Visegrad expert fellows.
About: Think Visegrad is a think tank platform for structured dialogue on issues of strategic regional importance. The platform aims to analyze key issues for the Visegrad Group (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia), and provides recommendations to the governments of Visegrad Group (V4) countries, the annual presidencies of the Group, and the International Visegrad Fund. In addition, Think Visegrad provides visiting fellowships to non-Visegrad expert fellows. Think Visegrad was established in 2012 by eight V4 think tanks with coordinating abilities. This so-called core network, however, remains open to cooperation with other think-tanks from all V4 countries. Think Visegrad is funded by the International Visegrad Fund.
Eight visiting fellowships will be available for the Spring of 2013. Each of the core network think tanks (see list below) will host one non-V4 expert fellow. Each selected visiting fellow will have the opportunity to take part in the institute’s activities for a period of up to eight weeks. During this period, each fellow will be expected to develop a policy paper and deliver one public presentation on a pre-agreed topic. A lump sum of 3000 Euros will be given to each selected visiting fellow to cover all necessary costs and expenditures related to his or her stay at the hosting institute (e.g. lodging and local transport). Each fellow will also be responsible for paying all taxes and related fees, including health and social insurance, from this amount. Think Visegrad—V4 Think Tank Platform will cover the cost of travel to the hosting institute for the visiting fellow.
Topics: Fellowships are available in all areas of research in political science, international relations and economics. Chosen topics should complement the research focus of the hosting institute, and therefore the applicants are highly recommended to check the institute’s website before submitting an application.
Duration: The duration of fellowships varies from 6 to 8 weeks (based on agreement with the hosting institute).
Hosting institutes:
Central European Policy Institute (Slovakia)
Centre for Eastern Studies (Poland)
Hungarian Institute of International Affairs (Hungary)
EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy (Czech Republic)
Institute of East-Central Europe (Poland)
Institute of International Relations (Czech Republic)
Research Center of the Slovak Foreign Policy Association (Slovakia)
University of Pécs (Hungary)
Eligibility: Expert fellows from non-Visegrad countries with at least five years experience in their field of research are eligible. Preference will be given to applicants who have already made a significant contribution in their field. US citizens are not eligible, since a specific fellow exchange program for US expert fellows will be launched in the Spring of 2013.
Deadline: Application dossiers consisting of a structured CV, an abstract of a research proposal (maximum 300 words) and a motivation letter (maximum 300 words) are to be submitted to thinktank@sfpa.sk by December 14, 2012.
PLATFORMA "THINK VISEGRAD" O BEZPIECZEŃSTWIE ENERGETYCZNYM (in Polish)
25 stycznia 2011 r. OSW we współpracy z RC SFPA, PSSI i CENS CEU zorganizował w Pradze spotkanie grupy roboczej ds. bezpieczeństwa energetycznego w ramach nowej inicjatywy eksperckiej „Think Visegrad: V4 Think-Tank Platform“, wspieranej przez Międzynarodowy Fundusz Wyszehradzki. W spotkaniu inauguracyjnym wzięli udział eksperci z ośrodków badawczych, administracji państwowej i przedsiębiorstw branżowych z Czech, Polski, Słowacji i Węgier. Prace zespołu mają wzmocnić wymianę poglądów na kwestie bezpieczeństwa energetycznego w regionie. Spotkanie służyło wypracowaniu rekomendacji dla Grupy Wyszehradzkiej oraz wspólnej opinii skierowanej do Komisji Europejskiej w ramach konsultacji społecznych dotyczących komunikatu "Przyszła rola inicjatyw regionalnych".
Dyskusja koncentrowała się na kwestiach rozbudowy połączeń infrastrukturalnych (ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem korytarza Północ-Południe) i regulacjach służących tworzeniu regionalnego rynku energii. Omawiano sprawy związane z bezpieczeństwem dostaw gazu i ropy naftowej oraz możliwości współpracy państw Grupy Wyszehradzkiej w dziedzinie polityki energetyczno-klimatycznej w związku z realizacją unijnych celów 20/20/20.