The war in Ukraine poses a range of different challenges for the countries of South Eastern Europe. Panels of experts on the region will look at two broad issues: EU enlargement and regional security, and possible ways forward.

Panel 1: The relationship between the EU and the countries of the region

Over the past decade, numerous states have declared cyberspace as a new domain of warfare. Accordingly, they have sought to develop military cyber strategies and establish national cyber commands. These developments have led to much policy talk and concern about the future of warfare as well as the digital vulnerability of society. This seminar will discuss these trends and concerns as analysed in Max Smeets's book, 'No Shortcuts: Why States Struggle to Develop a Military Cyber-Force' (Oxford University Press and Hurst Publishers, 2022).

Conversation hosted by the University of Oxford China Centre. Organised by the British Association of Chinese Studies, with support from the Ukrainian Association of Sinologists.

Dr Yevheniia Hobova is a Fellow at the A. Yu. Krymskiy Institute of Oriental Studies, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and a member of the Ukrainian Association of Sinologists. Her research focuses on language policies and strategies, political discourse and Sinophone media analysis. She has published widely on these topics in Chinese, English and Ukrainian journals.

Debates on education often cover the question, "What works to increase learning?." However, even when the reform focus is agreed governments face challenges in implementing bold reform. Lack of political incentives, vested interests, and weak public sector management all contribute to the challenge.

Local governments are on the front line of delivering social welfare services and development programmes. However low bureaucratic capacity or funding can undermine their responsiveness to public needs, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Effective political leadership is essential to drive positive change.

The American republic teeters on the edge of authoritarianism. One party (and there are only two) embraces nativism, flirts with white supremacy, blinks away mass killings, won’t accept the results of the last election, and is frenetically changing the election rules to ensure it does not lose again. But here’s the unexpected twist: almost none of this is new. Coups, racial violence nativist lynching changing the rules, stealing elections and dragging God into politics are all longstanding themes in US politics.