What is the Winter School about?
The Winter School is an international postgraduate program on federalism, regionalism and multilevel governance. It explores, from an interdisciplinary and comparative perspective, how federalism can contribute to multilevel, integrated and pluralistic decision-making.
A wide range of lectures provides an opportunity for participants to broaden their knowledge of multilevel governance and government, especially from the perspectives of legal and political sciences. Top-notch scholars coming from different backgrounds and from around the globe lead courses and workshops on federalism and its challenges in the Winter School’s international learning environment.
Content and Objective
The 2026 Winter School will focus on federalism and innovation. From February 2 to February 13, 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 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 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.
Besides numerous opportunities for discussion with leading experts on multilevel governance throughout the lectures, a variety of interactive sessions will provide the chance to share knowledge and experience. Lectures, workshops, Q&A sessions, and a round table will take into account multilevel systems from different continents.
The Winter School will examine a series of issues:
How can federalism be used as a driver of innovation in policy-making?
What role do constitutional courts play for the innovation of federalism?
To what extent do subnational constitutions serve as innovation hubs in a federal context?
What challenges and opportunities does digitalization offer for a multinational and multi-level bureaucracy?
How does the innovative power of federal systems differ between common law and civil law states?
Which specific innovations in the field of environmental and climate policy can be promoted by federal structures?
The 2026 Winter School examines these and other topics by combining theoretical expertise and relevant case studies. As such, the program is a unique opportunity for young academics, postgraduate students, civil servants and practitioners to receive enhanced training on the theoretical and practical aspects of federalism and multilevel governance.
The Winter School is held entirely in English.