Regional Studies, Academic Diplomacy and Russia-ASEAN Relations: Interview with Ekaterina Koldunova

Abstract

International Aspect presents an interview with Ph.D. in Political Science, Associate Professor Ekaterina Koldunova. She graduated from MGIMO University. Being a winner of several awards for graduate students, young scholars and teachers, today she actively supports students’ participation in regional studies and development of academic diplomacy. Ekaterina Koldunova is Director of the ASEAN Center and academic co-director of the Master’s program “Political Economy of ASEAN-Russia Strategic Partnership”. She supervises the NSO MGIMO Southeast Asia Club. Ekaterina Koldunova told International Aspect about current Russia-ASEAN relations. She highlighted that developing academic diplomacy with ASEAN is of high importance and explained how MGIMO student organizations contribute to strengthening these relations. Ekaterina Koldunova shared her experience of working under Prof. Alexei D. Voskressenski guidance at the Department of Asian and African Studies. She believes that the desire to learn something unknown and new is the main driver of research activity. Today, there are great prospects for young researchers in the field of Asian Studies, comparative regionalism and non-Western approaches to the theory of international relations.