ECMI Joins New Collaborative Data Network for Eastern Europe

The European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI) is pleased to be part of a new initiative aimed at strengthening research collaboration and data accessibility in Eastern Europe. Together with the Centre for East European and International Studies (ZOiS) and the Centre Marc Bloch (CMB), ECMI is co-developing KoDaNetOst—a Collaborative Data Network with Eastern Europe.

The project seeks to connect research and educational institutions across Eastern Europe, the South Caucasus, Central Asia, and the EU, particularly those working with social science and humanities data. By fostering cooperation and knowledge exchange among universities, research centers, NGOs, and think tanks, the initiative aims to overcome challenges in data collection, accessibility, and legal frameworks.

As a research institute with a strong commitment to fostering interdisciplinary and cross-regional collaboration, the ECMI sees KoDaNetOst as an important step in improving access to diverse research data and strengthening cooperation between scholars and institutions working on Eastern Europe. The project will initially involve ten associated partners from Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Central Asia, and the EU and is supported by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) with funding of €40,000 until September 2025.

The ECMI’s role in the project is led by Dr. Felix Schulte, who will work alongside partners to facilitate the exchange of methodological, technical, research ethics, and legal standards between institutions in the region. As part of the initiative, the ECMI will participate in two in-person workshops and other working meetings designed to strengthen collaboration and promote best practices in handling research data.

In the medium term, KoDaNetOst aims to develop a publicly accessible website to map the data landscape in and about Eastern Europe, providing researchers with greater insight into existing datasets and actors. At the end of the initial funding phase, project partners will work towards a sustainable long-term framework to further institutionalize this cooperation.

By joining this effort, the ECMI reaffirms its commitment to fostering knowledge exchange and strengthening academic cooperation on issues relevant to minority protection, social sciences, and humanities research in Eastern Europe.