CREECA is committed to serving as a resource for educators at all levels, from primary and secondary school teachers to instructors at institutions of higher education (community and technical colleges, tribal colleges and universities, and four-year colleges and universities). We regularly offer teacher training workshops on topics related to Russia, Eastern and Central Europe, and Central Asia; participate in internationally-focused events such as World Languages Day; organize cultural events in Madison and beyond; and present on regional topics at local primary and secondary schools, as well as institutions of higher education. We also provide resources to educators in the form of our lending library and curriculum development materials.
Educators are also welcome to attend any of our public events, including our weekly lecture series, panel discussions, concerts, and other performances. See our events calendar for a list of all upcoming events.
CREECA is always looking for new opportunities to collaborate with schools, colleges, and universities in Wisconsin and the surrounding states. Contact lomaszflesch@wisc.edu for more information.
Engaging Eurasia Teacher Fellowship
The Engaging Eurasia Teacher Fellowship (EETF) supports U.S.-based high school and community college educators interested in deepening their understanding of the history, culture, and current events of Russia and Eurasia. Over the 9-month fellowship, fellows participate in eight content webinars, hearing from scholars with expertise on the fellowship topic. Each fellow is expected to complete a final project–either curriculum development or a literature review on a question that develops during the course of the fellowship.
The EETF is a collaboration between the Harvard University Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies, the Center for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies at the Ohio State University, the Center for Russia, East European, and Eurasian Studies at the University of Pittsburgh, and the Center for Russia, East Europe, and Central Asia at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. It is funded through a Title VI/National Resource Center Grant from the U.S. Department of Education.
The Arts of Eastern Europe and Eurasia: A Webinar Series for Educators
New for the 2025-2026 academic year, this six-part webinar series is designed to help educators integrate the arts into their classrooms, with a focus on the diverse art forms of Russia, Eastern Europe, and Eurasia. Each 90-minute session will explore a different art form, including music, dance, literature, visual arts, cultural artifacts, and theater/film. Participants will learn about different art forms and practical strategies for incorporating them into their teaching, drawing on expert insights and resources from leading institutions. While the webinars are part of a cohesive series, educators are welcome to attend any or all of the sessions. For session details and links to register, click here.
This series, which offers a unique opportunity to enrich your curriculum with creative and engaging resources from the Eurasian cultural tradition, is a collaboration between Harvard University Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies, the Center for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies at the Ohio State University, the Center for Russian, East European, & Eurasian Studies at the University of Kansas, the Center for Russia, East European, and Eurasian Studies at the University of Pittsburgh, the Center for Slavic, Eurasian and Eastern European Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Robert F. Byrnes Russian and East European Institute at Indiana University, the Russian, East European, and Eurasian Center at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and the Center for Russia, East Europe, and Central Asia at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Special Events for Educators and Students
CREECA regularly organizes and participates in events for educators and students from Wisconsin schools and institutions of higher education. This includes teacher training workshops, conferences, and other internationally focused programs. Recent educator workshop topics include Climate Optimism: Finding Creative Solutions and Making Positive Impacts; Stories of Separation and Belonging: Exploring Migration, Partition and Displacement; Empire and Identity in France and Russia; and virtual book clubs focused on titles related to Genocide Awareness Month and the War in Ukraine. To join CREECA’s mailing list for educators, email lomaszflesch@wisc.edu.
Our center is also a member of the Wisconsin International Resource Consortium (WIRC), a collaboration among the nine UW-Madison Area Studies Centers with the mission to provide internationally themed outreach programming, resources, and support to K-14 teachers and students, Minority Serving Institutions (MSI), and Community Colleges. For more WIRC-related programming, please see their website.
Invite CREECA to Your School!
Organizing an “International Day” or teaching a unit on Russia, Eastern/Central Europe, or Central Asia? CREECA is happy to arrange for speakers with expertise on our region to visit classrooms or take part in school programs and events. Contact lomaszflesch@wisc.edu for more information.
Teaching on Russia’s War in Ukraine
CREECA has compiled a list of resources for educators on teaching about Russia’s war in Ukraine here. This list is being actively expanded.