Project leadership for two successive VW Foundation research programmes at the Freie Universität Berlin. Tasks included knowledge transfer and development of conflict research methods with partner universities, setting up CAPI survey instruments in challenging field conditions (North Caucasus), establishing a Graduate School of Conflict Studies at the main partner university in Kabardino-Balkaria, and developing and integrating practical conflict-and-development-focused courses into partner university curricula.

Phase 1 – "Lokale Konflikte verstehen, Entwicklungschancen nutzen" (Conflict & Development) 2010–2013 · Budget: €366,100

Phase 2 – "Institution Centred Conflict Studies" (ICCS) 2015–2019 · Budget: €445,100

Results: Two completed research programmes; Graduate School of Conflict Studies (Kabardino-Balkaria); CAPI surveys in the North Caucasus; curricula contributions; publications including Koehler/Gunya et al. Perspectives on Terrorism (2020), Small Wars and Insurgencies (2016), Eurasian Geography and Economics (2017).