Our mission is to educate and train current and future leaders, providing them with the knowledge, skills and networks to face global challenges in ways that are innovative and grounded in democratic values.
The Florence School of National Governance (STG) at the European University Institute was created precisely to respond to this need. Located in Florence and founded in a European institution established by the member states of the European Union, STG is a hub where policy makers, business leaders, civil society, media and academics come together to work on governance beyond national borders. Our mission is to educate and train current and future leaders, providing them with the knowledge, skills and networks to face global challenges in ways that are innovative and grounded in democratic values.
What makes this mission different is not only the topics we cover, but also how and with whom we cover them. We see leadership development as a practice embedded in a real institution, not a classroom-based practice. People don’t come to Florence to watch world governance from afar; they come to practice it, test hypotheses and create solutions alongside their colleagues who work on the front lines of policy and politics.
This philosophy underpins our program portfolio, from degree offerings to executive education. With early career professionals, we focus on helping them understand and shape governance outside of government, whether in international organizations, national administrations, the private sector or civil society. We encourage them to see institutions not as static structures, but as arrangements that can and must be strengthened and adapted to support a liberal, rule-based order under stress.
At the same time, we give great attention to executives who are already in positions of responsibility. Our Global Executive Master (GEM) is designed for experienced professionals who cannot stop their careers, but realize that the governance environment in which they work has fundamentally changed. Created by STG, GEM brings together participants from EU institutions, national administrations, international organisations, business and civil society – experts from different nationalities and institutional backgrounds, reflecting the alliances needed to tackle complex problems.
This program is designed to fit the reality of leadership today. Offered over two years, it combines online learning with residential sessions in Florence and principal study visits to key policy centers. This blended structure allows participants to remain in full-time roles while developing their qualifications and networks, and ensures that learning is continually tested against institutional realities rather than remaining an abstract exercise.
Participants specialize in tracks such as geopolitics and security, technology and governance, economics and finance, or energy and climate. In addition to this depth of study, they build capacities more associated with executive programs than traditional public policy degrees: change management, negotiation, strategic communication, foresight and leadership under uncertainty. This knowledge is essential for bridging policy design and implementation – a gap that is becoming increasingly apparent as governments struggle to implement ambitious agendas.
