EUBORDERSCAPES – Bordering, Political Landscapes and Social Arenas: Potentials and Challenges of Evolving Border Concepts in a Post-Cold War World (FP7, 2012–2016)
EUBORDERSCAPES was a major collaborative research project funded under the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). The project examined the changing nature of borders in the post-Cold War era, exploring how borders are perceived, negotiated, and experienced by states, institutions, and local communities. Moving beyond traditional understandings of borders as fixed territorial boundaries, the project conceptualized borders as dynamic social, political, and cultural processes shaped by everyday practices, governance structures, and geopolitical transformations. Through its participation in EUBORDERSCAPES, KORA contributed to advancing innovative scholarship in critical border studies, European integration, neighbourhood governance, and regional cooperation across the wider Black Sea and Eurasian regions.
EUBORDERREGIONS – European Regions, EU External Borders and the Immediate Neighbours: Analysing Regional Development Options through Policies and Practices of Cross-Border Co-operation (FP7, 2011–2015)
Funded by the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7), EUBORDERREGIONS investigated the relationship between regional development, territorial cohesion, and cross-border cooperation at the EU's external frontiers. The project analyzed how border regions interact with neighbouring countries and assessed the impact of EU policies on fostering economic development, institutional cooperation, and regional integration across Europe's borderlands. KORA's contribution focused on the wider Black Sea and neighbourhood regions, helping to generate comparative insights into the role of cross-border cooperation as a mechanism for regional development, governance, and conflict mitigation.
FACIT – Faith-Based Organisations and Social Exclusion in European Cities (FP7, 2008–2010)
FACIT was a comparative European research project examining the role of faith-based organizations in addressing poverty, homelessness, and social exclusion across twenty-one cities in Europe. The project explored the interaction between welfare state transformation, civil society engagement, urban governance, and social cohesion, with particular attention to the contribution of religious organizations to social welfare provision and inclusion policies. Through its participation in FACIT, KORA contributed to interdisciplinary research on urban governance, social policy, and civil society, expanding its expertise beyond regional and border studies into broader societal challenges affecting contemporary Europe.
EUDIMENSIONS – Local Dimensions of a Wider European Neighbourhood: Developing Political Community through Practices and Discourses of Cross-Border Co-operation (FP6, 2006–2009)
As a partner institution in this European Union Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) project, KORA contributed to research examining the implications of the EU's emerging neighbourhood policies for cross-border cooperation and political community-building beyond the Union's borders. The project investigated how local and regional actors, civil society organizations, and governance networks contribute to the development of political, social, and economic relations between the EU and neighbouring states. By analysing the practices and discourses of cross-border cooperation, EUDIMENSIONS generated important insights into Europeanization, multilevel governance, and the evolving dynamics of the EU's wider neighbourhood.
GLOMIG – Global Migration from the Eastern Mediterranean and Eurasia: Security and Human Rights Challenges to Europe (FP6, 2006–2008)
GLOMIG was a European Union Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) project coordinated by KORA at Middle East Technical University. Focusing on migration dynamics across the Western Balkans, the Caucasus, Russia, Türkiye, and the Eastern Mediterranean, the project examined the security, governance, and human rights dimensions of migration through interdisciplinary research and policy dialogue. KORA's coordination of GLOMIG marked a significant milestone, making it one of the first research institutions in Türkiye—and the first social sciences research center—to lead an EU Framework Programme project, while further strengthening Türkiye's visibility within the European Research Area.