Meet Our New Research Fellows

We are pleased to welcome three distinguished experts to our team as Research Fellows.

Elene Gotsadze is an international development and public-sector professional with over two decades of experience in senior leadership and advisory roles across government institutions and donor-funded programmes. Her expertise spans democratic governance, European and Euro-Atlantic integration, decentralisation, strategic communications, and resilience to hybrid threats. She previously served as Director of the NATO and EU Information Centre and has played a leading role in major USAID-funded initiatives supporting governance reforms and local development. Ms Gotsadze has also contributed to EU- and NATO-related policy development within the Government of Georgia and is currently pursuing a PhD on Georgia–United States relations.

Malkhaz Saldadze is an Assistant Professor at George Mason University Korea and holds a PhD from the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution. A specialist in peace and conflict studies, his research focuses on historical narratives and conflict transformation in Georgia from social, cultural, and political perspectives. He has extensive experience working with civil society organisations and research institutions in Georgia, contributing to cross-border South Caucasus initiatives and strengthening CSO capacities in conflict management, civic engagement, gender equality, and European integration.

Ekaterine Kardava is a Doctor of Law, Jean Monnet Professor, and leading expert on European integration with nearly three decades of professional experience spanning public service, academia, and international consultancy. She is the author of more than thirty academic publications and has developed widely taught curricula on EU enlargement, legal approximation, and EU–Georgia relations. Professor Kardava has held senior positions in Georgia’s public institutions, served as Chief Legal Approximation Expert for an EU-funded programme in Moldova, and played a key role in Eastern Partnership parliamentary cooperation. She is the recipient of five Jean Monnet projects under Erasmus+ and is the founder of the Labour and European Research Institute.

We look forward to working together to advance high-quality research, informed debate, and cooperation on European integration and democratic governance.