The Central European Initiative (CEI) is a regional intergovernmental forum that promotes cooperation across 18 Central European member states. For 25 years, the CEI has contributed to European integration in the region through multilateral diplomacy and project management. It provides funding and acts as both a donor and recipient on EU-funded projects, leveraging its resources to mobilize over 50 times their value in additional EU funding. Looking ahead, the CEI aims to strengthen scientific cooperation across the region and participate in the EU macro-regional strategies.