The Institute for Advanced International Studies (IAIS) under the University of World Economy and Diplomacy (UWED), in partnership with the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences and Fudan University, China, is pleased to announce the international online conference titled “China’s Chairmanship in the SCO: Concerns and Prospects for the Organization’s Development”, which will take place on 15 May via the Zoom platform. The working languages of the event will be English and Russian.

This academic gathering is dedicated to analyzing the current priorities and strategic direction of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) under China’s chairmanship. In a time marked by mounting global uncertainties and shifting geopolitical dynamics, the conference aims to provide a platform for thoughtful dialogue and critical reflection on the SCO’s evolving role in regional and global affairs.

The conference will address the SCO’s role in global development, focusing on key dimensions such as economic integration, educational exchange, cultural diplomacy, as well as the promotion of innovation and technological cooperation among member states. Participants will examine the challenges that stand in the way of deeper collaboration, while also highlighting the opportunities that the organization offers in promoting a more multipolar and interconnected world order.

Moreover, it will concentrate on the implications of the SCO’s recent expansion and the broader question of its institutional modernization in the context of global turbulence. With the inclusion of new member states and shifting power balances within the organization, there is a growing need to reassess the SCO’s governance structures, its capacity for collective decision-making, and its relevance in shaping the regional security and development agenda. The panels will consider questions of institutional transformation, geopolitical recalibration, and strategic vision for the future of the SCO, with particular attention to the interests of Central Asian states within the broader framework of Eurasian cooperation.

We invite all interested parties to take part in this crucial discussion.

Zoom access link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82416494677?pwd=Rxv1Crsam9tG3BIJIwwRCW0NTWboYG.1