Advisory group

Assistant Professor Department of International Relations and International Organization Faculty of Arts of the University of Groningen

Nienke de Deugd

Nienke de Deugd is Assistant Professor at the Department of International Relations and International Organization of the Faculty of Arts of the University of Groningen (The Netherlands), and a member of the Board of the Centre for European Security Studies. She is interested in the twin-processes of transformation and integration that have been taking place in the former Soviet space (including the Central Asian republics) since the end of the Cold War. Of particular interest is Ukraine: much of her work focuses on Ukraine’s attempts at democratic reform, and on the efforts of the European Union to provide assistance by means of the European Neighbourhood Policy and the Eastern Partnership. Here, the Russian Federation also comes into play – as an actor that seeks to keep Ukraine securely within its “near abroad” and as an actor that has developed a complicated relationship with the European Union.

Senior Fellow, Davis Center, Harvard University

Nargis Kassenova

Nargis Kassenova is Senior Fellow and director of the Program on Central Asia at the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies (Harvard University) and Associate Professor at the Department of International Relations and Regional Studies of KIMEP University (Almaty, Kazakhstan). She is the former founder and director of the KIMEP Central Asian Studies Center (CASC) and the China and Central Asia Studies Center (CCASC). Kassenova holds a PhD in International Cooperation Studies from the Graduate School of International Development, Nagoya University (Japan). Her research focuses on Central Asian politics and security, Eurasian geopolitics, China’s Belt and Road Initiative and governance in Central Asia, and history of state-making in Central Asia.

Executive Director, Public Committee for Development of Tajikistan

Parviz Mullojanov

Project coordinator of one of the projects of International Alert office in Tajikistan, member of the Board of the OSI, Tajikistan; specialized in conflict resolution, political and oriental studies. Former member and a member of organizing team of the Inter- Tajik Dialogue (1997-2004), former member of the EUCAM expert group (2009-2010), worked for a number of international organizations and projects as employee and consultant such as Human Rights Watch/Helsinki, UNHCR, UNDP, ADB,UNDP, GTZ. Author of a series of publications in the field of political science, conflict resolution and Islamic studies.

President, Crossroads Central Asia

Shairbek Juraev

Shairbek Juraev is co-founder and president of Crossroads Central Asia. He is an Associate Research Fellow at the OSCE Academy in Bishkek. Previously, Shairbek served as deputy director at OSCE Academy in Bishkek and as a dean of academic development at the American University of Central Asia. Shairbek regularly provides research and assessment-related consulting services to development organizations and research institutions. Shairbek has taught courses in International Relations, Central Asian politics, Foreign Policy Analysis, Russia and Central Asia. His research interests include a wide range of political and policy issues in Central Asia, with a particular focus on political institutions, foreign policymaking and water politics.

Research Professor and Head of the Energy Programme at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI)

Indra Overland

Indra Overland has worked on Central Asia since 2001, and previously headed the Russia and Eurasia Research Group at NUPI. He completed his PhD at the University of Cambridge in the year 2000 and is co-author of among other publications: The Caspian Sea Region Towards 2025: Caspia Inc., National Giants or Trade and Transit? (Eburon / Chicago University Press) and Caspian Energy Politics (Routledge