In the long run, AESC is expected to become a leading EU thematic association that is not only run by local academic circles but also flexibly accommodates to the region’s developments depending on the activities of its members. AESC commits itself to synergize the efforts of its partner institutions and create a benchmark for excellence.

AESC supports science and research, general political education as well as cross-border co-operation in the countries of the Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russian Federation, Turkey as well as other neighbouring countries). Its goal is to enhance the study of European integration processes with a multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary focus. Its mission is to become a hub for the scholarly community in the Caucasus. By co-ordinating research and building capacity  among researchers of the region, it provides expertise and enhances perspectives for EU-Caucasus relations.

The founding and successful operation of AESC is a  central deliverable of the Jean Monnet Network “Developing European Studies in the Caucasus” (DESCnet). DESCnet comprises a consortium of 7 universities from the Caucasus region plus the Universities of Graz (Austria) and Tartu (Estonia). The project is run by the University of Tartu’s Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies. AESC itself was founded on 30 October 2016 as a non-entrepreneurial (non-commercial) legal entity under Georgian law.

AESC’s decision-making bodies are the general assembly and the management board. In addition, there is an advisory board that initially comprises the representatives of the DESCnet consortium members. The general assembly is the highest decision-making body and meets annually.  The management board initially consists of three persons: a president, a treasurer and a secretary. For more details, please see the AESC statute here.

On 28 April 2017 the General Assembly of the Association of European Studies for the Caucaus, at its meeting in Istanbul, elected a new Management Board for the time period until the Second Annual Convention 2018:

Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Thomas Kruessmann, LL.M (President, founder)
Prof. Dr. Gaga Gabrichidze (founder)
Prof. Dr. Oliver Reisner (founder)
Betül Soysal

Dr. Mukhtar Hajizada

The Second Annual Convention of the AESC will be held at the end of April / early May 2018 in Tbilisi, to be organised jointly by New Vision University and Ilia State University.

The DESCnet consortium’s work is administered by Ms. Olga Bogdanova of Tartu University’s Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies.