Providing thought leadership and opportunity: the Global Policy Center

4 min read

IE School of Politics, Economics and Global Affairs plays a key role in forward-thinking public policy and research initiatives. Through its Global Policy Center, the institution is advancing humanity’s knowledge through cutting-edge tech development, shaping innovation in the geopolitical space, and providing an unmatched, highly practical learning experience for its students.

In times of economic instability—indeed, under the threat of a worldwide economic crisis—insightful and practical research underpins the work to mitigate the human cost of such crises. By shaping public debate, research centers at leading academic institutions become vital contributors on issues such as sustainability, digital governance and global inequality. Playing a key role in plotting the path through the storm to calmer times ahead, the Global Policy Center keeps IE School of Global and Public Affairs at the forefront of the effort to shape the future of global affairs.

Economic crises can take many forms and be provoked by many factors. Some, such as volatility in commodity prices, are predictable under certain circumstances; conflict in an important oil-producing nation, for example. Others may be down to confidence, which can be boosted or shattered by a dynamic geopolitical landscape. Then there are the so-called “black swan” events, such as the COVID-19 outbreak, which arise without warning and leave a lasting impact on the entire planet’s economic paradigm. 

Introducing the Global Policy Center

With programs and initiatives on the Future of Europe, Transatlantic Relations, Global Governance, and Latin American Politics and Economics, it aims to foster the school’s applied research footprint, contributing to policy-making while anticipating future trends in global politics and economics. 

The Center brings together global thought leaders and key players from around the world to promote original and innovative perspectives on overarching challenges. It aims to understand and anticipate the major trends in global politics and economics while providing appropriate policy responses to them.

Building resilience

Dr. Toygür is a world-leading commentator and public policy advisor on European integration, EU institutions, elections and democracy in Western Europe, European geopolitics, transatlantic relations, and Türkiye’s relations with the West.

Her years of research, writing and teaching have made her a global authority on economics, so she’s as well-placed as anybody to understand how policymaking can build resilience into economies, a prerequisite for societies to emerge from economic crises in a position not just to survive, but to flourish. 

As the World Bank points out, governments can’t achieve such economic resilience alone. The path to that resilience requires a multidisciplinary approach and effective, practical measures.

How our students benefit from the work of the Center

Our students, too, benefit from the hands-on research of the Global Policy Center since it provides greater visibility and prestige for IE School of Politics and Global Affairs. Dr Toygür and her expert team act as a beacon of good practice and academic excellence, which students can use as a reference point for their own research.

In addition, students gain access to exclusive events curated by the Center, such as the renowned Transatlantic Bridge conference. These events give them valuable insights into real-world policymaking and pave the way for future career success.

Advancing knowledge

Under Dr. Toygür’s guidance, the Center is making a huge contribution with new ideas, theories and technologies. Indeed, its work could lead to real breakthroughs that can benefit society—not just in economics or public policy, but also in broader academic and tech fields.

For a measure of how much its achievements resonate in the sphere, look no further than the profile of the sector leaders who collaborate with the Global Policy Center. Cecilia Malmström, for example, senior Fellow at PIIE and a former European Commissioner for trade, visited IE Tower to discuss European and global interdependence and the future of Europe with Dr. Toygür.

Events like these not only inform policymaking on economic stability—and indeed on addressing economic crises—they bring IE University’s students face-to-face with world-leading economists and geopolitical experts. These are outstanding opportunities to gain firsthand insight from global thought leaders, who come together at the Center to address the pressing challenges confronting humanity.

Disseminating insight

One of the Global Policy Center’s many tools are the publications that result from its original research. These publications are hugely useful for economics students and policymakers alike, since they drive the direction and impact of research projects and create a valuable repository of knowledge.

Whether it’s bringing top educational institutions from both sides of the Atlantic together to rethink the transatlantic alliance, or framing the debate on European political consolidation, the Center’s work is available to all. These publications represent an extensive and hugely influential source of thought leadership, research, data and opinion for the students who follow in their footsteps and the wider world.

Part of a rich learning environment

The Global Policy Center is just one part of our economics landscape, but it’s a part that brings the world’s top academics and researchers to IE School of Politics, Economics and Global Affairs. And not just for events and discussions—many of our faculty are sector professionals, with experience at the sharp end of geopolitics and economics.

Such a strong research infrastructure and culture mean that the Global Policy Center at IE School of Politics, Economics and Global Affairs makes a significant contribution to economic policymaking. Its role as an inclusive space encourages students to find innovative solutions to current and future economic issues. In doing so, it drives professional success for our alumni in the public and private sectors—their experience and the impact of their work will already be self-evident to potential employers.