Our platforms

Institutions for Open Societies (IOS), an Utrecht University strategic theme, builds its societal impact on advances in interdisciplinary research.

Institutions for Open Societies (IOS) has three themes that form the foundation for an Open Society:

• Democracy and good governance
• Transitions and well-being
• Equality and diversity.

In 15 Platforms, researchers from various disciplines address key topics that are essential for building or maintaining sustainable and open societies. Anywhere in the world.

Our research activities seamlessly connect to the grand societal challenges identified in Horizon Europe.

Fifteen Platforms

• Future of Work
• Gender, Diversity and Global Justice
• Security in Open Societies
• Bottom-up Initiatives for Societal Change
• Behaviour and Institutions
• Contesting Governance
• Fair Transitions
• In/Equality
• Open Cities
• EU Platform
• Futures of Democracy
• Longtermism and Institutional Change
• Markets and Corporations
• Openness challenged: the university at risk?
• The Transactional State as an Institution for Good