Institutes and centers specializing in federalism

The APROFED association is contacting you again following the remarks made yesterday by the president of the Northern Province, leader of UNI-Palika , stating that the agreements (Bougival and Elysée Oudinot) not only did not follow on from those of Nouméa but that they also led towards partition in view of the federalism project proposed by the loyalists (cf. Le 19h30: Edition of Thursday, January 29, 2026 – replays and streaming videos – Nouvelle-Calédonie la 1ère and Paul Néaoutyine distances himself from Bougival and Elysée-Oudinot | Les Nouvelles Calédoniennes ).

However, as already mentioned in one of our articles in November 2024, the loyalist project is not federalism (cf. The loyalists’ “territorial federation” project is not federalism – APROFED ).

The association even went so far as to question, a year later in another article, the status of this project which no one talks about anymore (see Where does the federalism of the Loyalists stand? – APROFED ), given that no information mission on the subject programmed by the State or the loyalists has been carried out since then with regard to the Caledonian population and that no delegation from the various local political groups has been visited from countries where this principle works such as in Germany, Switzerland or closer to home in Australia, even though it should be remembered that the Matignon-Oudinot and Nouméa peace accords are federal as the historian Luc Steinmetz reminds us in September 2024 (see Review of the intervention of Luc STEINMETZ of 07.09.2024 – APROFED ).

In this regard, we also list below some of the various centers for studies and training in federalism worldwide  :

Institutes and centers specializing in federalism

Institute of Federalism – University of Fribourg (Switzerland)

An international center of excellence in research, expertise, consulting, and training on federalism, decentralization, diversity management, and conflict resolution. It also offers summer courses and programs for practitioners (Summer University, technical training, workshops) and participates in constitution and governance projects worldwide.

European Centre for Research on Federalism (ECRF) – University of Tübingen (Germany)

An interdisciplinary center studying federal systems, regionalization, decentralization, and multi-level governance, including the study of the European system. It organizes conferences, research networks, and international collaborations.

Center for Studies on Federalism (CSF) – Turin (Italy)

University center dedicated to the study of federalism as a political doctrine and institutional practice at subnational, macro-regional and global levels.

Institute for Comparative Federalism – Eurac Research (Italy)

Applied research center on federalism, autonomy and plural governance. Also offers training programs (Winter School) for postgraduate students.

University research and training centers

Center for Federalism and Governance Studies – Addis Ababa University (Ethiopia)

Academic center with MA and PhD programs in federalism, devolution and governance, as well as short courses for government actors in the Horn of Africa region.

Institute of Intergovernmental Relations – Queen’s University (Canada)

University centre dedicated to research on all aspects of federalism and intergovernmental relations, in Canada and comparatively in the world.

Center on Foreign Policy and Federalism – St. Jerome’s University / University of Waterloo (Canada)

A center focused on the interaction between foreign policy and federalism, producing research, academic events, and international collaborations.

Center for Federal Studies – Jamia Hamdard University (India)

Academic center dedicated to the comparative study of federalism, offering MA and PhD programs as well as work on multicultural governance and the construction of the federal state.

Center for Comparative Constitutional Studies (Australia)

University research center focusing on comparative constitutional law, with a strong interest in federalism and intergovernmental relations.

Networks, publications and other training

International Association of Centers for Federal Studies (IACFS)

An international network of institutes and research centers on federalism (currently around 24 members spread across six continents). It promotes scientific exchange, cooperation, and publication, notably through the journal Publius: The Journal of Federalism, one of the leading academic journals on this subject.

In the United States, beyond the CSF, many university departments (political science, constitutional law) offer training in federal governance in major universities, but the CSF remains a major academic reference specifically focused on federalism.

International Political Science Association – Research Committee on Comparative Federalism (RC28)

A global network of researchers in federalism and multilevel governance, supporting conferences, publications and scientific exchanges.

Winter & Summer Schools , summer schools and intensive programs

Several institutes (including Eurac Research, University of Fribourg, and academic partners) organize intensive international programs providing advanced training in federalism, decentralization, and governance.

Other centers and related groups

(less exclusively focused on federalism, but active in relevant research)

• • Center for Political Analysis – Constitutionalism (CAPCF) – University of Quebec at Montreal (Canada) : political and constitutional analysis with a federalism component.

• • Center for Federalism Studies (referral to the CSF in Turin in French).

In France, there is no (as of today) center strictly specialized solely on federalism in the classical institutional sense comparable to those mentioned above, but several related or contributing structures :

Training and research in governance/federalism

• • International Centre for European Training (CIFE) – offers training courses (masters, intensive courses) in European studies, governance, democracy and themes related to European federalism (including political integration and multi-level governance).

Academic laboratories with related research areas

• • Pacte Laboratory (UMR CNRS, Sciences Po Grenoble / Université Grenoble-Alpes) – social science research unit with focuses on territorial governance, decentralization and public policies, which may include comparative federalist approaches in some work.

Associations and movements (political sense)

• • Union of European Federalists – UEF-France – civic/political movement on the construction of a federal Europe.

Other French think tanks

• • There are several think tanks (such as Ifri, IRIS, etc.) that can publish on global or European governance, but they are not specialized in institutional federalism as such.

In conclusion, the association recalls that the risky bets of UNI-Palika (see The risky bet of PALIKA, UPM and the State – APROFED ) to influence the position of the latter on the Bougival document and to try to divide the independence movement have proven unsuccessful, taking New Caledonia back again before July 12, 2025, or even closer to May 13, 2024.

This is why the association is again urging all parties involved, namely the State and their loyalists on the one hand and the separatists on the other, to return to the spirit of the Matignon-Oudinot and Nouméa agreements, therefore towards a real federal solution, otherwise the deadly events of 1988 could potentially be repeated, whether on Caledonian or metropolitan soil.

Wishing you a pleasant read and reminding you that federalism is the only solution to reconcile unity in diversity.

The APROFED association