On 15 March 2024, Prof. Dr. Patrizia Nanz started her mandate as President of the EUI. The community welcomed President Nanz with a reception at the Badia Fiesolana. A distinguished scholar on democratic innovations with extensive experience in the policy world, Professor Nanz is the first woman to be appointed as EUI President for a full mandate.
What motivated you to apply for this position and what does it mean for you to take the helm of the European University Institute today?
“For me, enhancing higher (and executive) education among future leaders is the greatest catalyst for Europe’s progress on the challenges of the 21st century. And for such a purpose the EUI has the greatest potential among research institutions. The Institute is very important to me, and I want to see it thrive. It’s where I spent four very exciting and formative years of my life. I consider it my true alma mater. So, today is a very special day for me: It feels like coming home. Taking on the role as president, orchestrating the efforts of all members of the EUI community, is a great honour.”
What are your plans for the first months in office?
“First of all, I want to listen and to acquaint myself with the institutional culture of the EUI. To appreciate everything that is already flourishing here.
From next week onwards, we start with a series of orientation events involving the crucial stakeholder groups on campus. These workshops will discuss the positioning of the Institute as a whole. The aim is to collectively identify the ideas and potentials within the organisation. Together with the Polish Presidency, I have invited the High Council to a similar event in June, where we will discuss strategic questions facing the EUI. These series of workshops will provide the basis for the coming months when I will engage with all stakeholders in developing our long-term vision and 2025-30 strategy.”
What is your long-term vision for the EUI? What role should it play in academic and societal debates?
“As a university, our purpose is to generate knowledge and skilled people. We are responsible for maintaining intellectual vitality and pluralism. I am convinced that in times of deep uncertainty and complexity, there is a more central role than ever for the social sciences and humanities. But if we want to address major issues at the frontiers of knowledge and contribute to Europe’s societal progress, it’s not enough to produce peer-reviewed articles or policy studies. The Institute needs to be able to develop long-term research agendas while engaging more fully in public debate.”
Prof. Dr. Patrizia Nanz combines a distinguished scientific record with proven leadership experience, having served as Director of the Institute for Sustainability (RIFS) in Potsdam, and Funding Director of the Franco-German Forum for the Future. Her expertise spans a broad spectrum of themes, with a particular focus on such topical issues as the future of European democracy, public participation, innovative public administration, and the socio-economic transformations linked to climate change. Professor Nanz has served as Vice-President of Germany’s Federal Office for the Safety of Nuclear Waste Management and Head of the Collaborative Governance Lab. She has advised regional and national governments, as well as the European Commission, and built an extensive network in both the academic and political domains.
Patrizia Nanz studied philosophy at the Munich School of Philosophy and history and literary studies as well as philosophy at universities in Munich, Milan, Montréal, and Frankfurt Rhine-Main. She also trained as a journalist and worked as editor for S. Fischer Verlage (Frankfurt) and Feltrinelli Editore (Milano). Nanz later obtained a doctorate in Political and Social Sciences at the European University Institute. After having been a researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods (Bonn) and Marie-Curie Fellow at Westminster University (London), she has been Professor of Political Theory at the University of Bremen and the University of Potsdam. She has also been Fellow of the Institute for Advanced Study (Berlin) and Visiting professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Patrizia Nanz succeeds Renaud Dehousse, who served the EUI from 2016-2024.