Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies

💻 Digital technology raises questions that no single discipline can answer alone.
That idea sat at the heart of the third Digital Research and Collaboration Workshop on June 8th, organized by Majcher and Streinz, where University Institute researchers came together to explore where their work overlaps.

Drawing scholars working on digital and technology-related issues from across disciplines, the discussion turned to the themes they share and how these might become focal points for future collaboration.

Much of it centred on identifying common 'boundary objects': topics that connect different research agendas and can be approached through a range of methods and perspectives. and alternative digital infrastructures emerged as two themes to carry into the 2026-27 academic year.

Participants also weighed the place of academic research in policymaking, asking how scholarly work can inform, shape, or critically challenge policy processes, and how it speaks to the debates unfolding now.

Šucha, former director of the Commission's Joint Research Centre, opened the workshop.

The workshop is part of the EUI's wider effort to create spaces where researchers can meet across fields, methods, and policy debates, and build collaborations from there.

Congratulations to EUI Max Weber Fellow Dr. Thomas McGee, who has been awarded the Harold Luntz Graduate Research Thesis Prize for 2025 by Melbourne Law School.

Thomas received the prize for his PhD thesis, “Syria’s changing statelessness landscape: 2011 as critical juncture”.

His research examines the evolving landscape of statelessness in Syria, contributing to a deeper understanding of legal status, displacement, and citizenship in contexts of conflict and political transformation.

Warm congratulations to Thomas on this recognition. 👏

🚨 Migration governance remains one of the most complex policy areas facing governments and societies today, requiring responses that are evidence-based and adaptable.

The Executive Training on Effective Migration Governance, taking place in Florence this October, brings together professionals from around the world to explore current migration challenges and policy responses through a combination of research and practical experience.

Join us to:
✅ Engage with top scholars and practitioners
✅ Build tools to make better policy decisions under pressure
✅ Leave with new strategies and a new professional network

🗓 5–7 October 2026
📍 Florence, Italy

Learn more: https://loom.ly/fuz0fBg

Europe's energy transition has come a long way. But what will it take to power the next phase of transformation?

Ahead of the European Sustainable Energy Week (ESEW), taking place on 9–11 June, former EU Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs reflects on two decades of Europe's clean energy transition: what has changed, what remains to be done, and the challenges that lie ahead.

Read the full interview 🔗 https://loom.ly/8vpzEyc

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐭 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 👇

See what is happening this week and take part in our upcoming events.

Register here: https://loom.ly/cFUjk94

Upcoming events

𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬 𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞, 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭-𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐝 𝐒𝐲𝐫𝐢𝐚 𝐢𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧'𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬.

This afternoon, experts convened by Raffaella A. Del Sarto, Olivier Roy, and Théo Blanc gathered at Villa Schifanoia to kick off a two-day workshop on designing sovereignty in post-Assad Syria, putting the country centre-stage at a moment of significant transition.

In his opening remarks, European University Institute Secretary-General Armando Barucco placed the discussion in historical perspective:

"In the course of its history, Syria has always been a topical place to discuss [...] forms of government, foreign interventions and interference, the dynamics between the centre and the periphery — the many mosaics that shape Syria."

As highlighted by Professor Raffaella del Sarto, "Post-Assad Syria is a topic that has not received much attention in recent months and years, as the world's eyes are on Gaza, Iran, and Lebanon. But we must discuss Syria — it is complex and challenging, and I am happy that we have gathered experts who know what is happening in Syria not just by looking from the outside, but from being on the ground and witnessing the important developments taking place."

For more information on the speakers and the programme: https://loom.ly/Z7mozZE

Women’s leadership in the green transition must be visible and supported by spaces where policy, evidence, and professional experience meet.

✨ 𝙇𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙤𝙣 𝙒𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣 is an initiative that works to strengthen pathways to female leadership and excellence in the energy, climate, and sustainability sectors, through recognition, community-building, and long-term engagement.

On 9 June 2026 in Florence, the LUCE Awards ceremony will bring together professionals and partners to celebrate women driving innovation and progress, with two awards presented in the categories Emerging Talent and Legacy Women.

This year’s programme also includes:
▪️ a keynote by Rosalinde van der Vlies (European Commission), and
▫️ a panel discussion, “𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘐𝘯𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺: 𝘌𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘤 𝘊𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘌𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘺𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘎𝘢𝘱,” with Massimiliano Mascherini, Letizia Mencarini, Lucio Pisacane, and Ilaria Conti.

Join the ceremony on 9 June in Florence (Badia Fiesolana) and be part of the moment! 🔗 https://loom.ly/jBu78TQ