All photos: © Heide Fest
On 23 April 2026, the 4th ERUA DigiTalk, “Doing Democracy – Participatory Democracy in Times of Disinformation” was successfully organized under Work Package 5, “Achieving Social Change in ERUA’s Local Communities and Regions” led by the University of the Aegean, bringing together academics, civil society actors, and institutional stakeholders for a timely exchange on the future of democratic participation in Europe.
The event took place at the City Council Chamber of Frankfurt (Oder) City Hall and formed part of the broader “Doing Democracy: Connecting Academia and Civil Society Across Borders” initiative, by the European University Viadrina and SWPS University.
The discussion featured contributions from Prof. Radosław Markowski (SWPS University, Warsaw), Krzysztof Izdebski (Batory Foundation, Warsaw), Prof. Gesine Schwan (Berlin Governance Platform), and Dr. Anne Holper (Center for Peace Mediation, European University Viadrina). Their interventions were complemented by short spotlights from civil society actors, enriching the exchange with grounded, practice-based perspectives on participatory democracy and democratic resilience in times of disinformation.
Bridging Academia, Institutions, and Local Communities
A defining feature of this edition of the DigiTalk was its strong connection to local governance and community actors. By situating the discussion within a municipal institutional setting and involving local stakeholders alongside international experts, the event reinforced ERUA’s commitment to embedding academic dialogue within real societal contexts.
This approach reflects the alliance’s broader mission to act not only as a network of higher education institutions, but also as an active contributor to regional ecosystems. Through initiatives such as the DigiTalk series, ERUA supports knowledge exchange that is both internationally connected and locally grounded, ensuring relevance to the communities in which its partner universities operate.
Addressing Democratic Resilience in the Age of Disinformation
The discussion focused on participatory democracy in the context of increasing challenges posed by disinformation. Speakers examined how democratic systems can strengthen resilience, how citizens can be meaningfully engaged in decision-making processes, and what roles academia, institutions, and civil society can play in safeguarding democratic integrity. By bringing together academic perspectives and civil society experience, the DigiTalk enabled a multidimensional exchange that linked research with practice, highlighting the importance of cooperation in addressing complex societal challenges.
Multilingualism as a Pillar of Inclusion
In line with ERUA’s strategic priority on multilingualism and accessibility, the DigiTalk was live streamed in English, German, and Polish, ensuring broad inclusion across partner institutions and stakeholder communities. This multilingual format reflects ERUA’s commitment to inclusive knowledge exchange and equal access to academic dialogue. By enabling people to attend in multiple languages, the alliance strengthens cross-border collaboration and fosters a more open and participatory European academic space.
Lasting Impact and Continued Collaboration
The 4th ERUA DigiTalk demonstrated the value of structured collaboration between universities, civil society, and local institutions in addressing urgent democratic challenges. It also highlighted the importance of accessible, multilingual formats in broadening participation and strengthening engagement across diverse communities.
As part of ERUA’s Work Package 5: “Achieving Social Change in ERUA’s Local Communities and Regions”, led by the University of the Aegean, the DigiTalk series continues to contribute to the alliance’s efforts to connect academic work with societal impact, fostering dialogue that extends beyond the university setting and into the public sphere.
The full recordings of the 4th ERUA Digitalk and all “Doing Democracy” sessions, can be found in the links below:
Opening panel on “Doing Democracy: Why network academia and civil society around Democracy?
4th ERUA DigiTalk: Doing Democracy – Participatory Democracy in Times of Disinformation
Future Lab: Topics, Formats and Conditions for Science-Practice Cooperation
For more information:
Doing Democracy: https://ecos.erua-eui.eu/info/doing-democracy
ERUA DigiTalk Series: https://ecos.erua-eui.eu/info/digitalks
