United Nations University - CRIS

21/08/2026

🌐Diplomacy has changed. It’s time to catch up.

The School of Modern Diplomacy, one of UNU-CRIS’s annual educational programmes, returns this October for an intensive eight-week programme exploring eight dimensions of contemporary diplomacy.

Organised by United Nations University - CRIS together with Ghent University and the Brussels School of Governance (BSoG), the programme brings together academic perspectives, practical expertise and policy insights to examine how diplomacy is evolving in an increasingly interconnected world.

Across eight Thursdays, participants will explore:
• Diplomatic Practice Today
• Multi-level Diplomacy
• Economic Diplomacy
• Security Diplomacy
• Climate Diplomacy
• Digital Diplomacy
• Diplomatic Skills
• Science Diplomacy

🗣 The programme has previously featured leading experts including Johan Verbeke (former Belgian Ambassador to the United States); Corneliu Bjola (Professor of Digital Diplomacy at the University of Oxford); and Richard Gowan (UN Director at the International Crisis Group). The speakers for the 2026 edition will be announced shortly.

📅 1 October – 19 November 2026
💻 Online | Certificate programme
⏰ Every Thursday
📌 Application deadline: 24 September 2026

Applications are accepted on a rolling, first-come, first-served basis, subject to available places.

🔗 Learn more and apply: https://unu.edu/cris/non-degree/school-modern-diplomacy

20/08/2026

Can AI Generate Solutions to Life's Problems?

Have you noticed social media ads offering 28-day quick fixes to life’s struggles using realistic, AI-generated narratives? Behind these personalised stories lies an advanced marketing strategy designed to engage users through emotional manipulation. 🤖

In our latest Connecting Ideas blog post, Hatice Nihan Sarihan explores the new transparency obligations under the EU AI Act (2024/1689), which took effect on 2 August 2026, and questions whether AI labels are truly effective against emotional persuasion.

Core takeaways from the essay:
• While AI labels inform users about synthetic content, awareness alone does not prevent psychological impact.
• Regulating AI within the EU cannot fully protect users from content generated in non-EU jurisdictions.
• Moving beyond legal compliance toward universal ethical standards and improved digital literacy.

💬 As the author aptly concludes: "Behind the artificially created narrative, our emotions remain real".

🔗 Read the complete analysis here: https://unu.edu/cris/blog-post/can-ai-generate-solutions-lifes-problems

11/08/2026

🌊 The Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), signed by India and Pakistan in 1960, has long been regarded as a remarkable example of transboundary water cooperation surviving decades of political and military tensions.

Recent developments, however, have placed the treaty under unprecedented pressure. Following the Pahalgam attack in April 2025, India placed the IWT “in abeyance”, transforming the treaty from a largely technical framework into an increasingly politicised and securitised issue.

In their new essay, Nidhi Nagabhatla and Neeraj Singh Manhas examine how the IWT is portrayed across academic, political, and media discourses, including critical perspectives within Pakistan on the treaty’s equity and long-term sustainability.

📖 Read the full essay:

The Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), signed in 1960 in the aftermath of Partition, has long been an emblem of robust transboundary water cooperation between India and Pakistan. It survived wars and recurring conflict through its well-organised allocation of the Indus River system. In April 2025, however,....

10/08/2026

📢 Call for Applications: Ghent University Specialist Course on "Researching Regionalism(s)"

Are you a PhD researcher in the social sciences looking to integrate critical, constructivist, and comparative approaches to regionalism into your research?

Organised by Prof. Frank Mattheis and Iana Ovsiannikova in collaboration between United Nations University - CRIS and Ghent University, this 3-day specialist course delves into key concepts such as governance, agency, and integration.

📍 Ghent University
🗓️ 21–23 October 2026
⏰ Applications are accepted on a rolling basis!

🔗 Visit https://unu.edu/cris/event/studying-regions-conceptual-and-methodological-approaches-regionalism for more information, or contact [email protected] for questions.

20/07/2026

📚 New Book Alert!

We are thrilled to share the release of "EU Science Diplomacy in the Middle East: A Comparative Study of Jordan, Israel, and Saudi Arabia" by United Nations University - CRIS Associate Research Fellow Luca Polizzi (PhD)!

Published as part of the United Nations University Series on Regionalism, Moving beyond theoretical debates, the book analyses how distinct domestic innovations, domestic capacities, and geopolitical environments create contrasting patterns of cross-border partnership. A core contribution of this research is the integration of local perception as a critical dynamic. By assessing how EU diplomatic actions are received on the ground, the author uncovers the hidden symmetries and structural imbalances that directly impact mutual trust and institutional visibility.

Drawing on his extensive background as an EU diplomat, European Commission policy officer, and researcher, Dr. Polizzi bridges international relations, environmental cooperation, and innovation ecosystems to deliver an essential read for policymakers and academics alike.

🔗 Read more and get your copy here: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-032-23392-9

16/07/2026

🇧🇪🇫🇷 Last week, UNU-CRIS was delighted to welcome a distinguished delegation from the Université Catholique de Lille to our campus in Bruges.

We had highly productive discussions with Dr. Ioannis Panoussis (Vice-President and Vice-Rector for International Development) and Dr. Fatma Güneri to map out strategic collaboration opportunities between our institutions. The talks covering key areas from joint education and research to capacity development and knowledge production were led by our Director Prof. Philippe De Lombaerde and Senior Research Fellow Prof. Nidhi Nagabhatla.

In addition to exploring institutional partnerships, Dr. Panoussis also joined the doctoral committee meeting of Ms. Ish*tah Sharma, supporting vital research on climate-induced displacement that bridges refugee law with environmental science.

We look forward to a fruitful, long-term collaboration that advances policy-relevant research and global well-being!

📖 Read the full news item here: https://unu.edu/cris/news/universite-catholique-de-lille-delegation-visits-unu-cris-advance-strategic-collaboration

14/07/2026

On Monday, 13 July, our Doctoral School on Latin American, European and Comparative Regionalism successfully took off in Quito, Ecuador.

The 14th edition of the School was opened by Committee members Michel Levi, Juliana Peixoto Batista, and United Nations University - CRIS Senior Research Fellow Frank Mattheis. This was followed by inaugural lectures by UASB Rector Dr. César Montaño Galarza and UNU-CRIS Director Dr. Philippe De Lombaerde, as well as a lecture by Dr. Jonatán Badillo of the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Xochimilco. The first tutorial sessions followed in the afternoon.

We warmly welcome all participants of this edition and extend our gratitude to our co-organising partners: our local host, Universidad Andina Simón Bolívar Ecuador, and FLACSO Argentina.

We also sincerely thank our collaborating partners for this edition: Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá; UAM Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Xochimilco; Universidade Federal de São Paulo; Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; and the World Trade Organization.

Every year, the Doctoral School brings together PhD students and young researchers from various countries and academic disciplines, all focusing their research on questions related to regional governance, multi-level governance, comparative regionalism, and interregionalism. The week-long school combines expert lectures with a strong methodological focus, alongside tutorial sessions where doctoral candidates receive tailored feedback on their projects.

Looking forward to another enriching experience!

30/06/2026

🌏 East Asia’s massive trade architecture is often called a "noodle bowl" of entangled, overlapping free trade agreements. But is the rise of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) completely untangling it?

In our latest United Nations University - CRIS Policy Brief, researcher Upalat Korwatanasakul maps this complex landscape, arguing that the region is shifting toward a highly sophisticated system of "layered regionalism".

Key takeaways from the policy brief:
• Earlier ASEAN+1 comprehensive economic partnerships (CEPs) aren't disappearing. They coexist with RCEP because they often offer deeper tariff concessions and partner-specific cooperation that RCEP doesn’t cover.

• Businesses operating in East Asia now strategically pick and choose between agreements based on tariff margins, rules of origin, and administrative compliance costs.

• The goal for policymakers should not be to forcefully eliminate these overlaps, but to govern them. This means aligning rules, cutting unnecessary compliance friction, and using existing CEPs as launchpads for green, digital, and inclusive regional integration.

Want to understand the strategic future of East Asian trade economics?

📖 Read and download the full policy brief here: https://unu.edu/publication/noodle-bowl-layered-regionalism-policy-choices-governing-overlapping-trade-agreements

29/06/2026

🇪🇺 Can a newly established ethics body successfully unify integrity and accountability across the European Union's complex multi-level governance system?

In our latest United Nations University - CRIS Policy Brief, researcher Laure Gillot-Assayag delivers a critical evaluation of the newly established "EU Interinstitutional Ethics Body".

Key insights from this policy brief:
• While the Body significantly improves institutional coordination and promotes common ethical standards, it remains structured heavily on political compromise.

• The brief identifies crucial weak spots that may limit its real-world impact—namely its purely advisory nature, a lack of enforcement powers, and lingering institutional tensions regarding the role of independent experts.

• Laure offers actionable, practical recommendations designed to reinforce the Body's credibility, elevate its independent research capacity, and strengthen its public legitimacy.

Ultimately, this body serves as a definitive litmus test of the EU’s genuine commitment to transparency, institutional integrity, and democratic accountability.

📖 Read the full policy brief here: https://unu.edu/publication/interinstitutional-ethics-body-ethical-standards-european-union-constraints-and

26/06/2026

🌍 What does the first Environmental Human Rights Defenders Forum reveal about the growing gaps in protecting those on the frontlines of climate and ecological advocacy?

In our latest Connecting Ideas blog post, United Nations University - CRIS research intern Hatice Nihan Sarıhan shares her reflections from this historic gathering at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg.

Key themes from the article:
• The forum highlighted a disturbing rise in the misuse of legal frameworks against defenders, including anti-terrorism laws, punitive taxation, and Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs).

• While grassroots defenders risked their safety to attend, the participation of invited state representatives fell short—many delivered prepared remarks and left without engaging in dialogue.

• The post outlines critical, urgent recommendations: enforcing anti-SLAPP regulations, guaranteeing early-stage transparency, and making environmental impact assessments legally binding.

The ultimate takeaway from Strasbourg is clear: environmental protection and democracy are intrinsically linked. An ecological transition is impossible without a safe space for public participation, access to justice, and institutional accountability.

📖 Read the full text here: https://unu.edu/cris/blog-post/protecting-those-who-care-reflections-first-environmental-human-rights-defenders