Just Europe

This eighth episode is about migrants in Europe. We look at what research can tell us about integration and the contributions that people who arrive in the EU make to our economies and our societies. With Teresa Sordé Martí, we will hear the positive outcome of the REFUGE-ED project. This project is on integrating refugee children through education and literature to improve their social integration and skills, mental health and wellbeing. Olaf van Vliet will help us debunk some myths which claim that migrants are more of a financial burden than the native-born population.

This is Just Europe – a podcast series that takes a closer look at the challenges we face on the path to a fair and inclusive Europe that strives to leave no one behind as we decarbonise, modernise and digitalise our economies. This episode in the series is ‘Keep learning! – everyone onboard for a just transition’ an in-depth discussion about how adult lifelong learning is vital to provide Europe with the skills required for a just transition. Making education available for everyone, no matter what stage of life they are in, also ensures that no one is left behind during the transition. Our guests on this episode include Elisa Gambardella, Education & Lifelong Learning Coordinator at SOLIDAR Foundation, Frank Siebern-Thomas,Head of Unit of the “Fair, Green and Digital Transitions, Research” unit in the European Commission's Directorate-General for Employment, and Nora Fahy, Manager of the Roscommon Women's Network.

This is Just Europe – a podcast series that takes a closer look at the challenges we face on the path to a fair and inclusive Europe that strives to leave no one behind as we decarbonise, modernise and digitalise our economies. This episode in the series is on ‘keeping strong social sciences and humanities in Europe’ – an in-depth discussion about why understanding people, cultures and societies is so vital for Europe, and how it contributes to competitiveness, social cohesion, just transitions and democratic stability. The EU is currently outlining its budget and all eyes are on how much money will be made available for research and innovation, and crucially, how much for of that will go into researching our societies. Our guests include Vera Jourova, the Vice-Rector of Charles University and former European Commissioner, Jurgen Rienks, director of the Netherlands house for Education and Research (Neth-ER), Jeroen Jutte, Director at DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, Emmanuelle Gardan, Director at Coimbra Group of Universities, Gabi Lombardo, Director of EASSH, and Georgia Curea, policy officer at The Guild.

This episode in the series is ‘on fighting poverty’ – with a keen eye on the EU’s upcoming Anti-Poverty Strategy and policies which can greatly improve the situation for European citizens living under the poverty line as well as prevent people from falling into poverty. We hear from some of the people who’ve fallen below that line and investigate what can be done to support people back into work. Our guests include UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, Olivier de Schutter; BusinessEurope's Director of Social Affairs department, Maxime Cerutti; Director of the European Social Observatory, Slavina Spasova and Luca Ratti, Professor in employment rights at the University of Luxembourg.

This new episode is all about Just Transition. What exactly is Just Transition? What does it mean to different people around the globe, and what is the role of the EU? Shifting to a sustainable economy is something that affects all of society, but how the idea of ‘leaving no one behind’ is delivered, depends on people’s and country’s contexts. In this episode, we look at this question from international perspectives. You will hear from civil society, youth, indigenous people, from the global north and the global south, as well as representatives of workers and employers. We met them in Bonn, Germany, at the United Nations climate change conference held a few weeks ago to prepare for the COP30 in Brazil. You will also hear from researchers who support policy makers with scientific evidence. Nthabi Mohlakoana is a researcher at the Delft University of Technology, on the social aspects and governance of energy transitions and energy justice who talked to us about pathways to a just energy transition in South Africa. And Detlef Van Vuuren, who leads ELEVATE, a project funded by the Horizon Europe programme that’s finding ways to integrate justice and equity into climate modelling.

Our third episode is all about ‘Sustainable lifestyles’. What does it mean to live a sustainable life and how realistic is it? Can research insights help make the choices that are good for the planet also people’s default option, and what role can local communities play in all this? We delve into two key research projects funded by the EU’s Horizon Europe programme. Our guests, researchers Rosie Robison from the ‘Shared Green Deal’ project and Lewis Akenji from the ‘Positive and Sustainable Lifestyles’ project, unpack the findings from their work and what they could mean for policymaking. We also dropped into a Brussels market to hear shoppers talk about their buying habits.

Our second episode in this series is ‘Union of Skills: game on!’ – a plan to improve high-quality education, training, and lifelong learning to help workers respond to changes in the economy and stay competitive in the labour market. The Union of Skills also aims to bridge the gaps in skills that are hindering European competitiveness. The episode is built around the recent European Social Forum, which featured a demonstration by the EU-supported Megaskills project, demonstrating how gaming can help people of any age to develop soft skills – such as problem-solving, resource management and critical thinking – that employers are increasingly looking for. Our guests include a partner in the EU Megaskills project, Afonso Araujo; psychologist and researcher Sergio Alloza; European Social Forum youth dialogue participants Jan Holý, Diana Voutyrakou and Miruna-Ioana Sandor; digital skills expert Professor Katriona O’Sullivan; and Mario Nava, director-general of the European Commission’s directorate-general for employment, social affairs and inclusion.

This episode examines the challenge for policymakers at all levels – European, national, regional and local – of addressing European citizens’ concerns that they and their communities may not benefit from economic, social and technological change. We look at this question from various perspectives with guests including Lars Katzmarek, a German policymaker and rapper chronicling the challenges facing his home state of Brandenburg; researchers James Scott and Žarko Šunderić, both participants in research projects looking at the concept of leftbehindedness from different angles; and Judit Carreras, director of Spain’s Just Transition Institute, who shares with us her country’s pioneering work to ensure that policymaking for the future leaves no-one in the past.