On May 21 – 22, 2009, the New Eurasia Foundation and George Mason University (USA) will be holding a conference, “Regional universities and local communities: Russian and American experiences”. The conference will take place at the George Mason University Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution.

The conference goal is to examine the experiences of US universities in their participation in the socio-economic development of the regions, as well as their respective local and regional communities. The conference objectives include the following:

 to discuss local social conflicts and their propensity to reach the regional level when prompted by the economic recession;

 to discuss Russian and American practices in management and resolution of social conflicts in the conditions of a crisis.

The conference will be attended by rectors and pro-rectors of six Russian regional universities, including the Southern and Siberian federal universities, members of the faculty and administration from a number of Washington universities, as well as American public organizations and associations contributing to the development of tertiary education.

The conference will provide the participant Russian universities with knowledge of the best American practices in collaboration between universities and local communities, as well as examples of resolution of social conflicts at the local and regional levels. In addition, representatives of the Russian universities will establish new professional contacts with the view to design and implement joint projects and activities.

For further information:

The New Eurasia Foundation