The German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) and the Democracy Development Foundation (DDF) cordially invite applications for papers for the upcoming policy research workshop of the Eastern Partnership Think Tank Network that will be held in Yerevan, Armenia, from October 14 to 16, 2026. To express your interest, please submit a brief abstract by July 31. 

Who should apply?

We seek the participation of mid-career researchers and policy professionals from think tanks in the countries of the Eastern Partnership (EaP) and EU member states who are actively engaged in research on the EU’s Eastern Neighbourhood and trends related to democracy, governance, and authoritarianism. We invite submissions of abstracts for concise policy papers addressing the theme of democratic resilience, institutional strength, and the role of civil society for democratic processes in the changing geopolitical and security environment.  

Suggested topics include but are not limited to: 

• Building and preserving checks and balances in an increasingly authoritarian environment or an environment driven by security concerns (for example, hybrid attacks) 

• Authoritarian playbooks and their impact on governance in the EaP countries 

• Institution building in EaP countries and the sustainability of institutions  

• The future of Ukraine’s democracy and democratic consolidation during the war 

• The future of the EU as a democratic norm setter 

• The future of civil society in an increasingly authoritarian environment or the role of citizen/youth participation 

Please note: Neither submissions focused exclusively on disinformation campaigns/Russian electoral interference nor those focused on digital authoritarianism will be prioritized. While we acknowledge the relevance of these topics, they do not fall within the scope of this workshop.  

Given the paper’s scope and length, we encourage you to address specific and under-researched policy topics rather than broad ones.   

Participants and Funding

We plan to invite 4 to 6 participants to prepare short policy papers (approximately 4 to 6 pages) and attend the colloquium in Yerevan. Selected participants will receive mentorship from senior think tank experts to strengthen the quality of their papers, an honorarium of €500, and full coverage of travel and accommodation expenses. Authors will be invited to present their papers at the colloquium. 

Application Process:

To apply please fill in this questionnaire by July 31. 

The application form includes:

• A short bio and motivation to participate in the workshop

• The topic of your policy memo (max. 100 words)  

• A short explanation of why this topic is specifically relevant in the context of hybrid threats and the democratic process (max. 100 words)  

• Statement of main research question/problem (max. 30 words)  

• What is your main argument? What is the most important message of your paper? (max. 50 words)  

• Three arguments supporting your main message/argument (max. 150 words) 

• What will be new for the reader? (max. 100 words)

Selected participants will be notified in the first week of August. The deadline for the submission of the first draft is September 6. After the colloquium, final papers will be consolidated into a single publication that will be published on the website of the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP). 

Eligibility Criteria:

• You are affiliated with or working at a think tank based in one of the Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries or EU countries specializing in EU Eastern Neighborhood affairs, foreign policy, EU integration, or domestic politics within one or more EaP countries. 

• You possess a minimum of three years of professional experience but do not hold a managerial position within your think tank. 

• You have received a recommendation from your think tank that endorses your participation in the colloquium. We will ask for it from the selected participants.  

• While there is no specific age restriction, we primarily seek to engage think tank professionals at a mid-career stage. 

The call for policy papers and the colloquium are organized within the framework of DGAP’s Eastern Partnership Think Tank Network, which is supported by the European Commission.  

For any questions, please contact Mariia Lesiv (lesiv@dgap.org)