About Us
Prof. Michael Dobbins
Founder
Michael Dobbins is a political scientist and scholar of Slavic studies with more than 20 years of experience in research, teaching, and international project work, as well as translation and copyediting. His academic focus is on public policy (particularly education policy), governance reforms, advocacy, and civil society, as well as the political systems of Central and Eastern Europe, especially Ukraine.
He has served as a professor and visiting professor at several German universities, including the Universities of Konstanz, Frankfurt, Darmstadt, and Hannover. Since 2026, he has been Professor of Public Affairs at the American University of Armenia.
He is the author of over 100 academic publications as well as several books on Ukrainian politics and society, post-communist civil societies, and educational reforms in an international comparison. He has received numerous awards for his research and teaching achievements. Thanks to his long-standing international collaborations, his extensive experience in publishing and translation, and his language skills, he combines academic expertise with a distinct international perspective.
Mariam Parsadanishvili, M.A.
Founder
Mariam Parsadanishvili, M.A., is a multilingual Slavicist, historian, translator, and interpreter with many years of international professional and research experience. After studying Slavic Studies and History at the University of Konstanz, she worked for several years as a research assistant in the field of Eastern European studies.
For over twenty years, she has worked as a freelance translator and interpreter for German, Georgian, and Russian. A particular focus of her work is interpreting in psychotherapeutic settings with refugees and people in crisis situations.
In addition, she works as a court interpreter and supports people in sensitive legal and social contexts. Her work combines linguistic precision with intercultural competence and a deep understanding of the challenges of migration, integration, and trauma recovery. In addition to her professional work, she has been involved for many years in cultural and social projects focusing on the Caucasus and Eastern Europe.