Events

MEDIATIZED EU presents research results and policy recommendations in final conference

The MEDIATIZED EU project held its final Conference, Mediatized Discourses on Europeanisation: A Changing Landscape, on September 10, 2024, in Brussels. Our researchers showcased key project key results and evidence-based recommendations for EU policy-makers. The conference also brought together top experts on Europeanisation, media freedom and democratic transformations. Watch the video stream of the conference in full, below.

Dr. Tetyana Lokot, Project Coordinator and Associate Professor in the School of Communications of Dublin City University (DCU), opened the conference by explaining the project’s aims and key challenges. She pointed out that “our project is particularly interesting because it brings together seven countries, six of which are EU members, and Georgia, which is not a EU member but is one of the countries that aspire to join the EU.”

Mr. Jarkko Siren, Project Advisor of the European Research Executive Agency (REA) and the MEDIATIZED EU Project Officer, also gave opening remarks to contextualise the project within the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme. In coordination with Mr. Paco de la Torre, REA Policy Officer for MEDIATIZED EU and sister projects, he explained the call under which the projects were funded, related to democratic transformations in Europe and the role of the media (more information available here). Mr. Siren pointed out that the questions first posed by MEDIATIZED EU four years ago remain very pertinent today.

For the conference’s keynote speech, Dr. Donnacha Ó Beacháin, Professor of Politics at the School of Law and Government, Dublin City University, Ireland, tackled the challenge of disinformation in Europe. Professor Beacháin discussed how impactful disinformation tactics have been for a number of recent political developments, from Brexit to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and argued that they can have long term results by polarising society and undermining the confidence in government and trust in the media.

Dr. Lokot commented on the complexity of the political and media landscape, due to the disinformation coming from third states to damage the EU and its reputation, and the central role of the media as spaces where disinformation is being promoted. Therefore, “the challenge for our project was how to design a research framework that takes account of these external threats but also the internal dynamics in each country to explain the different variables that combine to shape representations and public perceptions of the EU”, Dr. Lokot said.

Dr. Lia Tsuladze, Executive Director of the Center for Social Sciences (CSS) and Associate Professor of Sociology at Tbilisi State University, leading the project’s research package, presented the MEDIATIZED EU theoretical framework. She tackled fundamental concepts such as the mediatization of politics, the development of media democracy, as well as the media logic shaped by different tools and different discursive strategies. All of these processes reveal the importance of scrutinising the media discourses, Dr. Tsuladze explained. She also presented the methodology adopted by the research teams and summarised the project’s outputs, which are being made available in conferences, publications in open-access, and in other formats, through the project’s website, newsletters, and podcasts.

Next, the research teams reported on the findings of wide-ranging media analysis, in-depth interviews with political and media elites, and public opinion surveys, structured around the project’s seven country case studies.

Ms. Asuman Kubra Bas and Dr. Thomas Jacobs (European Neighbourhood Council – ENC) presented the findings of Belgium’s case, Dr. Holger Mölder (TalTech) presented Estonia’s findings, Dr. Lia Tsuladze (CSS) presented findings from Georgia, Prof. György Lengyel (Corvinus University Budapest), discussed results from Hungary, Dr. Tanya Lokot (DCU), spoke about the Irish case, while Dr. Maria Raquel Freire (Centre for Social Studies – CES), summarised the findings of Portugal’s case, and Dr. Sonia Boulos (Antonio de Nebrija University – UANE), discussed those of Spain. Researchers highlighted the cases’ commonalities and differences, and answered engaging questions and comments from the audience.

Finally, Dr. Sonia Boulos, Assistant Professor of Law and International Relations at UANE, Spain, presented the project’s recommendations for EU policy makers, which focus on how to ensure a healthy, pluralist and constructive debate about Europeanisation in the European media and public sphere. The recommendations were then discussed by Mr. Jack Parrock, EU Affairs Correspondent working in Brussels, and Mr. Samuel Doveri Vesterbye, Managing Director at ENC, moderated by Dr. Alessio Cornia, Assistant Professor in the School of Communications (DCU).

Watch the opening remarks, the research team presentations, and the discussion of the project’s policy recommendations in full, below. And stay tuned for more publications and summary results from MEDIATIZED EU.

CLOSING EVENT

Forum of the “Sanarip Insan” project on the promotion of equal economic opportunities and sustainability of youth and women

Date: March 4, 2024

Time: 12.00 – 17.30 KGT

Location: Bishkek, Manasa str., 16 Novotel Bishkek City Center

The agenda of the event can be found here.

On March 4, 2024, the Kyrgyz Internet Society will host the forum “Promoting equal economic opportunities and sustainability of youth and women” where the EU-funded “Sanarip Insan” project will sum up its results. Project managers, startup beneficiaries, training beneficiaries, journalists, and project implementers, represented by representatives of government, development institutions, business and educational structures will summarize the results of the project, discuss the tangible effects of digitalization of education for the population, problems, and opportunities for involving all stakeholders in the implementation of the project. Guests will also be able to see an exhibition of project beneficiaries and startup competition winners.

The Sanarip Insan project is is being implemented by the European Neighbourhood Council together with the Kyrgyz Internet Society with financial support from the European Union. The main components of the project are the development of digital skills capacity among youth, young migrants and women, from basic digital literacy to more in-demand digital skills such as information search, use of digital platforms, social media functionality, financial transactions, online commerce and advanced entrepreneurial skills with using information technology.

Over two and a half years, the project has helped thousands of citizens improve their digital skills, thereby increasing their economic well-being. The project’s activities have led to improved indicators of youth resilience to the Sustainable Development Goals and the protection of human rights and contributed to inclusive economic growth in rural areas of Kyrgyzstan, which will have a positive impact on the country’s digital economy.

During this 30-month project, 500 individuals and youth attended two-day courses on digital tourism and e-commerce in seven regions of Kyrgyzstan; 356 new jobs were created (11 times more than planned). The Mobile Internet Skills Training Toolkit (MISTT) is published in Russian and Kyrgyz with the support of the GSMA Foundation, which helps enhance digital literacy among the population. Videos about the benefits of using digital platforms are broadcast on national and regional television channels, reaching a total audience of 4 million people. About 100 videos and the same number of presentation materials on Microsoft Digital Literacy are available for teachers in the Kyrgyz language to improve computer literacy. The Python programming language is now available to every citizen of Kyrgyzstan in the Kyrgyz language. Ten digital startups from all regions of the country received support with a total prize fund of 2.7 million soms, creating 255 jobs through startup acceleration and financing.

ENC and FNF Türkiye organized a series of workshops with the university students in the Southeast Türkiye

The primary objective of the project was to equip Turkish students, aged 18 to 26, from diverse regions of Turkey with comprehensive knowledge on key thematic priority areas of the EU. These included green energy and environment, foreign policy, polarization, independent institutions, and free media, with a focus on understanding their relevance to Turkey and EU-Turkey relations.

Distinguished experts, including Can Selçuki, Founder of Istanbul Economics Research, Akın A. Çilekoğlu, Sustainability and Climate Policy Consultant, and Beşire Korkmaz, Editor at Teyit, shared their insights during the workshops. The discussions covered a range of topics, such as The Future of European Union and Turkey Relations, Renewable Energy in the Context of EU-Turkey Relations, and the significance of Independent Institutions in Times of Polarisation and fake news.

The inaugural workshop, held at Çukurova University on November 13, Can Selçuki engaged students in a thought-provoking discussion on the future of EU-Turkey relations and the perceptions of Turkish youth. The session delved into topics like young people’s priorities today, the inseparability of EU-Turkey relations, and the future outlook beyond Turkey’s accession, contemplating economy and security. 

On November 15, Akın A. Çilekoğlu captivated students with insights into Renewable Energy in the Context of EU-Turkey Relations, sparking high interest and numerous questions in the renewable energy sector. The enthusiastic engagement of Turkish students reflected a growing interest in sustainability, emphasizing their keen awareness of the pivotal role renewable energy plays in shaping the future of both Turkey and its relations with the European Union.

The final workshop on November 17, hosted at Gaziantep University by the ENC and FNF office in Turkey, featured Beşire Korkmaz as the keynote speaker. She shed light on the critical role of independent institutions in times of polarisation and fake news and disinformation on Syrian refugees. The subsequent discussion involved students actively engaging in questions related to disinformation and ongoing research on polarisation.

These university workshops not only served as platforms for valuable dialogue but also fostered collaboration between EU and Turkish professors and students. The lively discussions underscored the significance of such training programs, emphasizing the need for sustained communication, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing across societal, political, economic, and academic realms. The success of these events encourages further joint initiatives to fortify the relations between the EU and Turkey.

ENC ve FNF Türkiye Ofisi Güneydoğu Türkiye’de Üniversite Öğrencileriyle Bir Dizi Çalıştay Düzenledi

European Neighbourhood Council ve Friedrich Naumann Vakfı (FNF), Türkiye Eğitim Programı’nın bir parçası olarak 13-17 Kasım tarihleri arasında Çukurova, Mersin ve Gaziantep Üniversitelerinde Avrupa Birliği-Türkiye ilişkileri bağlamında çeşitli konularda atölye çalışmaları düzenledi.

Proje kapsamında, Türkiye’nin çeşitli bölgelerinden gelen 18-26 yaş arası Türk öğrencilere interaktif atölyeler verilerek AB’nin yeşil enerji ve çevre, dış politika, kutuplaşma, bağımsız kurumlar ve özgür medya gibi öncelik verdiği alanlarda bilgi sağlamaktı. Program çerçevesinde Can Selçuki, İstanbul Ekonomik Araştırmalar Kurumu Kurucusu, Akın A. Çilekoğlu, Sürdürülebilirlik ve İklim Politikası Danışmanı, ve Beşire Korkmaz, Teyit Editörü gibi seçkin uzmanlar, atölyeler sırasında görüşlerini paylaştılar. Tartışmalar, Avrupa Birliği ve Türkiye İlişkilerinin Geleceği, AB-Türkiye İlişkileri Bağlamında Yenilenebilir Enerji ve Kutuplaşma Dönemlerinde Bağımsız Kurumların Önemi ve Bilgi Savaşları gibi konular üzerinden ilerledi.

13 Kasım’da Çukurova Üniversitesi’nde düzenlenen açılış atölyesinde Can Selçuki, Türkiye-AB ilişkilerinin geleceği ve Türk gençliğinin AB algısı üzerine düşündürücü bir tartışmada öğrencilerle buluştu. Oturum, gençlerin bugünkü öncelikleri, AB-Türkiye ilişkilerinin önemi ve bu bağlamda ekonomi ve güvenlik gibi konulara odaklandı.

15 Kasım’da Akın A. Çilekoğlu, öğrencilere AB-Türkiye İlişkileri Bağlamında Yenilenebilir Enerji konusundaki sunumuyla öğrencilere kapsamlı bir resim verdi ve pek çok soru yanıtladı. Üniversite öğrencilerin sorduğu sorular, sürdürülebilirliğe duydukları büyüyen ilgiyi yansıtarak, yenilenebilir enerjinin Türkiye’nin ve AB ile ilişkilerinin geleceğini şekillendirmedeki kilit rolüne dair önemini ortaya koydu.

17 Kasım’da Türkiye’deki ENC ve FNF Türkiye ofisi tarafından Gaziantep Üniversitesi’nde düzenlenen son atölyede Beşire Korkmaz ana konuşmacı olarak yer aldı. Korkmaz, kutuplaşma ve sahte haberlerin yanı sıra Suriyeli mültecilerle ilgili yanlış bilgi ve dezenformasyon sorununu kapsamlı bir şekilde ele aldı. 

Düzenlenen atölyeler, sadece diyaloga açık platformlar olarak hizmet etmekle kalmadı, aynı zamanda kurumlar arasında işbirliğini de teşvik etti. Tartışmalar ve yapılan fikir alışverişi, bu tür eğitim programlarının toplumsal, siyasi, ekonomik ve akademik alanlarda sürekli iletişim, işbirliği ve bilgi paylaşımına duyulan ihtiyacı vurguladı. 

Beyond Erasmus

Education, Exchanges and Employment opportunities for youth in the EU and Turkey

Phase III

All good things must come to an end they say, and the same rule applies to our “Beyond Erasmus” project – at least for now! In between 30th of March and 4th of April, the European Neighbourhood Council (ENC) team along with the Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNF) team in Turkey traveled and organised three lectures in Adana, Eskisehir and Samsun. The series of lectures were part of the 3rd and final phase of the hybrid training programme “Beyond Erasmus: Education, Exchanges and Employment opportunities for youth in the EU and Turkey” which started during November 2021.

After the successful networking trip in Brussels, the Beyond Erasmus fellows, namely, Cem, Sinan, Cagla, Ecenur, Mathilde, Katharina, and Selen were called to share their views and experiences during three lectures in public academic institutions across Turkey. They shared their Erasmus exchange experience, explained the benefits of such programmes – including networking opportunities – and the rationale behind their participation in the Beyond Erasmus project with students from Çukurova University (Adana), Eskisehir Osmangazi and Anadolu Universities (Eskisehir) and Ondokuz Mayıs University (Samsun).

First Stop: Adana

During the lectures the focus was on EU – Turkey relations, each time shedding light into a different aspect. At Çukurova University, the keynote presentation by Ali Yaras, energy and sustainability expert, was dedicated to climate change and environmental policies. Mr. Yaras talked, among other things, about key environmental treaties, the significance of the ratification of the Paris agreement by Turkey and what it means for Turkish producers and subsequently for consumers. Considering the ongoing war in Ukraine, he also highlighted the importance of investing more on renewables and decrease the country’s energy reliance on fossil fuels.

Next Destination: Eskisehir

In Eskisehir, digital journalism, fact-checking and digital marketing were in the spotlight. Burak Ütücü, video journalist with the Turkish service of the Independent and founder of Observe Turkey talked about the importance of student-level journalism, the story behind Observe Turkey and shared useful tips about digital journalism. Ezgi Toprak, fact-checker at Teyit.org, in her presentation explained why fact-checking is necessary with practical examples from daily news, and the nexus between education, distrust towards media and fake news. Finally, Ahmet Balat, digital marketing expert and co-founder of Brandok Performance Marketing Agency, spoke about clickbait, what it is, how it works, the connection between clickbait and social media following patterns and shared tips on how to avoid it.

Final Stop: Samsun

The 3rd and final lecture took place on the shores of the Black Sea in the city of Samsun, where for the first time ENC and FNF teams had the chance to interact with academics and students from Ondokuz Mayıs University. In front of an audience of nearly 200 students, Dr. Cigdem Nas, Secretary General at the Economic Development Foundation  (IKV) and Associate Prof. at Yildiz University, had the opportunity to talk about EU – Turkey economic and trade relations.

During the lecture Dr. Nas provided background information about the Customs Union (CU) and how transformative in has been for Turkish economy since 1995. She shed light on why it is essential to renew the CU, why negotiations have been blocked and how to potentially unblock them. Finally, she briefly covered the European Green Deal and its impact on EU – Turkey relations.

The continuous support by local academic institutions in Turkey coupled with high volume formal and informal exchanges among student, our experts and our fellows, showcases the importance of exchange programmes and the need to stay connected, to work together, to share knowledge and ideas at the academic, political, economic and societal level.

The 2021-2022 Beyond Erasmus programme is over, but ENC in cooperation with its long-lasting partners will be back with new innovative programmes to engage with youth and strengthen academic and people-to-people connectivity. Stay tuned…