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Call for Applications
Winter School on Federalism & Governance 2026

The Winter School is a two-week international postgraduate program on federalism, regionalism and multilevel governance, organised by the Institute for Comparative Federalism of Eurac Research, Bolzano/Bozen, the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences of the University of Innsbruck. The 2026 edition will focus on “Federalism and Innovation”.

The first week (02- 06 February) takes place at the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Leopold-Franzens-Universität Innsbruck, Austria; The second week (09 - 13 February) takes place at the Institute for Comparative Federalism, Eurac Research, Bolzano/Bozen, Italy.  The Winter School explores how federalism can contribute to multilevel, integrated and pluralistic decision-making. It is a unique opportunity to receive training on theoretical and practical aspects of federalism and governance.

The 2026 Winter School will focus on federalism and innovation. From 2 February to 13 February 2026, participants of the Winter School will focus intensively on the innovative aspects of federal systems. The program will shed light on how federalism can serve as a driving force for innovation in political and legal structures. Experts will provide practical insights into the innovative potentials of subnational constitutional autonomy and constitutional case law, examine the use of digitalization in multi-layered bureaucracy as well as the promotion of innovation in areas such as environmental policy, integration, public health and economy. 

In addition to a theoretical examination of these topics, concrete case studies and best practices from around the world will also be presented. Visits to local and regional institutions in Tyrol and South Tyrol will provide direct insights into different models of federal governance and their innovation potential.

Who can participate?

The Winter School is designed for those who wish to increase their knowledge of federalism through an interdisciplinary and comparative approach 

  • young researchers and academics
  • post-docs, postgraduate and graduate students
  • civil servants from local, regional or national governments
  • employees of international organizations or NGOs 

How to apply?

Application deadline: SUNDAY, 12 OCTOBER 2025 (23:59 CEST). To apply, please complete both steps:

1.  Submit your application online:  winterschool.eurac.edu

2.  Email the following documents to Mr. Rahul Khera at khera@hss.de:

  • Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  • Motivation letter
  • Short academic essay