The project is a continuation of “Platform for Analytics and Intercultural Communication” (PAIC) and was organized by the Institute for European Politics (IEP, Berlin) in cooperation with the Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation (DIF, Kyiv), and the think tank Initiative think twice UA (Kyiv), with the support of the German Federal Foreign Office. More precisely, the project aimed at the promotion of professional skills among Ukrainian think thanks, the creation of synergies between Ukrainian and German think tanks, the transfer of knowledge about processes in Ukraine to Germany, the strengthening of Ukraine expertise among junior researchers in Germany and the transmission of intercultural competencies, which are essential for successful cooperation.

The above-mentioned objectives were realized within the period of 01.07.2018 to 31.07.2019 through implementing a series of activities in Germany and Ukraine:

• Workshops for Ukrainian think tank representatives in both Kyiv and regional capitals. The main goal lies in the promotion of skills in the areas of policy analysis, research design, critical thinking, fundraising and intercultural communication;
• Study trip for Ukrainian think tank representatives to Germany, providing professional exchange with German think tank representatives as well as meetings with key actors in economy, politics and academia;
• Study trip for German junior researchers to Ukraine, providing professional exchange with Ukrainian think tank representatives. The exchange will concern various issues such as reforms in social policy, including the education and health sector, the decentralisation process, humanitarian situation etc.;
• Ukraine expert discussions at the IEP, giving room to Ukrainian experts to present short academic lectures regarding current issues;
• Interview series with Ukrainian experts on the current situation of Ukrainian think tanks and processes within Ukraine. They were published in both German and Ukrainian;
• Publication of a qualitative study which explores the cooperation between civil society organizations and state actors in Ukraine and Germany;
• Final conference in Berlin and Kyiv for both German and Ukrainian think tank representatives, in which the study was presented.

This project was built upon the results of the study ‘Think Tanks in Germany and Ukraine: differences and perspectives for cooperation’, conducted within the framework of the preceding project in 2016 ‘Think Tanks in Ukraine: strengthening expertise and promoting European cooperation’ and the experiences from the PAIC project phase in 2017/2018.