Black Sea Region Conference Graz, 2012

=> Deutschsprachige Version / German version

Date:	9th of Novembre 2012, 8:30 am to 7:30 pm
Ort:	Graz, Austria, " Joanneumsviertel", Auditorium in the Visitors Centre
Working languages:	German, English
Participation:	free (lunch included),  online registration required!

• Representatives and managers in areas like research, education, business, culture and administration in Styria/Steiermark
• Austrian stakeholders concerned with the Black Sea region
• The network of partner regions of the Land Steiermark
• Members of the civil society interested in the Black Sea region

08.30 - 09.00: Admission, registration and coffee

09.00 - 09.10: OPENING STATEMENT
Mr. Christian Buchmann, Minister for Economy, Europe and Culture, Government of Styria

09.10- 11.40: Plenary 1 on GEOPOLITICAL ASPECTS: Actors of a complex and fragmented geopolitical region. Identification of main challenges

Panellists

Mr. Gediminas Ramanauskas, Policy Officer, European Commission, DG Research & Innovation, D3 European neighbourhood
=> Enhancing and Focusing EU International Cooperation in Research and Innovation: the Regional Dimension.

Mr. Franz Wessig, Head of the department of middle and eastern Europe and EC- enlargement in the Ministry for Economics, Family and Youth Affairs, Austria
=> Black Sea Area - a future market for Austrian enterprises?

Mr. Gerhard Mangott, Professor of Political Science at the University of Innsbruck, Austria
=> A region against its own will - multiple heterogeneity of geographical neighbours.

Mrs. Regine Kramer, Assembly of European Regions, Brussels
=> Challenges and benefits of interregional cooperation in the Eastern Partnership and Black Sea area.

Regional dimension
Panellists

Mr. Arthur Atanesyan, Associate Professor and Head of Department of Applied Sociology, Yerevan State University, Armenia
=> Emerging Security Complexes over Caucasus: Current Trends in Protecting and Threatening.

Mrs. Olga Kamenchuk, VCIOM, Director on International and Public Affairs, Moskau, Russia
=> What people want. Public support for geopolitical choices in the Black Sea area.

Mr. Adam Makharadze, Dean of the Law Faculty of Batumi Shota Rustaveli University, Georgia
=> Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University History and It's Role in Regional Development.

Mr. Menua Soghomonyan, Academic Secretary, Chair of Political Sciences and International Relations department of Yerevan State University, Armenia
=> Regionalization as a way to integration in South Caucasus: opportunities and obstacles
Questions and Answers

11.40-12.00: Coffee Break and Networking

12.00-12.45: Plenary 2 on FUTURE PROGRESS - ENERGY and ENVIRONMENT in the Black Sea area

Panellists

Mrs. Esra Nemli Caliskan, Professor at the Faculty of Political Sciences, Department of Business Administration, Istanbul, Turkey
=> Turkish Perspective on Environmental Protection of the Black Sea: Challenges and Future Strategies

Mr. Hans Joachim Hoppe, Political scientist, Publisher, Expert for Eastern Europe, Köln, Germany => Central problems of the Black Sea area

Mr. Gerhard Mangott, Professor of Political Science at the University of Innsbruck, Austria
=> In the pipeline - producers, transit countries and external influences in the sphere of oil and gas.

Questions and Answers

12.45-14.00: Lunch and Networking

14.00-16.00: Plenary 3 on COOPERATION of UNIVERSITIES as the key for a better understanding

Panellists:

Mr. Issa Habibbayli, Rector of Nakhchivan State University, Azerbaijan
=> Nakhchivan in relations between Azerbaijan and Austria ( German translation).

Mrs. Tinatin Javakhishvili, Rector of the University of Telavi, Georgia
=> Partnership in Education as the Road to Europe.

Mrs. Olga Kamenchuk, Head of Sociology of communication chair at MGIMO (Moscow State University of International Relations by MFA of Russia), Senior Consultant at Go-Governance Initiative
=> At the background of armed conflicts and trade wars: cases from successful research cooperation in the Black Sea area

Mr. Thomas Krüßmann, University of Graz, Research platform REEES, Austria
=> University Co-operation as a Catalyst for Economic Development - Leveling the Playing Field for Foreign Investors.

Mr. Paul Portmann-Tselikas, Professor of German Linguistics and German Language at the Institute for German Studies, University of Graz, Austria
=> Cooperation at the basis: specific, local, sustainable.

Mr. Sergiy Skorokhod, Pro-Rector for International Cooperation, I. I. Mechnikov National University Odessa, Ukraine
=> Odessa I.I.Mechnikov National University in the interuniversity community of the Black Sea region.

Questions and Answers

16.00-16.15: Coffee and Networking

16.15-17.45: Plenary 4 on ECONOMY - successful initiatives in the black sea region

Panellists:

Mr. Erol Adayilmaz, Businessman, Istanbul, Turkey
(title will be provided)

Mr. Abesalom Aslanidze, "Information Center for Georgian - EU relations", Adjara, Georgia
=> Tourism in Adjara and perspectives.

Mr. Manfred Brandner, BIT, "best in training", Styria, Austria
=> Lessons learned - Experiences after a period of ten years in international education projects

Mr. Peter Harb, FIBAG, Styria, Austria
=> microgeneration - (micro)power-stations in buildings

Mr. Heinz Walter, Austrian Chamber of Commerce
=> Chances and prospects for Austrian enterprises in the black sea region

Mrs. Claudia Weyringer, Head of the Euro-Info-Centre Styria, Centre of Internationalization Styria
=> Turkey - a spring-board

Questions and Answers

17.45-18.00: Coffee and Networking

18.00-19.30: Panel Discussions on REGIONS AT A TURNING POINT IN A FRAGILE SOCIAL CONTEXT - PERSPECTIVES FOR REGIONAL COOPERATION

Panellists:

Mr. Hans Joachim Hoppe, Political scientist, Publisher, Expert for Eastern Europe, Germany

Mr. Gerhard Mangott, ao. Professor of Political Science at the University of Innsbruck

Mr. Franz Wessig, Head of the department of Middle and Eastern Europe and EC- enlargement in the Ministry for Economics, Family and Youth Affairs, Austria

Mrs. Claudia Weyringer, Mrs. Claudia Weyringer, Head of the Euro-Info-Centre Styria, Centre of Internationalization Styria

Moderation: Franz Neger, ORF