CEELBAS launches

20 April 2007

The launch conference for the Centre for East European Language Based Area Studies (CEELBAS) was opened by then Provost & President Malcolm Grant, who welcomed the collaboration and role of SSEES in the Centre. The Centre is a partnership between UCL, the Universities of Bath, Birmingham, Cambridge, Kent, Manchester, Oxford, Sheffield and Warwick, and SOAS, University of London (the School of Oriental and African Studies).

In his opening address, Rt Hon Charles Clark MP confirmed his commitment to the Language Based Studies initiative - in which he had played an instrumental part - and its strategic importance for the UK in advancing its expertise in the countries of Eastern Europe. He also stressed the significance of the kind of critical mass of the universities that comprise CEELBAS.