Enriching policy with academic-driven advocacy: how to bridge the gap
16 June 2025
12:00-14:00 Presentation and Q&A followed by lunch
UM Brussels Hub, Avenue des Arts 47, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
- How can academic research contribute more directly to shaping effective public affairs strategies in Brussels?
- What can practitioners gain from engaging more closely with universities and scholars?
- Can we turn evidence into real EU policy impact?
Find out the answers to these questions and more during the lunch discussion at the UM Brussels Hub on June 16th! Together, Prof. Dr. Neuhold (Maastricht University) and and Vicky Marissen (European Training Institute) will engage in an informal and insightful conversation about how research can be better integrated into public affairs strategies, and how advocacy professionals and academics alike can benefit from more sustained collaboration.
The discussion will feature Christine Neuhold, Professor of EU Democratic Governance and Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Maastricht University. With extensive research experience in EU institutions and governance, Prof. Dr. Neuhold brings the academic lens to public affairs, one grounded in evidence, institutional knowledge, and a deep understanding of how policy processes really work. Her work has long emphasised the importance of knowledge-sharing between academic institutions and policy practitioners.
Prof. Neuhold will be joined by Vicky Marissen, a Senior Public Affairs Specialist at ETI. With years of hands-on experience navigating the Brussels policy landscape, advising clients across sectors, and designing strategic advocacy campaigns, Vicky offers the practitioner’s view one that values coalition-building and the art of influence. Her perspective is rooted in practice, but she increasingly sees the need for stronger connections to academic research in creating arguments that resonate with policymakers.
Together, they will engage in an informal and insightful conversation about how research can be better integrated into public affairs strategies, and how advocacy professionals and academics alike can benefit from more sustained collaboration.
