EU Futures: Fostering New Economic Strategies for a Sustainable, Inclusive and Resilient Europe

ongoing

The European Union faces mounting challenges in safeguarding economic security and well-being, exacerbated by sluggish growth, the climate crisis, and intensifying geopolitical competition. The traditional EU economic model, based on market integration, regulatory harmonization, and multilateral engagement, is under increasing strain. Internally, economic divergences, social inequalities, and nationalism threaten cohesion, while externally, protectionist tendencies and the erosion of multilateral norms undermine the EU’s global role. Addressing these crises requires rethinking EU growth strategies beyond conventional approaches like deepening market integration and external trade promotion. The Centre of Excellence EUFutures will serve as a laboratory for analyzing the roots of the EU’s growth issue and developing innovative, sustainable, and inclusive economic pathways. By engaging academics, students, policymakers, business leaders, and civil society, the Centre will promote an interdisciplinary approach to EU economic policymaking. Upholding core EU values, EUFutures aims to shape a more just and inclusive Europe. The Centre will pursue three key objectives: 1. Advancing Excellence in EU Studies through an interdisciplinary research agenda focused on a) unpacking the foundations of EU growth, b) learning from other countries’ experiences, and c) imagining EU growth futures, formulating forward-looking strategies that take into account the major transformative challenges of our time, from the green and digital transitions to the management of geopolitical competition 2. Promoting Excellence in Teaching EU Studies by incorporating research into new teaching modules, a policy design lab, and a public lecture series at the University of Bologna. 3. Fostering Dialogue between Academia and Society through knowledge co-production workshops, and high-level policy exchange dialogues