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University of Innsbruck's Research Center for Federalism Celebrates Anniversary with a Series of Lectures
On June 30, 2025, the Institute of Federalism at the University of Innsbruck celebrated its 50th anniversary with a series of insightful lectures focused on the intricacies of federalism. The event, which was the second major event of the anniversary year 2025, attracted scholars, policymakers, and students from across the globe.
The morning session began with a lecture by Anna Gamper on the jurisprudence of the Constitutional Court on federalism. This was followed by a discussion led by Georg Lienbacher on the impact of EU law on the domestic distribution of powers. Eva Maria Belser presented comparative considerations on the distribution of powers in federal systems, while Markus Vašek discussed the development of the distribution of powers since 1925 and whether it represents a creeping change in the federal constitution.
The afternoon session focused on pressing contemporary issues. Ewald Wiederin gave a lecture on 100 years of indirect federal administration. Maria Bertel discussed general public administration in the age of digitalization and its development prospects. Peter Bußjaeger lectured on the future of district administration between general and special authorities and between federal and municipal levels. Nathalie Behnke spoke about the distribution of powers and polycentric governance and whether it represents a resilience resource in federal systems.
The event concluded with Peter Bußjaeger summarising the results of the conference. The Institute of Federalism and the Research Center for Federalism of the University of Innsbruck expressed their gratitude to all speakers, panel chairs, and conference participants for their valuable contributions to the discussion.
The Research Center for Federalism at the University of Innsbruck is dedicated to the study of federalism, particularly the distribution of powers between different levels of government and public administration. Its research explores the political, legal, and administrative dimensions of federal systems, examining how authority and responsibilities are allocated across subnational and national levels. The center likely engages with comparative federalism, exploring cases such as Germany and others, to understand the role of subnational entities in resource federalism and governance.
For more precise historical details and the specific current research emphases at the Research Center for Federalism at the University of Innsbruck, you might consider consulting the university's official website or academic publications from the center for the most accurate and detailed information.
In a special session, Christian Rathgeb spoke about the conference of cantonal governments (KdK) in the Swiss federal state in the context of the conference of heads of government (LHK) in the Republic of Austria. This discussion highlighted the importance of intergovernmental relations in federal systems and the ongoing dialogue between federal entities.
The event at the University of Innsbruck was a testament to the vibrant research culture and the commitment to the study of federalism. It provided a platform for scholars and policymakers to share insights, challenge assumptions, and engage in constructive dialogue about the future of federalism.
- The Research Center for Federalism at the University of Innsbruck, which specializes in the study of federalism, technology, and data-and-cloud-computing, might explore the potential impact of digitalization on general public administration and its development prospects in federal systems.
- As Anna Gamper's lecture on the jurisprudence of the Constitutional Court on federalism highlighted the importance of management and organization in federal systems, the Research Center for Federalism could potentially engage in research on effective management strategies for federal entities in the digital age.
