I4NG: Make it Strong: Social research for resilience in education, employment, and family
Summary
The workshop combines short expert presentations with guided, practical activities, creating space for exchange between academic researchers and policy experts. Participants are invited to engage actively in discussions and collaborative group work, applying key theoretical frameworks and European social data to concrete, policy-relevant research questions.
Description
Speakers:
- Professor Rumiana Stoilova, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
- Dr. Peter Benczúr, Joint Research Centre, European Commission
- Dr. Julia Le Blanc, Joint Research Centre, European Commission
- Dr. Yuliya Kazakova, GGP, Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute
- Dr. Ruxandra Comănaru, ESS, City St George’s, University of London
- Dr. David Consolazio, EVS, University of Milan
Make it Strong is an interactive workshop introducing the Strong Pillar of the NextGeneration Programme, with a focus on how social science research can support policies that strengthen education, employment, and family outcomes, promote intergenerational equality, and contribute to a more resilient society for the young generation across Europe.
Academic experts introduce core concepts and models underpinning the Strong Pillar, alongside an overview of major European surveys such as the European Social Survey (ESS), European Values Study (EVS), Generations and Gender Programme (GGP), and the CRONOS-3 dataset. Experts from the Joint Research Centre (JRC) will share insights into how social research informs evidence-based policymaking at the European level.
Participants work in small groups to explore research ideas, identify suitable data sources, and outline feasible analytical approaches. Guided group sessions support preliminary analyses and the preparation of short presentations or visual summaries. The workshop concludes with group presentations and discussion, fostering reflection and exchange across academic and policy perspectives.
What to Expect
- An interactive format with opportunities to contribute and collaborate
- A balance of expert input, discussion, and hands-on group activities
- Exchange with both academic and policy professionals
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:
- Apply theoretical frameworks and European social data to research questions on education, employment, family outcomes, and intergenerational equality
- Develop policy-relevant research questions and identify appropriate data sources and analytical approaches
- Communicate preliminary research ideas and findings clearly to academic and policy-oriented audiences
This workshop is ideal for participants who are interested in learning by doing in a collaborative and supportive setting.
Register via Zoom
About the speakers
Rumiana Stoilova is Professor at the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. Professor Stoilova’s research interests include sociology of stratification, inequalities in the transition to employment, sociology of gender, digital inequalities and intersectionality. She has previously worked with the European Social Survey and Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE).
Dr. Ruxandra Comănaru is a research fellow at the European Social Survey HQ based at City St George’s, University of London. She is primarily working on the Make it Green pillar within the Infra4NextGen project, as well as coordinating the collaboration between the other strands of the project. Ruxandra’s research interests include the design and adaptation of surveys for mixed modes of data collection, with a focus on enhancing the methodological accuracy of self-completion methods. She is also interested in questionnaire design, translation and cultural equivalence of research concepts.
Dr. David Consolazio is Assistant Professor at the Department of Social and Political Sciences of the University of Milan. Within the Infra4NextGen project, he works mainly on the Make it Digital and Make it Healthy pillars. David’s research interests lie at the intersection of sociology, epidemiology, and urban studies, focusing on the interplay of individual and contextual-level factors in shaping health and social outcomes, with particular attention on the social determinants of health and residential segregation phenomena.
Dr. Yuliya Kazakova is a research fellow for GGP based at the Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute (NIDI KNAW). Her work centres on the Make it Equal and Make it Strong pillars in the Infra4NextGen project. This involves close collaboration with leading European academics, the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre experts, and the Youth Board to engage young Europeans in data-driven discussion on key issues for future generations. Yuliya’s research interests lie in the field of health economics together with the evaluation of public policies with a particular focus on childhood health, childhood poverty and maternal employment.