Slavic center receives National Resource Center designation

The Center for Slavic, Eastern European and Eurasian Studies at UNC has been designated as a National Resource Center for language and area studies by the U.S. Department of Education’s International and Foreign Language Education office.

With this designation, all six of UNC-Chapel Hill’s area studies centers are NRCs, more than any other university in the U.S. Southeast.

The center will receive $642,000 in funding over the next three years to support language and area studies coursework, programming and events, and outreach across North Carolina and institutions beyond the state, including minority-serving institutions and community colleges. As an NRC, the center has a substantial K-12 education mission as well. In fall 2022, the center received $904,132 through the Foreign Language and Area Studies fellowships program.

“We are thrilled to receive this prestigious designation from the U.S. Department of Education,” said Graeme Robertson, director of the center and a professor of political science. “With this funding, we are poised to enhance our efforts in equipping students and scholars across the state and beyond with the knowledge and skills necessary to foster a deeper understanding of Russia, East Europe and Eurasia. We look forward to continuing our mission of promoting global awareness, cultural exchange and preparing a new, diverse generation of leaders.”