Consortium Members

The Multilinks consortium members combine their expertise in teams that will answer the questions posed in the respective work packages. Please click on the names of the institutes for a short description.

Erasmus University Rotterdam

The Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) prides itself as a “main port of knowledge”. The university is named after Desiderius Erasmus, a European ahead of his time, to whom Rotterdam owes the excellent reputation it has held for centuries in the academic world. The principal tasks of the Erasmus University Rotterdam are the generation and transfer of knowledge proceeding from a high degree of social engagement. To this end, the university pursues knowledge in an inquiring, critical, investigative and flexible manner, with a strong international orientation and following the values of professionalism, teamwork and fair play. From its founding, a clear orientation on society has been an essential characteristic of EUR. Providing expertise for the management of complex changes and contributing to solving complex social issues are in the university’s very DNA.

Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute

NIDI, since 2003 an institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), is one of the largest population research centers in Europe. NIDI studies population trends in their social, economic, spatial and historical contexts, analyses the determinants of demographic changes, and investigates their multiple consequences. As the national demographic institute of The Netherlands, NIDI has a long standing experience in policy-oriented research and related policy advice and consultations, both at the national and international level.

Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Brussels Free University) and Interface Demography

The Interface Demography research group at Brussels Free University has been active in teaching and research relating to the causes and consequences of demographic change, and in general methodology for the social sciences. Founded by Ron Lesthaeghe, who led the research group for over 20 years, research has been done in a number of interrelated fields: structural demographic change relating to the rise of new types of households, marriage dissolution, contraceptive behavior, fertility decline and underlying changes in value patterns (all linked in the concept of the “Second Demographic Transition” SDT; Ron Lesthaeghe, together with Dirk Van de Kaa was one of the founding fathers of this “SDT” concept and theory), population projections (classic cohort component projections executed in the research center as well as a long standing line of collaboration with the Planning Bureau and Statistics Belgium), welfare system sustainability in the face of the challenges stemming from an ageing population, integration of migrant groups in Belgian society, fertility, health and mortality, internal migration and housing.

Antwerp University, Research Centre for Longitudinal and Lifecourse Studies

The Research centre for Longitudinal and Life Course Studies (CELLO) originated from the Panel Study on Belgian Households (PSBH). For 11 years, PSBH collected the Belgian panel data for the European Community Household Panel (ECHP). After the closure of PSBH, the research horizon widened to the broader field of family sociology and sociology of labour. At this moment, the centre is active on several domains in the social sciences where the life course perspective is central, both theoretically and empirically. Both fundamental and policy oriented research projects are carried out. The research team in family sociology concentrates on the study of causes and consequences of important life course transitions. CELLO is involved in the Belgian GGP-team aiding the National Statistics Office in preparing and collecting the Belgian GGS. The research team studying the sociology of labour, focuses on the longitudinal analysis of careers and the consequences of individual career transitions on the further development of the career.

Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung (WZB)

Social science research is conducted at the WZB in selected problem areas of special concern to society under the general theme of “developmental trends, problems of adaptation, and possibilities for innovation in modern democratic societies”. The focus is on the problem-solving capacities of social and governmental institutions, often with an emphasis on the cross-national comparative context so as to learn from approaches taken in other countries.

The WZB is well integrated into the wider context of scientific discussions and closely linked to scientific activity in the German universities and other research institutions. The research contributes to both the treatment of practical issues and theory development in the social sciences. In addition to having an international comparative perspective, the empirical work is characteristically multidisciplinary since sociologists, political scientists, economists, and scholars from other disciplines collaborate at the WZB. Increasing attention is now being devoted to aspects of Europeanization and globalization. Intense cooperation has developed with research institutes throughout the world, above all the United States, Great Britain, France, the Netherlands, the Scandinavian countries, and Japan. Networks have been set up to facilitate cooperation on projects with scientists in eastern European countries.

Norwegian Social Research (NOVA)

The Norwegian Social Research Institute (NOVA) is a social policy research institute under the auspices of The Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research. The aim of the institute is to develop knowledge and understanding of social conditions and processes of change. Central issues are life-course events, living conditions, quality of life and mental health, as well as evaluations of programmes and services provided by public welfare.

NOVA’s key research areas are: welfare of children and youth, ageing, family, social security and social assistance, public policy and living conditions, migration and minorities, welfare services. NOVA is among the largest social research institutions in Norway, and has a highly competent and multidisciplinary staff of nearly 90 researchers. Sociology and psychology are the most common disciplines among the staff. More than 120 research projects are currently in progress, of which a substantial number are in cooperation with international partners. NOVA was recently appointed as a Nordic Centre of Excellence (NCoE) within the field of welfare research by the Association of Nordic Research Councils.

University of Utrecht; University College Utrecht

Utrecht University is a large and multifaceted knowledge centre that aims to provide teaching and research of international quality. With 8 faculties, 3,500 academic staff, 47 Bachelor’s degree programmes and 175 Master’s degree programmes Utrecht University offers courses in a huge range of disciplines. In terms of student numbers it is the largest university in the Netherlands. Utrecht University is one of Europe’s leading research universities, recognized internationally for its high-quality, innovative approach to both research and teaching.
University College Utrecht (UCU) is the international undergraduate Honor’s College of Utrecht University. It was the first organization in the Netherlands to implement the spirit of liberal arts and sciences. It is UCU’s mission to offer ambitious students an academic environment aimed at transforming their broad academic and social interests and their international orientation into academic excellence. UCU instructors are recruited among the best professors from Utrecht University with its respectable international research reputation, ensuring a solid connection between ongoing research and educational practice.

Estonian Interuniversity Population Research Centre (EKDK)

The development of the Estonian Interuniversity Population Research Centre has been building on the concept of the national population research institute. The main activities of the institute include: (1) monitoring, analyzing and projecting principal and emerging population developments which shape the demographic foundation of society; (2) undertaking policy-oriented research, advising government on the implications of population dynamics and inform the general public; (3) performing the role of methodological unit for the national system of population and social statistics.

The Institute has been responsible for the Estonian participation in several comparative research projects on topics related to the present project such as the European Family and Fertility, Dynamics of Population Ageing, Gender and Generation (under UNECE coordination), national projects in the framework of the European Population Committee, the Council of Europe, including the Demographic Situation of National Minorities and the Migrant Population. EKDK participated in the EC funded Network for Integrated European Population Studies, the Central European Demographic Network, the European Research Forum on Migration and Ethnic Relations, the Population Policy Acceptance Study: The Viewpoint of Citizens and Policy Actors Regarding the Management of Population Related Change (DIALOG), and needs of Female immigrants and their integration in Ageing societies (FEMAGE).

Università Bocconi, ‘Carlo F. Dondena’ Centre for Research on Social Dynamics

The Università Commerciale ‘Luigi Bocconi’ has about 14,000 students, 700 faculty members and 500 administrative staff. Bocconi’s has a strong commitment to research. The main areas of interest of the Dondena Centre are demography and the life course including fertility and family dynamics; development and social cohesion; welfare state and public policies. The Innocenzo Gasparini Institute for Economic Research (IGIER) was established at Bocconi in 1990, as the outcome of collaboration between Bocconi, the National Bureau for Economic Research and the Centre for Economic Policy Research. In 2000, IGIER was awarded the Centre of Excellence status by the Italian Ministry of University and Research.