PopDigests Policy Briefs Discussion Papers Policy Insights Books and Reports Newsletter Policy Insights Researchers and collaboration partners of Population Europe as well as eminent experts from leading organisations contribute to the debate on demographic developments that are of public interest by providing insights into pressing policy issues. Filter by topic AllAgeing and Life ExpectancyEnvironmentFamily and ChildrenHealthMigration and IntegrationProjections and ForecastsSociety and SolidarityWorking Life Language AllEnglishGermanFrenchSpanish Order by Date Title Image 01/11/2024 Rethinking Biobanks: The Power of Family Sampling By Melinda Mills In a recent Perspective article published in Nature, we - a team of researchers from the UK, USA, Norway, Australia, and the Netherlands - propose a new approach to genetic research that focuses on family-based sampling. In a recent Perspective article published in Nature, we - a team of researchers from the UK, USA, Norway, Australia, and the Netherlands - propose a new approach to genetic research that focuses on family-based sampling. Read more about Rethinking Biobanks: The Power of Family Sampling Image 17/10/2024 Home care and digitalisation: Where we get stuck – and how we can make progress By Johanna Schütz Innovative digital solutions hold great promise for supporting people who take care of older family members at home. But the gap between what technology provides and caregivers’ actual needs remains wide. For real impact, digitalisation efforts must become user-centered and accessible, addressing the everyday challenges of informal care. For real impact, digitalisation efforts must become user-centered and accessible, addressing the everyday challenges of informal care. Read more about Home care and digitalisation: Where we get stuck – and how we can make progress Image 17/10/2024 Why social mobility needs more than good grades By Fabrizio Bernardi Education remains a key tool for social mobility, especially for lower-class students, and policies like scholarships and academic support programs are crucial. Yet, it’s unrealistic to think education alone can fix inequality. Education remains a key tool for social mobility, especially for lower-class students, and policies like scholarships and academic support programs are crucial. Yet, it’s unrealistic to think education alone can fix inequality. Read more about Why social mobility needs more than good grades Image 17/10/2024 Skills shortage in the EU: Ways towards labour market resilience By Jakub Bijak and Emily Barker Which strategies can address Europe's skill shortage in the long term? Policymakers are discussing whether automation or migration could be effective. However, research shows that governments should be cautious about overly relying on either, as both these trends can be unpredictable and their effects short-lived. Instead, a resilient policy approach should focus on enhancing the attractiveness of labour markets. How to deal with Europe's skill shortage? Research shows that governments should avoid relying on migration or automation to fix the labour market. Instead, the policy should aim to attract workers in a targeted way. Read more about Skills shortage in the EU: Ways towards labour market resilience Image 30/09/2024 Demography as a driver of innovation and sustainability By Francesco Billari Sustainability is no longer just about the environment—it’s about people. And the most pressing issues we face, such as climate change and resource management, are inextricably linked to population dynamics. Sustainability is no longer just about the environment—it’s about people. And the most pressing issues we face, such as climate change and resource management, are inextricably linked to population dynamics. Read more about Demography as a driver of innovation and sustainability Image 31/07/2024 Crisis resilient governance: How our institutions can help European societies thrive in any future By Arnstein Aassve and Elena Bastianelli Recent crises, from the Great Recession to the COVID-19 pandemic, have sparked a debate among policymakers, politicians, and the public – about the urgent need for crisis resilience. Strengthening the resilience of individuals and communities is expected to reduce the vulnerability of our societies. Resilience is about adapting through renewal. A resilient system is one that can evolve, by learning to better cope with crises in the future. As our experts point out in this article, governments can enhance societal resilience, through three key activities. Read more about Crisis resilient governance: How our institutions can help European societies thrive in any future Image 10/07/2024 A Symphony for the Ages: Strategies for Classical Music Amid Demographic Shifts By Matthijs Kalmijn and Kène Henkens Historically, concert attendance increases with age across all generations studied: Older adults were never frequent concertgoers in their youth, indicating that interest in classical concerts develops later in life. Historically, concert attendance increases with age across all generations studied: Older adults were never frequent concertgoers in their youth, indicating that interest in classical concerts develops later in life. Read more about A Symphony for the Ages: Strategies for Classical Music Amid Demographic Shifts Image 10/06/2024 Speeding-up birth intervals: Economic relief but health risks for newborns By Sol Pía Juárez & Enrico Debiasi Family policies can have many unforeseen consequences. By examining Sweden’s “speed premium” policy, introduced in 1980, scholars at Stockholm University show that the policy was associated with a 24% increase in premature birth rates over the six years it was in force. Family policies can have many unforeseen consequences. By examining Sweden’s “speed premium” policy, introduced in 1980, Sol Pía Juárez and Enrico Debiasi show that the policy was associated with a 24% increase in premature birth rates over the six years it was in force. Read more about Speeding-up birth intervals: Economic relief but health risks for newborns Image 27/05/2024 Fertility decisions in crises: Policy lessons from COVID-19 and the Great Recession By Agnieszka Chłoń-Domińczak & Anna Maliszewska Fertility trends can be relatively crisis-resilient. Numbers from two recent major crises in Europe show this. However, not all countries were able to stabilise or rebuild their fertility trends. New research by the EU-funded FutuRes project’s team at the SGH Warsaw School of Economics looks into resilience as a core concept for demographic change. Based on a recent review of research literature, they discuss how policies can enhance fertility resilience. Birth rates have decreased in all EU countries. Multiple crises have aggravated this trend. However, there are signs of crisis resilience in birth rates and family planning, as new research by the EU-funded project FutuRes shows. Read here what this means for policy. Read more about Fertility decisions in crises: Policy lessons from COVID-19 and the Great Recession Image 13/03/2024 What the decline of birth rates in the Nordic countries means for family policy: A demographic paradox? By Nicole Hiekel Contrary to expectations, better gender equality does not seem to directly result in terms of higher fertility rates. Does this mean that the related policy challenges were wrongly framed? There is no doubt that gender equality continues to positively shape the opportunity structures for women and men to have children while pursuing careers. There is no doubt that gender equality continues to positively shape the opportunity structures for women and men to have children while pursuing careers. Therefore, the push for gender equality is something that policy makers should continue to take seriously. Read more about What the decline of birth rates in the Nordic countries means for family policy: A demographic paradox? Pagination Current page 1 Page 2 Page 3 … Next page › Last page »
Image 01/11/2024 Rethinking Biobanks: The Power of Family Sampling By Melinda Mills In a recent Perspective article published in Nature, we - a team of researchers from the UK, USA, Norway, Australia, and the Netherlands - propose a new approach to genetic research that focuses on family-based sampling. In a recent Perspective article published in Nature, we - a team of researchers from the UK, USA, Norway, Australia, and the Netherlands - propose a new approach to genetic research that focuses on family-based sampling. Read more about Rethinking Biobanks: The Power of Family Sampling
Image 17/10/2024 Home care and digitalisation: Where we get stuck – and how we can make progress By Johanna Schütz Innovative digital solutions hold great promise for supporting people who take care of older family members at home. But the gap between what technology provides and caregivers’ actual needs remains wide. For real impact, digitalisation efforts must become user-centered and accessible, addressing the everyday challenges of informal care. For real impact, digitalisation efforts must become user-centered and accessible, addressing the everyday challenges of informal care. Read more about Home care and digitalisation: Where we get stuck – and how we can make progress
Image 17/10/2024 Why social mobility needs more than good grades By Fabrizio Bernardi Education remains a key tool for social mobility, especially for lower-class students, and policies like scholarships and academic support programs are crucial. Yet, it’s unrealistic to think education alone can fix inequality. Education remains a key tool for social mobility, especially for lower-class students, and policies like scholarships and academic support programs are crucial. Yet, it’s unrealistic to think education alone can fix inequality. Read more about Why social mobility needs more than good grades
Image 17/10/2024 Skills shortage in the EU: Ways towards labour market resilience By Jakub Bijak and Emily Barker Which strategies can address Europe's skill shortage in the long term? Policymakers are discussing whether automation or migration could be effective. However, research shows that governments should be cautious about overly relying on either, as both these trends can be unpredictable and their effects short-lived. Instead, a resilient policy approach should focus on enhancing the attractiveness of labour markets. How to deal with Europe's skill shortage? Research shows that governments should avoid relying on migration or automation to fix the labour market. Instead, the policy should aim to attract workers in a targeted way. Read more about Skills shortage in the EU: Ways towards labour market resilience
Image 30/09/2024 Demography as a driver of innovation and sustainability By Francesco Billari Sustainability is no longer just about the environment—it’s about people. And the most pressing issues we face, such as climate change and resource management, are inextricably linked to population dynamics. Sustainability is no longer just about the environment—it’s about people. And the most pressing issues we face, such as climate change and resource management, are inextricably linked to population dynamics. Read more about Demography as a driver of innovation and sustainability
Image 31/07/2024 Crisis resilient governance: How our institutions can help European societies thrive in any future By Arnstein Aassve and Elena Bastianelli Recent crises, from the Great Recession to the COVID-19 pandemic, have sparked a debate among policymakers, politicians, and the public – about the urgent need for crisis resilience. Strengthening the resilience of individuals and communities is expected to reduce the vulnerability of our societies. Resilience is about adapting through renewal. A resilient system is one that can evolve, by learning to better cope with crises in the future. As our experts point out in this article, governments can enhance societal resilience, through three key activities. Read more about Crisis resilient governance: How our institutions can help European societies thrive in any future
Image 10/07/2024 A Symphony for the Ages: Strategies for Classical Music Amid Demographic Shifts By Matthijs Kalmijn and Kène Henkens Historically, concert attendance increases with age across all generations studied: Older adults were never frequent concertgoers in their youth, indicating that interest in classical concerts develops later in life. Historically, concert attendance increases with age across all generations studied: Older adults were never frequent concertgoers in their youth, indicating that interest in classical concerts develops later in life. Read more about A Symphony for the Ages: Strategies for Classical Music Amid Demographic Shifts
Image 10/06/2024 Speeding-up birth intervals: Economic relief but health risks for newborns By Sol Pía Juárez & Enrico Debiasi Family policies can have many unforeseen consequences. By examining Sweden’s “speed premium” policy, introduced in 1980, scholars at Stockholm University show that the policy was associated with a 24% increase in premature birth rates over the six years it was in force. Family policies can have many unforeseen consequences. By examining Sweden’s “speed premium” policy, introduced in 1980, Sol Pía Juárez and Enrico Debiasi show that the policy was associated with a 24% increase in premature birth rates over the six years it was in force. Read more about Speeding-up birth intervals: Economic relief but health risks for newborns
Image 27/05/2024 Fertility decisions in crises: Policy lessons from COVID-19 and the Great Recession By Agnieszka Chłoń-Domińczak & Anna Maliszewska Fertility trends can be relatively crisis-resilient. Numbers from two recent major crises in Europe show this. However, not all countries were able to stabilise or rebuild their fertility trends. New research by the EU-funded FutuRes project’s team at the SGH Warsaw School of Economics looks into resilience as a core concept for demographic change. Based on a recent review of research literature, they discuss how policies can enhance fertility resilience. Birth rates have decreased in all EU countries. Multiple crises have aggravated this trend. However, there are signs of crisis resilience in birth rates and family planning, as new research by the EU-funded project FutuRes shows. Read here what this means for policy. Read more about Fertility decisions in crises: Policy lessons from COVID-19 and the Great Recession
Image 13/03/2024 What the decline of birth rates in the Nordic countries means for family policy: A demographic paradox? By Nicole Hiekel Contrary to expectations, better gender equality does not seem to directly result in terms of higher fertility rates. Does this mean that the related policy challenges were wrongly framed? There is no doubt that gender equality continues to positively shape the opportunity structures for women and men to have children while pursuing careers. There is no doubt that gender equality continues to positively shape the opportunity structures for women and men to have children while pursuing careers. Therefore, the push for gender equality is something that policy makers should continue to take seriously. Read more about What the decline of birth rates in the Nordic countries means for family policy: A demographic paradox?