FRIDE of experience

ICPS analyst Kateryna Zarembo spent a month doing research at FRIDE, a European think-tank in Madrid. After winning a scholarship from the Open Society Institute/Local Governance Initiative Fund, Ms. Zarembo began researching administrative reform in Ukraine and Spain. At the Spanish think-tank, her mentors were FRIDE Director Richard Youngs and researcher Natalia Shapovalova, a former ICPS analyst.

Ms. Zarembo held a series of interviews in Spain, including with officials from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Territorial Policy, and political parties from both the national and regional legislatures. She also collected information from top libraries in Spain and analytical institutions, especially CIDOB in Barcelona.

On returning to Kyiv, the ICPS analyst not only brought with her the materials she had gathered but also experience administrating a think-tank as, in addition to her research project, she became familiar with the organizational and analytical work of FRIDE. A top think-tank, FRIDE’s main objective is to generate better and more innovative ideas regarding the role of Europe on the international arena.