The countries which made up the Soviet Union and the former socialist states of central and eastern Europe are undergoing a difficult transition process.
It has been three decades since the fall of the Iron Curtain but political and financial pressures on the media are still common in regions in Europe and Central Asia. Increasing restraints on the media in Azerbaijan, Belarus, Tajikistan or Kyrgyzstan for example, contrast with a few bright spots such as Georgia or Moldova.
DW Akademie is responding with tailor-made projects. In Southeast Europe we are encouraging closer ties with the European Union, for example through a center of excellence in the Western Balkans.
Our focus in Central Asia is on strengthening community journalism to give people access to information. In the South Caucasus we are focusing on the social participation of rural groups and the financial sustainability of local media.