Connecting Academic Knowledge with Policy Action: The 1st EUFutures Policy Development Lab

Can academic research and real-world policy-making effectively dialogue? That is exactly the driving force behind the 1st EUFutures Policy Development Lab, which took place at the University of Bologna’s Department of Political and Social Sciences (SPS) on May 13, 2026. The opening workshop saw the active participation of 14 Master's students in person at Palazzo Hercolani and 1 student connected online. 

These annual workshops organized within the EUFutures Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence are designed specifically for Master’s students in the Public Affairs programme, focusing on those enrolled in the “Political Economy of Labour Markets” and “Comparative Capitalisms in Europe” modules. The lab’s objective is highly practical: to equip students with the analytical tools needed to translate academic knowledge about EU integration into actionable, forward-looking policy recommendations. 

For this inaugural edition, the workshop tackled one of the most pressing challenges facing the European economy today: the policy implications of the digital and green transitions for Europe’s skills strategy. 

Bridging Research and Public Debate 

In her opening remarks, Arianna Tassinari and Chiara Benassi, member of the EUFutures Steering Committee, outlined the core mission of the initiative before introducing the guest lecturer, Dr. Donato Di Carlo (The London School of Economics and Political Science - LSE). Prof. Tassinari highlighted Dr. Di Carlo as an expert uniquely positioned at the intersection of rigorous academic analysis and active public debate, known for his contributions to shaping contemporary discussions on European industrial policy. 

Following the introduction, Dr. Di Carlo delivered a brief, thought-provoking lecture that set the conceptual stage for the student workshop, addressing a fundamental question: Does a unified EU industrial policy actually exist? 

Rethinking EU Industrial Strategy 

While some scholars argue that a unified European industrial policy is non-existent, Dr. Di Carlo challenged conventional views. Instead of searching for a single, centralized policy framework, he broke down the diverse ways in which the European Union—operating as an "ensemble" of different actors across multiple domains—actively shapes and executes industrial strategy today. 

Using the lens of European integration, Dr. Di Carlo connected the historical evolution of these industrial frameworks directly to the modern challenges of skills policy in Europe. This perspective provided the Master’s students with the necessary framework to approach their policy development tasks later in the workshop. 

A great start

The event concluded with a highly engaging and lively discussion, showcasing the students' capacity to connect structural economic challenges with practical policy design. 

The EUFutures team extends its sincere thanks to Dr. Donato Di Carlo for sharing his expertise and to all the participating students for giving this inaugural Policy Development Lab such a great start.

Follow up

The second part of the policy lab took place on May 18th, focusing on interactive group work. During this session, the Master's students rolled up their sleeves, working in teams to apply the conceptual tools discussed so far. Their goal was  to formulate concrete, forward-looking policy recommendations to address Europe's shifting skills strategy. The results of the policy lab will be available soon.