The Europeans of the 21st century

Demographic change is one of the defining megatrends of our time. Europe’s societies are ageing, shrinking, and becoming increasingly diverse — a trend that will intensify in the coming decades and bring new challenges for regional development, labour markets, social cohesion, and intergenerational relations.

Organized by the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research in collaboration with Villa Vigoni, the High-level Expert Conference “The Europeans of the 21st Century” will convene a select group of eminent decision-makers from academia, politics, civil society, and the private sector. The meeting will explore future scenarios of population change in Europe and discuss policy approaches to foster cohesion and resilience across European societies.

Wolfgang Lutz, IIASA Distinguished Emeritus Research Scholar, will contribute to a panel discussion on per-capita productivity and growth, addressing how education and lifelong learning can offset the effects of an ageing workforce, support inclusion in increasingly diverse societies, and promote more flexible career paths.

In addition to his ongoing demographic research, Lutz leads the Yidan Prize–supported project at IIASA, which examines the role of education and human capital in sustainable development.

For over five decades, IIASA has been at the forefront of global demographic research, pioneering methods that link population dynamics with sustainable development. This tradition continues today through innovative work on human capital, multidimensional demography, and the role of education in shaping resilient, adaptive societies — topics central to the discussions at Villa Vigoni.