The Council of Europe has launched the Open Council of Europe Academic Networks (OCEAN) project. The aim of the initiative is to strengthen co-operation between the Council of Europe and European universities and research institutions, and to promote the Council of Europe convention system through sharing and creating knowledge. OCEAN membership is open to universities as well as individual academics teaching at these institutions or conducting research independently. Membership is also open to research institutions (independent or as part of a university), university faculties and existing national and European academic networks working on issues related to Council of Europe conventions.
This is a summary of the project:
'The Open Council of Europe Academic Networks (OCEAN) unite universities, research institutions and scholars from the Council of Europe´s 46 member states around the shared goal of human rights, democracy, and the rule of law.
Initiated in 2018 by Prof. Michele Nicoletti, then president of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly, OCEAN is now ready to welcome academic members, institutional and individual, to join.
The Open Council of Europe Academic Networks aim at sharing and creating knowledge around the Council of Europe´s more than 200 conventions in European academia through teaching and research.
OCEAN provides a platform for connecting universities, research institutions and individual academics who focus on a Council of Europe convention of their choice or other topics related to the work and mission of the Council of Europe. It serves as a resource for information on Council of Europe activities; helps to share best practices and research; connects its members to the Council of Europe and its expert teams and gives them the opportunity to join events organised by OCEAN in Strasbourg or in Council of Europe member countries offline and online.
Institutional members are requested to organise a minimum of one academic activity per year – for example workshops, conferences, summer or winter schools – in the substantive fields described above. Individual members are required to take a leading role in the organisation of the above activities or publish an academic paper or book focused on a Council of Europe convention or other topics related to its mission.'
According to the FAQ about membership, the following is expected of members:
'OCEAN members choose at the beginning of their membership one or several Council of Europe conventions they are interested in. They are expected to engage in education, research, and other academic activities that promote these self-chosen conventions.
Universities, research institutions and networks are required to organise and carry out one academic activity per year (workshop, conference, summer or winter school…). Individual members are required to either engage in one of the above activities (as organiser or speaker) or conduct research or publish (article, book) on the chosen Council of Europe convention.'
More information about how to join the initiative can be found here.