FutuRes is an EU-funded collaborative research project. It connects leading European demographers and economists with experts from policy and stakeholder engagement. The FutuRes Policy Lab developped eight qualitative scenarios, which describe possible futures of Europe, centered around the continent's population development. These scenarios are based on sound research data which were connected narratively by policymakers and other experts.

European societies are ageing. This puts strain on labour markets, social systems, families, and intergenerational solidarity. Additionally, crises and shocks occur as a result of the changing global climate, violent conflict and pandemics.

The challenge of the day is to create social policies that are resilient. Resilient in the sense of enduring, flexible, adjustable, but also sustainable, humane and fair. In this, the role of demographic researchers is to analyse population data and to provide data analysis and modelling that can support policy-making for a better future.

FutuRes is directed by Prof. Arnstein Aassve of Bocconi University in Milan, one of Europe’s leading experts on crisis resilience. The project brings together a transdisciplinary group of experts to identify policies for the resilience of Europe’s ageing population. It is funded by the European Union's Horizon Europe Research and Innovation programme.
An exceptional feature of FutuRes is that dialogue between the research team, policymakers and other stakeholders has been underway since the beginning. “Behind us are the days when researchers simply present their findings at the very end of a project”, says Prof. Aassve. Alongside its research, FutuRes will implement a Policy Lab, where scientists will match their research to practical challenges to resilience and aging, and propose knowledge-based policies. Through a series of larger and smaller events across all three years of the project, this transdisciplinary engagement, will shape the FutuRes research and ensure actionable results.