Standing out through innovative research and policy contributions: the Global Policy Center
The Global Policy Center (GPC) at IE School of Politics, Economics & Global Affairs enriches the learning experience for students while simultaneously serving as a leading think tank that impacts policy-making at a global level. The Center’s director Dr. İlke Toygür spoke with Foreign Affairs magazine about the GPC’s vital role in bridging research and policy, its mission and objectives.
Dr. İlke Toygür is a renowned expert on European integration, EU institutions, elections and democracy in Western Europe, European geopolitics, transatlantic relations and Türkiye’s relations with the West. She began the interview by describing the Center as “a hub for applied research and policy” that “aims to enhance the school's research footprint, contribute to policy-making and anticipate future trends in global politics and economics.”
According to Dr. Toygür, the Center’s research and policy contributions set it apart as a leading academic think tank—a position, she says, made possible thanks to the expertise of the faculty of experts and sector practitioners at IE School of Politics, Economics and Global Affairs.
Fresh thinking in volatile times
In what has been a tumultuous period for global affairs, the Center seeks out innovative perspectives and solutions on current geopolitical issues. Its work on EU enlargement, for example, provides “data-driven policy recommendations to decision-makers,” said Dr. Toygür. Such information is particularly necessary when considering the candidatures of countries in regions such as the Balkans, at a time when conflict in Ukraine threatens European and global stability.
She cited the Center’s April 2024 policy briefing document “European Family Action Plan” as an example of the important work the GPC is doing. In the document, which calls for fresh thinking about the EU’s accession process, the Center proposes a “transitionary integration” approach, aiming to improve cooperation and coordination between candidate countries and the EU during the enlargement process.
At the heart of global affairs
According to Dr. Toygür, the Center’s close links to the decision-making circles within a number of European capitals mean it’s able to have a direct influence on policy. A key part of its work involves breaking through so-called “echo chambers” by connecting European researchers with decision-makers in other regions, such as India, Brazil and South Africa.
Given this approach, it’s no surprise that the Center doesn’t work alone; it’s partnered with prestigious institutions around the world including Johns Hopkins SAIS, Yale Jackson School of Global Affairs, PSIA Sciences Po, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung and the Brookings Institution. These collaborations, she said, contribute to the GPC’s strong international reputation and reinforce the Center’s impact on policy development.
Dr. Toygür also outlined some of the GPC’s key milestones and notable projects, highlighting a number of their most impactful initiatives, including:
“Madrid-Barcelona Future of Europe Debates,” a gathering of global thought leaders hosted by the Center in 2024. A series of debates addressed the EU’s enlargement and institutional reform debate, the 2024 European Parliament elections and the EU’s global role, among other contemporary subjects.
The summits on the European Political Community (EPC), arranged in collaboration with the Jacques Delors Institute and SciencesPo, and the subsequent policy recommendations in pursuit of consolidating a new European security platform.
The “Transatlantic Bridge” Workshop and Conference, a leading forum for European and American policymakers and analysts to discuss the future of transatlantic relations at a time when the liberal democratic model itself is under challenge.
“Global Bridges: The European Union and the Global South for an Inclusive Multilateralism,” which connects thought leaders and decision-makers in India, Brazil and South Africa to those in the EU.
Achievable goals
These and other aspects of the Center’s work reflect a globalized, innovative and collaborative approach to policy-making that characterizes the work of IE School of Politics, Economics and Global Affairs, under whose auspices it was founded.
Through its work, and its deep connections to prestigious partners and key decision-making circles, the GPC can achieve its goal of addressing real-world issues and making valuable policy contributions. You can read Dr. Toygür’s full interview with Foreign Affairs magazine here.