The Florence School of Transnational Governance of the European University Institute (EUI) and the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) are advancing their joint efforts to enhance crisis communication capacities in the public sector. This follows a tailor-made workshop on crisis communication held in Florence on 22 April 2024, which brought together ESM staff and communication experts to reinforce institutional crisis preparedness.
At the core of the initiative are two new publications: a Background Paper and a Handbook on Crisis Communication for Public Institutions.
The Background Paper provides a comprehensive literature review of academic research, institutional guidelines, and empirical studies on how public institutions can effectively communicate before, during, and after a crisis.
Building on this foundation, the Handbook on Crisis Communication for Public Institutions consolidates lessons learned from practice and theory into eight key principles—ranging from “Make Communication Part of Policy” to “Speak with One Voice”—for effective public communication during crises. As explained by Pierre Gramegna, Managing Director of the ESM, “This publication, a collaborative effort between the European University Institute and the ESM, serves as a guide for effective public crisis communication. It draws on an extensive review of relevant literature, executive courses, interviews with thought leaders, and best practices developed over the years.”
The Handbook features contributions from a diverse range of high-level interviewees—including former President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso or former Crisis Communications Chief at UNICEF Sarah Crowe—who reflect on the pressures and imperatives of communicating under uncertainty.
“This project is a prime example of how executive education and high-quality research can work together”, added George Papaconstantinou, Acting Director of the Florence STG, “Policymakers and institutions such as the ESM can bring useful lessons from direct experience of communicating in a crisis; and academic institutions are well equipped to draw conclusions from large bodies of literature and systematic interviews.”
To further broaden the exchange between policy and academia, the EUI and ESM will host a Conference on Crisis Communication in Florence on 28 November 2025, with an open call for papers.
This conference builds on these two publications and is open for submissions of new and innovative papers that investigate crisis communication cases and build on key concepts and frameworks from crisis communication literature. While crisis communication of public institutions is the main topic of the conference, papers focusing on private actors are also welcome when there is a clear relevance for public institutions.
Some of the broad themes the conference aims to address are:
- Pre-crisis, crisis, and post-crisis communication strategies of public institutions
- Content, form, timing, and channels of crisis communication
- Case studies (migration, health, diplomacy, security, finance, and other)
- Communication of unpopular policies and crisis decisions
- Reputation, stigma, and crisis communication
- The role of social media and generative AI in crisis communication
Each accepted paper will be presented and discussed during the conference, which will also be attended by policy and communication practitioners and keynote speakers. The aim of the conference is to facilitate a dialogue on effective crisis communication across sectors. Participants will thus benefit from networking and community-building opportunities in an informal environment.
Submission guidelines
This conference accepts three types of submissions:
- Abstracts of up to 300 words for papers to be submitted before the conference
- Work-in-progress papers that would benefit from presentation and discussion
- Full papers that have been published in the past five years
To apply for the conference, please submit your paper or abstract together with your CV through the registration platform by 30 June 2025. Academics at all stages of their careers are invited to apply. Only a select number of authors will be invited as conference participants. Costs of travel and accommodation in Florence are covered for all conference participants, as well as meals and a social dinner.
Please submit your applications using the online platform.
Contacts
Questions can be addressed to the conference organisers Jakov Bojovic and Juliana Dahl.