Professor of European and Global Governance
Eugénia
da Conceição-Heldt
Political scientist at the Technical University of Munich, working on how international organizations delegate power, stay accountable and adapt to a changing geopolitical order.
Biography
Eugénia da Conceição-Heldt has held the Chair of European and Global Governance at the Technical University of Munich since 2016. Her research explains how international organizations and the European Union gain authority, are held accountable and adapt to a changing world – with a focus on geopolitical shifts, China’s role in global economic governance, transatlantic relations, and political and technological disruptions.
After her PhD at Freie Universität Berlin and her habilitation at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, she was appointed full professor at TU Dresden in 2012 and awarded an ERC Starting Grant in the same year. She has been a Jean Monnet Fellow at the European University Institute, a Fulbright Fellow at Harvard University and a visiting scholar at Princeton University. Her work has been supported by the German Research Foundation, including a Heisenberg Fellowship, and by a Carl von Linde Fellowship of the TUM Institute for Advanced Study.
Beyond research, she has shaped institutions. From 2016 to 2021 she served as reform rector of the Hochschule für Politik München and as founding dean of the TUM School of Governance, and she co-founded the TUM Think Tank Global Challenges & Technology. With Munich Talks and the Munich Politics Network, she created forums that connect research with policy, business and civil society.
She has contributed her expertise to the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Agile Governance and the UNESCO Inclusive Policy Lab, and chaired the international jury of the John McCain Dissertation Award at the Munich Security Conference. In 2019 she received the European Medal of the Free State of Bavaria.
Education
2009
Habilitation
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
2002
PhD, Political Science
Free University Berlin, OSI
1998–1999
Master, European Studies
FU Berlin / HU Berlin
1995–1998
Diploma, Political Science
FU Berlin · TU Lisbon
Professional Path
-
2022–2027TUM IAS Carl von Linde Fellowship
-
2022Visiting Research Scholar, Princeton School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA)
-
2017–2020Founding Dean, TUM School of Governance
-
2016–2021Reform Rector, Hochschule für Politik München
-
2016Chair of European and Global Governance, TUM
-
2015Fulbright Visiting Fellow, Harvard University
-
2012ERC Starting Grant · Full Professor (W3), TU Dresden
Show All Positions ↓Show Fewer ↑
-
2024Board Member of the Interdisciplinary International Graduate School of Science and Engineering, TUM (ongoing)
-
2023Member of the Sustainability Award Selection Committee, supported by the Nobel Sustainability Trust Foundation (ongoing)
-
2023Member of the Bavarian American Academy (ongoing)
-
2022–2027TUM IAS Carl von Linde Fellowship
-
2022Visiting Research Scholar at Princeton University's School of Public and International Affairs
-
2020Co-founder of the TUM Think Tank Global Challenges & Technology
-
2020Dean of the TUM School of Governance, Technical University of Munich
-
2018Founder of the Munich Politics Network
-
2017–2020Founding Dean of the TUM School of Governance, Technical University of Munich
-
2017Founder of the Speaker Series Munich Talks
-
2016–2021Reform Rector of the Hochschule für Politik München, Technical University of Munich
-
2016Chair of European and Global Governance, Technical University of Munich
-
2015Fulbright Visiting Fellow at Harvard University, Center for European Studies
-
2014Call for a Professorship (W3) in International Relations and External Politics, University of Trier (declined)
-
2014Nominated by the President of the Leibniz Gemeinschaft as the representative of Political Science for the German Research Foundation (DFG) election 2015
-
2013Nominated by the European Research Council as a Member of AcademiaNet (Expert Database for Outstanding Female Scientists and Scholars)
-
2012Starting Grant from the European Research Council, "Delegation of Power to International Organizations and institutional Empowerment over Time"
-
2012Full Professor (W3) in International Relations, Dresden University of Technology
-
2011–2012Heisenberg Fellow, Social Science Research Centre Berlin (WZB)
-
2011Call for a Guest Professorship in European Integration, Humboldt University of Berlin (declined)
-
2010–2011Interim Professor in International Relations and European Integration, Free University Berlin
-
2010Call for a Professorship in Political Science, Warsaw School of Social Sciences and Humanities, Warsaw, Poland (declined)
-
2009–2010Interim Professor in Comparative Politics, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf
-
2009Visiting Fellow Centre for European Studies, Carleton University Ottawa (Canada)
-
2008Assistant Professor, Comparative Analysis of Political Systems, Humboldt University of Berlin
-
2007–2008Jean Monnet Fellow, European University Institute, Florence
-
2003–2007Assistant Professor, Comparative Analysis of Political Systems, Humboldt University of Berlin
-
2000–2002Research Associate, Lecturer and PhD. Student, Free University BerlinLecturer, Centre for European Studies, University of Szczecin
-
1999Trainee, General Direction Legislative Procedures (Co-Decision), Secretariat of the Council of the European Union, Brussels
Honors & Awards
- 2019European Medal for Special Services to the Free State of Bavaria in Europe and the World
- 2018–2024President of the international jury, John McCain Dissertation Award, Munich Security Conference
- 2015Fulbright Fellowship, Center for European Studies, Harvard University
- 2010Heisenberg Fellowship, German Research Foundation (DFG)
- 2007–2008Jean Monnet Fellowship, European University Institute, Florence
Show All 19 Honors ↓Show Fewer ↑
- 2024Board Member of the Interdisciplinary International Graduate School of Science and Engineering, TUM (ongoing)
- 2023Member of the Sustainability Award Selection Committee, supported by the Nobel Sustainability Trust Foundation (ongoing)
- 2023Member of the Bavarian American Academy (ongoing)
- 2023Chair of the Jury International Political Economy Graduate Student Award, International Studies Association
- 2021Nominated for the Society for Women in International Political Economy (SWIPE) Mentor Award of International Studies Association
- 2021Member of the UNESCO Inclusive Policy Lab
- 2020Member of the World Economic Forum's Global Future Council on Agile Governance 2020-2022
- 2019"Global Democracy in Decline? How Rising Authoritarianism Limits Democratic Control over International Institutions": Most compelling paper has been published in Global Governance: A Review of Multilateralism and International Organizations
- 2019European Medal for Special Services to the Free State of Bavaria in Europe and the World
- 2019Member of the Board of Directors, World Portuguese Network
- 2018Counselor of Portugal in the World – World Portuguese Network/Portuguese Diaspora Council – under the patronage of the Portuguese President
- 2018–2024President of the international jury of the John McCain Dissertation Award by the Munich Security Conference
- 2015Fulbright Fellowship, Center for European Studies, Harvard University
- 2010Heisenberg Fellowship, German Research Foundation (DFG)
- 2009–2010Calouste Gulbenkian Fellowship, Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies, Washington D.C. (declined)
- 2009Visiting Fellowship, Centre for European Studies, Carleton University, Ottawa
- 2007–2008Jean Monnet Fellowship, European University Institute, Florence
- 2000–2002PhD Fellowship, Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes
- 1998Prize Europe for the Diploma thesis of the German Association of Berlin Merchants and Industrialists
Memberships & Service
- 2024Board Member, Interdisciplinary International Graduate School of Science and Engineering, TUM
- 2023Member of the Bavarian American Academy
- 2023Member of the Selection Committee, Sustainability Award supported by the Nobel Sustainability Trust
- 2021Chair of the Jury International Political Economy Graduate Student Award, International Studies Association
- 2020–2022Member of the Global Future Council on Agile Governance, World Economic Forum
- 2018Member of the World Portuguese Network (Portuguese Diaspora Council)
Show All 34 Memberships ↓Show Fewer ↑
- 2024Board Member, Interdisciplinary International Graduate School of Science and Engineering, TUM
- 2023Member of the Bavarian American Academy
- 2023Member of the Selection Committee, Sustainability Award supported by the Nobel Sustainability Trust
- 2021Chair of the Jury International Political Economy Graduate Student Award, International Studies Association
- 2021Member of the Jury International Political Economy Distinguished Scholar Award Committee, International Studies Association
- 2020–2022Member of the Global Future Council on Agile Governance, World Economic Forum
- 2020Member of the Jury International Political Economy Graduate Student Award, International Studies Association
- 2020Member of the Advisory Board of the Online Magazine Politikon
- 2020Member of the Advisory Board of the Swiss National Science Foundation Project: „Accountability of International Organizations", Prof. Liliana Andonova,Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies Geneva
- 2020Member of the external evaluation committee of study programs at Universidade Nova and Universidade Lusófona, Lissabon
- 2020European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR) Representative at the Hochschule für Politik, Technical University of Munich
- 2019Member of the Advisory Board of the European Research Council Project: „The Decline and Death of International Organizations", Prof. Hylke Dijkstra, Maastricht University
- 2018–2020External Examiner at the London School of Economics (MSc International Political Economy; IR455 Economic diplomacy; IR453 Global Business in International Relations; IR499 Dissertation)
- 2018President of the international jury of the John McCain Dissertation Award by the Munich Security Conference
- 2018Advisory services for the European External Action Service
- 2018Member of the World Portuguese Network (Portuguese Diaspora Council)
- 2017–2020Head of several search committees at TUM – including Digital Governance, Global Security & Technology, Global Health, International Political Economy, and Politics of Finance
- 2017–2021Vertrauensdozentin Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes
- 2017Member of the American Political Science Association
- 2017Member of the external evaluation committee of the Universidade Lusíada de Lisboa for the Master program Politics of Security
- 2017Chairwoman of the Jury of the Friedrich Schiedel Prize "Politics & Technology"
- 2017Contribution to the acatech study "Germany's Role in European Innovation Policy" for the Innovation Dialogue of the German Chancellor
- 2017Member of the external evaluation committee of the Fundação para o Estudo e Desenvolvimento da Região de Aveiro for the Master program Security, Defense and Conflict Resolution
- 2016Member of the external evaluation committee Master in European Studies, Ruhr-University Bochum
- 2014–2016Deputy Director of the Center for International Studies, Dresden University of Technology
- 2014Editorial Board of Zeitschrift für Politikwissenschaft
- 2013–2015Head of the Department of Political Science, Dresden University of Technology
- 2012Member of the European Union Studies Association
- 2010Member of the International Doctoral Program of the Berlin Graduate School of Social Sciences (BGSS) Council, Humboldt University of Berlin
- 2008Member of the International Studies Association
- 2008Member of the committee of the Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes for the selection of graduate students
- 2008Member of of several search committees of professorships in political science and external reviewer of several dissertation and habilitation committees (European University Institute, Humboldt University of Berlin, Dresden University of Technology, University of Salzburg, University of Leuven, University of Edinburg)
- 2005–2010European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR) Representative at the Humboldt University of Berlin
- 2000Member of the German Association of Political Science
Reviewer Activities
Show All 39 Reviewer Activities ↓Show Fewer ↑
Foundations
Bertelsmann StiftungDeutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD)European Research Council (ERC)Fulbright CommissionMargarete von Wrangell Habilitation Programme for Women of the German Bundesland Baden- WürttembergResearch Foundation FlandersStudienstiftung des deutschen Volkes
Journals
American Political Science ReviewComparative European PoliticsEuropean Journal of International RelationsEuropean Union PoliticsGlobal GovernanceJournal of Common Market StudiesJournal of Comparative Policy AnalysisJournal of Contemporary European ResearchJournal of European Public PolicyJournal of European IntegrationJournal of International Relations & DevelopmentJournal of Peace ResearchJournal of Public PolicyJournal of International Dispute SettlementInternational InteractionsInternational NegotiationInternational Political Science ReviewInternational RelationsInternational Studies QuarterlyInternational Studies ReviewNegotiation JournalPolitics & PolicyPolitische VierteljahresschriftRegional & Federal StudiesReview of International Political EconomyReview of International StudiesReview of International OrganizationsRevue Politique EuropéenneScandinavian Political StudiesWest European PoliticsWorld Trade Review
Latest Public Engagement
Defuse it or Lose it: How to Defuse Interdependence without Blowing up the Liberal World Order
Roundtable on European Industrial Policy
How should Europe respond to industrial policy from China and the US? What are the key principles behind an effective, green, resilient, and affordable industrial policy? And how do we, as Europe, coordinate industrial policy?
These crucial questions took center stage last Friday at the seminar “European Industrial Policy in a Changing International Order”. Organized by the Institute for Public Economics (IPE), the European Macro Policy Network (EMPN), and the Dutch Ministry of Finance, the event gathered policymakers, academics, and journalists to discuss the future of European industrial strategy.
Professor da Conceição-Heldt joined an esteemed panel to discuss how Europe should respond to industrial policies from China and the United States. The discussion underscored the importance of shaping a sustainable and competitive European industrial policy in a rapidly evolving international landscape.
Achievements of Prof. da Conceição-Heldt’s Carl von Linde Fellowship honored by TUM President Prof. Thomas F. Hofmann
During the General Assembly of the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) at the Technical University of Munich on April 29, 2024, Prof. Eugénia da Conceição-Heldt was honored for her scientific achievements as part of her Carl von Linde Fellowship. TUM President Prof. Thomas F. Hofmann personally presented the certificate in a festive ceremony.
© Astrid Eckert