The European University Institute is pleased to launch in Madrid its Alumni Chapter in Spain, generously hosted by the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC)
This special evening will mark the launch of the EUI Spain Alumni Chapter, bringing together EUI alumni from across Spain’s academic, policy, and professional communities to reconnect, exchange ideas, and celebrate the EUI’s growing presence in one of Europe’s most dynamic centres for research, innovation, and public debate.
Hosted at the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), the event will feature an engaging panel discussion with distinguished speakers from the EUI, CSIC, and the wider EUI alumni community. The discussion, entitled The Social Sciences and Their Promise: Knowledge, Democracy and Public Life , will explore recent transformations in the social sciences, the opportunities and challenges brought by new methods and data, and the relationship between scientific knowledge and public life in contemporary European democracies.
The panel will include contributions from Carlos Closa (CSIC-EUI) and Mónica Méndez (Centro de Investigaciones Científicas), moderated by María Jiménez Buedo (UNED). Further speakers will be announced shortly.
A networking reception will follow, offering alumni the opportunity to reconnect, build new professional links, and strengthen the EUI community in Spain.
Participation in the event is upon invitation only (for enquiries: alumni@eui.eu).
Venue: Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) | Salón de Actos del CSIC | C. de Serrano, 117, Chamartín, 28006 Madrid | Spain
Date: Monday, 21 September 2026
Arrival between 17:30-18:00 | Event 18:00-19:30 | Reception 19:30-20:30
This event is associated with the EUI 50th Anniversary celebrations.
About the discussion
The last decades have transformed the social sciences. New sources of data, more sophisticated analytical tools, and the growing internationalisation of research have significantly expanded our ability to understand complex phenomena, from inequalities and democratic change to European integration and the societal impact of digital transformation.
At the same time, social scientific knowledge operates in an increasingly demanding environment. Contemporary challenges such as political polarisation, institutional distrust, and disinformation are not only subjects of research but also shape the conditions under which knowledge is produced, communicated, and used.
The event will provide a space to reflect on the advances and future directions of the social sciences, while highlighting the contributions of EUI alumni and researchers across academia, public institutions, international organisations, civil society, and the private sector.
The Spain Alumni Chapter aims to foster lasting exchanges, professional collaboration, and intellectual dialogue among EUI graduates living and working in Spain, while reinforcing the Institute’s engagement with its alumni community across Europe and beyond.
The event will be livestreamed and can be watched here: xxxx