BSRUN Bulletin Sep

2016

Foreword In 2015 Council of Baltic Sea States (CBSS)

proposed BSRUN to become the partner in the

CBSS Summer University project. The CBSS has

initiated Summer Universities in 2014 firstly at

Södertörn University, Stockholm and Humboldt

University Berlin to bring together teachers and

students from the Baltic Sea region. Geographic

networks and contacts were deepened and

broadened. The participants have discussed

topics related to the Baltic Sea region such as

Good Goverance, Cultural Memory and Energy

Landscape.

Summer universities became key instruments

of the CBSS bringing academic substance to the

long-term priorities of the organization:

regional identity, sustainable and prosperous

region, and safe and secure region. Uniting

knowledge as well as participants from all the

states of the Baltic Sea region, the Summer

Universities helped to cross borders and to

establish contacts and cooperation. The

Summer Universities offered a space for

academic exchange and a platform for dialogue

between young leaders of the Baltic Sea region;

the results are guiding the on-going regional

development.

The Summer Universities of 2016 were held

at Södertörn University, Sweden; University of

Agder, Norway and St. Petersburg State

University of Economics, Russia. The BSRUN is

very glad to present results of all three

programs in this Bullettin and hopes for

continuation and sustainable future of the

project.

BSRUN Bulletin Sep 2016

CBSS Summer University academic input for the Baltic Sea region

During the last two years the CBSS has been

organising summer universities in Stockholm and

Berlin. The interest in summer universities 2016

remained high, with no less than three SUs, which

took place in Södertörn, Agder and St. Petersburg.

Teachers and students came from the entire Baltic

Sea region.

The CBSS Summer University Series for 2016

kicked off in June, with the first of three programmes

across our region. The first Summer University was

held at Södertörn University, Stockholm, Sweden. In

cooperation with the Centre for Baltic and East

European Studies (CBEES), throughout the week,

lectures and seminars connected to the topic

“Cultural memory in Europe: East and West”

discussed and explored not only the history of the

Baltic Sea Region but also notions of identity and

memory politics. The 23 master and PhD students

during this nine-day-long Summer University

elaborated whether a Baltic Sea regional identity

exists and if so, how it came to exist and how it could

be further developed in the future. In this course,

academic input was given by lecturers coming from

different universities and institutions of the Baltic

Sea Region such as the University of Tartu, Estonia,

the University of Greifswald, Germany; and the

University of Gdansk, Poland. Thanks to the

multidisciplinarity amongst the students and

teachers, scientific questions addressing

borderlands, 'Eastness', region-building alongside

present and historic ties in the Baltic Sea Region

were vividly debated and resulted in interesting

findings which will also be useful for the CBSS and its

priority area Regional Identity.

The second Summer University took place in

southern Norway at the University of Agder

(Kristiansand), the Baltic Sea Region was explored

through the prism of political science. The European

Integration Summer School (EISS) which has been

taken place since 1992 dedicated a weekly course this

year to intergovernmental organisations operating

in the Baltic Sea Region and multi-level

governancein general in the BSR. With regards to

this, about 25 master students from not only the

Baltic Sea Region but from all over the world

analysed the European Strategy for the Baltic Sea

Region (EUSBSR), familiarised themselves with the

work of the CBSS itself and discussed Norway's role

within it as well as vis-a-vis the EU. Since the second

module of this Summer University focused on “The

European Union in Crisis”, special attention was also

paid to regional cooperation and its benefits and

challenges during times of political or economic

turmoil. In this course, theoretic input was given by

lecturers from the host university and from Baltic

Sea regional universities such as Aarhus University,

Denmark and the University of Tampere, Finland.

The third Summer University took place at Saint-

Petersburg State University of Economics, Russia in

cooperation with the University of Helsinki, Finland;

the University of Gdañsk, Poland and Södertörn

University, Sweden. Dealing with the topic “Baltic

Energy in a Changing Energy Landscape”, this

Summer University approached the pressing issue of

energy market operation and sustainable

development in the BSR. Furthermore, about 20

students from the Baltic Sea Region as well as from

Belarus and the Netherlands learned about the

different energy landscapes and politics in the Baltic

Sea States and discussed EU-Russian relations in this

field. Receiving input not only from academics but

also from leading experts such as Jurgis Vilemas,

Chairman of the Lithuanian Association for Energy

Economics; or Hans Jørgen Koch, CEO of Nordic

Energy Research under the auspices of the Nordic

Council of Ministers.

Based on the evaluation, summer universities have

the potential to bring academic substance to the

long-term priorities of CBSS.

Dr. Iris Kempe

Senior Advisor, Council of the

Baltic Sea States Secretariat

Cultural Memory of Europe: East and West, Södertörn University

BSRUN Bulletin Sep 2016

On June 15-23, 2016 the Centre for Baltic and East

European Studies (CBEES) at Södertörn University

organised a CBSS Summer School 2016 under the

title ”Cultural Memory of Europe: East and West”.

Apart from Södertörn University partners in this

project were CBSS Secretariat, University of Gdansk,

University of Greifswald, Lund University, Sankt

Petersburg University of Economics and University

of Tartu. The course aimed to enhance

understanding of the interplay of past and present in

socio-cultural contexts and its influence on the

contemporary constructions of the Baltic Sea region.

It offered seminars on the history, nature and

narratives of cultural memory in the region as they

all contributed to forming its cultural identity. The

lecturers coming from Södertörn University and

other universities in the region demonstrated a

variety of disciplinary and methodological

approaches. It focused particularly on the discourses

of East and West as frames that had been

instrumental for conceiving narratives of the region

as a borderland, and for the interrelation of past and

present in this process. Leisure time activities, trips

and guided tours accompanying the course gave its

participants a palpable insight into the subject

matter.

Obviously the 23 participating students from

different disciplinary paths in the academia – mostly

PhD and a few MA students - from across Europe

enjoyed the endeavour. On the evaluation sheet

one could read:

”I liked it very much. The topics are very

interesting to me. I really enjoyed the fact that

organisers have offered various formats. That we

had other activities apart from seminars (film,

Skansen, City tour etc).”

”It was open-minded, multidisciplinary and helps

me to think about the Baltic Sea Region from new

points of view combining cultural and political

matters.”

The CBSS Summer School was indeed a

fascinating event as the variety of teachers and

students played well to enhance a dialogue

between the European East and West, and to

understand its premises rooted in cultural memory.

The organization of the course ran smoothly;

CBEES managed to secure housing for the majority

of students that came from outside of Stockholm

and Sweden. Dining together also enhanced the

communication between teachers and students.

The group dynamic was good and there has been an

interest amongst the students to form a social

network on the basis of this course. As organizers

and administrators, we should only wish that a

similar event will become an institution in the

future.

EISS/CBSS summer university

University of Agder, Kristiansand

Introduction

In December 2015 EISS was awarded the

opportunity to be a CBSS summer university

featuring a week-long module (July 4-8) dealing with

issues of high relevance to Baltic Sea cooperation in

general, and the CBSS and its long-term priorities:

regional identity, sustainable and prosperous region,

and safe and secure region.

The European Integration Summer School has

been organized at the University of Agder in

Kristiansand every summer since 1992. It consists of

two MA courses, organized around carefully selected

topics and modules, and a web-based research essay-

writing course offered during the fall term. The first

course deals with the History, Institutions, and

Politics of European Integration (June 28-July 15) in

a broad and generic perspective, whereas the second

is more flexible focusing on Current Issues in the

European Union (July 19-August 5) and builds on the

first. This year's focus was on “Europe in Crisis”.

Our Summer School functions like “a study year

abroad, but in a summer” (European Voice). It allows

participants to immerse themselves within an

international group of high-caliber students and

prominent scholars in one of the most beautiful

parts of Norway for up to seven weeks.

The Summer School has received national and

international recognition as a place that provides an

exceptional learning environment for its students.

Students have the opportunity to engage with well-

known scholars and experts in a very personal way.

The EISS is especially valuable for those students

who are eager to acquire a specialization in EU

studies. The place offers the spirit of the Baltic Sea

region. In academic terms, participants are starting

their MA program or thesis and are eager for some

supplementary expert consultation and advice from

our professors.

BSRUN Bulletin Sep 2016

CBSS/EISS module

The key tasks of the CBSS and EISS module were to

grasp the long-term priorties of Europan and Baltic

Sea cooperation in academic terms. Guiding

questions of Baltic Sea cooperationwere economic

development, environmenatal protection and

sustainable governance architecture. The current

crisis of the EU and deteriorating relations between

the EU and Russia were percived as an academic

chllenge. What kind of role – in general – can

regional cooperation play between EU member

states and across the borders of the Union? CBSS is a

Wider European organization in this regard. Coming

to its 25th aniversery next year, it is a well-

established macro-regional intergovernmental

organization.

Other macro-regional stakeholders often refer to

Baltic Sea cooperation as model that goes well

beyond the territorial confines of the Baltic Sea.

Towards this end, a first set of lectures and

workshops explored various governance approaches,

such as experimentalist and multi-level governance;

the second set of lectures discussed the EU taking

into account the EU's Strategy for the Baltic Sea

region as well as the CBSS, and a third stretch of talks

discussed EU enlargement and cohesion policy as

important policy perimeters for the development of

the region.

The summer school has raised awareness of Baltic

Sea cooperation – in particular in combination with

other issues such as providing input for regional

organisations of the Baltic Sea.

The CBSS Summer University 2016 «Baltic Energy

in Changing Energy Landscape» was held from 18 till

29 July at UNECON, St. Petersburg. The program was

focused on latest development in the Russian energy

sector, as a central piece in a European (and Baltic

Sea Region) energy market and the implications of

sanctions for its further development. The program

brought together 25 motivated students and ten

professors and energy professionals from the region.

For nearly two weeks participants discussed the

reasons and the consequences of the recent oil price

drop and its implications for other fossil fuels as well

as its relation with international de-carbonization

efforts.

The Summer University was open by political

session “International Energy Security” by Nikita

Lomagin, professor of the Department of World

Politics, Faculty of International Relations, St.

Petersburg State University.

The second and third days brought the energy

sector professionals to the class as Denis Demin,

Head of Strategic Analysis of Gazprom Neft

(Gazprom Oil) took floor to talk about the trends of

the global markets. The Doctor honoris causa of

UNECON Michael Kranhold from 50 Hertz shared his

Electricity sector experience with Summer

university students.

The fourth and fifth were days of Triple Helix

people - experts who represented academia, industry

and government during their energy career. The

UNECON was proud to host Ralf Dickel (Rurhgas,

World Bank, IEA, Energy Charter Secretariat, Oxford

Institute of Energy Studies) and Hans-Jorgen Koch

(Danish government, IEA, International Atomic

Energy Agency and Nordic Energy Research).After

Sunday trip to Peterhof, the summer residence of

Russian Czars, Summer University turned to policies

study: security policies by Tapani Kaakuriniemi,

Aleksanteri Institute, University of Helsinki;

e n v i r o n m e n t a l p o l i c i e s a n d m a r i n e o i l

transportations by Björn Hassler, Södertörn

University and European Energy Union by Jurgis

Vilemas, Lithuanian Association of Energy

Economics.

Students had chance to visit one of the largest

Russian companies, the leader on the international

gas markets – the Gazprom export LLC. The company

experts gave presentations on the European gas

BSRUN Bulletin Sep 2016

«Baltic Energy in Changing Energy Landscape», UNECON

The alternative fuel debate reflected the form of

the final assessment. Students were divided

randomly in four teams that had to face two

discussion sessions on two separate topics:

· Nord Stream 2 is likely to benefit rather than hurt

energy security in the Baltic Sea Region

· The successful decarbonization of the region is

likely to be achieved by use of LNG rather than

renewable.

On the latest day both teams provided good

speeches with brilliant arguments. At the end of the

debates best students were awarded by books on

energy economics and all students were awarded by

CBSS Summer university certificates.

The program ended by the guided tour to the

Baltika brewery, the part of the Carlsberg Group.

Thus everyone could taste the flavor of the Baltics.

The UNECON wants to thank our sponsors and

partners, our brilliant speakers and of course all our

fabulous students!

market structure, roles of short and long-term

contracts, pricing schemes in the European and

Asian markets, etc. Meeting the energy professionals

was the crucial part of the SU experience as students

were able to understand pure economic factors of

contemporary European energy landscape. CBSS SU

students also visited the Gazprom compressor

station "Severnaya" as a field trip.

After Sunday trip to Peterhof, the summer

residence of Russian Czars, Summer University

turned to policies study: security policies by Tapani

Kaakuriniemi, Aleksanteri Institute, University of

Helsinki; environmental policies and marine oil

transportations by Björn Hassler, Södertörn

University and European Energy Union by Jurgis

Vilemas, Lithuanian Association of Energy

Economics.

The last speaker was Stanislav Urzhumtsev

(Business Development at Gazprom Gas-Engine

Fuel) who gave the vast presentation on different

alternative fuels.

BSRUN Bulletin Sep 2016

«Baltic Energy in Changing Energy Landscape», UNECON

Announcement

BSRUN Bulletin Sep 2016

The Baltic Sea Region University Network and the

University of Warsaw have a great pleasure to

cordially invite you to the Annual BSRUN Forum on

University Branding and Rankings which will take

place in Warsaw, Poland on 26 October, 2016.

The Forum on University Branding and Rankings

will be organized on Wednesday 26 October, from

9.00 to 16.00. The Conference will gather eminent

university leaders from Baltic Sea Region countries,

faculty members and university administration

representatives. The conference language is English.

The Forum is exceptionally organized back to back

with the Plenary Meeting of BSRUN to offer the PM

participants the opportunity to join this special

event. The PM is scheduled to start at 14.00 and

finish at 17.00 on Tuesday 25 October and will

befollowed by a dinner. The PM is by separate

invitation only to BSRUN member institutions.

Please kindly share this invitation with colleagues

in your institution. Parctical information and

preliminary programme of the event will be sent

further to contact persons of the network.

This year the University of Warsaw is celebrating

its 200th birthday. Let us express sincere hope, that

this significant event for our university will

contribute to strengthening of friendship and

development of further effective cooperation

between universities in the region.

We would be glad to welcome you at the BSRUN

Forum 2016!

BSRUN Annual Forum 2016

Warsaw, 26 October, 2016