In this episode, we explore how we can build on lessons from the present for more effective global cooperation in the future. In an increasingly inter-connected world, what can be done on an intergovernmental level to improve existing systems and better manage future international crises? We discuss these pressing topics with Inge Kaul (Senior Fellow at the Hertie School and non-resident fellow at the Center for Global Development, Washington, DC), and Stephen L. Roberts (Lecturer in Global Health at the Institute for Global Health, University College London and Visiting Fellow in Global Health Policy at The London School of Economics and Political Science).

In this episode we discuss those aspects of migration in Europe that are often left out of mainstream discourse, such as intra-European migration, the labour market and the effects of migration on the countries of origin. Joining us in conversation are Natascha Zaun, Assistant Professor in Migration Studies at The London School of Economics and Political Science; Örjan Sjöberg, Chair in Economic Geography at the Stockholm School of Economics; and Alexandru Cârlan, Lecturer at the National University of Political Studies and Public Administration.

In this episode we delve into the unique challenges posed by two of the most transformational technologies of our time: social media and artificial intelligence. We talk to Jakob Johannsen, a PhD researcher working on the impact of social media on democracy at the European University Institute, and Joanna Bryson, Professor of Ethics and Technology at the Hertie School, about how our governance systems, researchers and regulatory bodies are tackling these modern issues.

In this episode we dive into the economic response by the European Union to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the heightened democratic erosion in some member states. We speak with Carlo Altomonte, Associate Professor of Economics of European Integration at Bocconi University, and Gábor Halmai, Professor of Comparative Constitutional Law at the European University Institute, about how the EU has and will continue to face up to these imminent issues.

In this episode we explore the biggest man-made threat to humanity: the climate crisis. We talk to Diana Ürge-Vorsatz, Professor in the Department of Environmental Sciences and Policy at Central European University, and Sebastian Levi, Postdoctoral researcher in the Centre for Sustainability at the Hertie School, about the different aspects of the crisis, the steps taken by the EU to tackle the crisis and the challenges to implement these steps.

In this episode, we discuss the future of research in European higher education institutions with Guillaume Plantin, Vice President for Research at Sciences Po, and Xymena Kurowska, Associate Professor in the Department of International Relations at Central European University. We talk about the role of collaboration and innovation in research, and how the recently-launched project CIVICA Research can become a positive driver for national academia.

In this episode we explore the present and future role of higher education in Europe and the world. We talk to Vanessa Scherrer, Vice President for International Affairs at Sciences Po, and Liviu Matei, Provost and Professor of Higher Education Policy at Central European University, about the social and political functions of higher education in Europe, the impact of technology on education, and the ways in which universities - including the European University alliances - can continue to shape the world in the next decades.

In this episode we explore the role and impact of the social sciences. We talk to experts Simon Hix (Pro-Director for Research and Harold Laski Professor of Political Science, the London School of Economics) and Carsten Schneider (Professor in the Political Science Department, Central European University) about the development of the social sciences as a discipline, their key role in solving societal issues, and about CIVICA's research agenda.