Application Deadline: 10 March 2026
The applications should be sent to: inna.melnykovska@eui.eu
The Jean Monnet Module ADVANCE–EUiUA invites applications for its first doctoral research seminar, EU Enlargement and Transformation in Times of Crisis. The course is part of a three-year academic initiative dedicated to advancing research and teaching on EU enlargement, differentiated integration, and Ukraine’s EU accession.
The course is directed by Inna Melnykovska (European University Institute) and Laszlo Bruszt (CEU Democracy Institute).
The course starts on March 30.
About the Seminar
The European Union’s renewed commitment to enlargement marks a decisive turning point in the reconfiguration of Europe’s political order. Triggered by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the EU’s advancement of accession processes with Ukraine, Moldova, and the Western Balkans has reopened fundamental scholarly and policy questions:
- Can enlargement still serve as a transformative instrument under conditions of geopolitical rivalry, war, and democratic backsliding?
- How do emergency-driven and ad hoc instruments reshape the EU’s established enlargement logic?
- What are the implications for internal EU reform and governance?
This research seminar invites doctoral students to critically engage with the evolving political economy and governance of EU enlargement. Drawing comparative lessons from previous enlargement waves in Central and Eastern Europe and ongoing processes in the Western Balkans, participants will examine how conventional tools—conditionality, benchmarking, and acquis adoption—are increasingly complemented or replaced by context-specific mechanisms such as phased integration, reconstruction-linked assistance, and security-oriented pre-accession frameworks.
Key Themes
- Enlargement as a process of mutual transformation between the EU and candidate states
- The interaction of geopolitical pressures, institutional constraints, and normative commitments
- The political economy of EU support for wartime and post-war reconstruction in Ukraine
- Enlargement and internal EU reforms (decision-making, budgetary solidarity, rule-of-law mechanisms)
- Comparative experiences of the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership countries
Research Focus and Methodology
The seminar places strong emphasis on research design and methodological pluralism. Doctoral students will develop and present their own research projects addressing contemporary policy challenges. Both qualitative and quantitative approaches are welcome, including:
- Process tracing
- Discourse analysis
- Network analysis
- Institutional modeling
- Mixed-method designs
Academic discussions will be complemented by interventions from EU policymakers and practitioners, linking theoretical debates with real-world governance dilemmas.
Structure and Learning Activities
The course consists of:
1. Lectures and Research Seminars
Lectures will be delivered by the course directors, scholars from the EU Enlargement Hub, and invited experts and practitioners from the EU and Ukraine. Sessions will be interactive, including roundtable discussions and critical engagement with core readings.
Seminars focus on:
- Conceptual clarification
- Theoretical debate
- Critical reflection on assigned literature
- Development of participants’ research designs
Participants are expected to prepare core English-language readings in advance. An extended reading list covers perspectives from political science, political economy, and law.
2. Summer School (Budapest & Online)
The seminar concludes with a summer school at the CEU Democracy Institute in Budapest (hybrid format). Doctoral students will:
- Present doctoral proposals, chapters, or draft papers
- Receive feedback from senior scholars
- Strengthen methodological, analytical, and academic writing skills
- Engage with policymakers and practitioners
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the seminar, participants will:
- Formulate original and theoretically grounded research questions
- Situate their work within broader debates on European integration
- Develop empirically robust contributions to the study of enlargement
- Understand how enlargement reshapes the EU’s identity, institutional architecture, and global role in times of crisis
Eligibility
The seminar is open to:
- Doctoral students from Ukrainian universities
- Doctoral students from CEU and other European Universities with a strong research focus on EU studies, enlargement, political economy, or related fields
Application Procedure
Applicants are invited to submit in ONE pdf file:
- A CV (max. 2 pages)
- A short research proposal or project outline (1–2 pages)
- A brief motivation statement explaining how the seminar relates to their doctoral research
The applications should be sent to: inna.melnykovska@eui.eu
Deadline for applications: 10 March 2026
Selected participants will be notified shortly after the deadline.
The course starts on March 30.
This seminar offers a unique opportunity to engage with leading scholars and practitioners at a pivotal moment for Europe, and to contribute to cutting-edge research on EU enlargement in times of crisis.