The KIND (Knowledge and Informal Diplomacy) Conference, held on November 21-22 at the European University Institute (EUI) in Florence, gathered representatives from five CIVICA universities (LSE, Bocconi, CEU, SGH), the CIVICA Secretariat, other European University Initiative alliances, Ukrainian universities, EU policymakers and other important stakeholders.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming academic research, as highlighted at our recent CIVICA workshop. The event, organised by the Hertie School PhD Office, gave PhD researchers from across the CIVICA network the opportunity to showcase useful AI research tools and share first-hand experiences. The strong interest in AI tools at the event showed how relevant this topic is for researchers everywhere.

We spoke to Jemima, a PhD researcher at the Department of International Relations at LSE, about her research on government militarised responses to insurgent activities in Sub-Saharan Africa.

CIVICA’s Open Science initiative aims to foster a collaborative research environment that drives interdisciplinary cooperation and cultivates a supportive community. We spoke to Marc Martinez, Director of the Scientific Information and Resources Department at Sciences Po and Niamh Tumelty, Director of LSE Library, who shared how these communities are set to break down barriers for researchers, librarians and support staff.

History researcher Jan Becker and Florence STG master student Matei-Vlad Marcu share their ambitions and expectations for the 2024-2025 academic year as the EUI’s new CIVICA Ambassadors.

In this interview, Abdullah al-Jabassini, EUI CIVICA Fellow, offers insights from his recent article, where he introduces the theory of tribalocracy and examines its wider implications for future research on rebel governance and wartime social order.