Professor Giliberto Capano

2026 Academic Fellow, February – July

Professor Giliberto Capano is an internationally recognised expert in public policy and policy design at the University of Bologna. As leading figure in comparative public policy research, he has advanced the study and practice of public policy globally. His work examines how policies and policy instruments are designed, calibrated and adapted, particularly under conditions of uncertainty.

Professor Capano has advised national and international bodies on governance reform and policy design and has played a central leadership role in the international policy studies community, serving on key committees and consortia for political research throughout his career. He regularly delivers executive training courses for public servants in Europe, Latin America, and Asia.
Notably, he was one of the twelve founding members of the International Public Policy Association.

Fellowship focus

Designing Robust and Micro-Calibrated Policy Instruments: Comparative Lessons from Australia’s Higher Education and Digital Regulation Reforms

Professor Capano’s Fellowship examines how governments design policy instruments that remain effective under uncertainty. Drawing on comparative lessons from Australia’s higher education and digital regulation reforms, the Fellowship explores how policy instruments are calibrated, combined and adapted over time.

The work translates comparative policy research into practical insights for policymakers, with a focus on policy capacity, governance arrangements and leadership.

Areas of expertise

• Policy design and policy change, including the design of robust policy instruments

• Policy capacity, governance and performance, across different institutional contexts

• Comparative public policy analysis, with a focus on reform and institutional variation

Publications & Awards

Professor Capano has authored or co-authored eleven monographs, edited eighteen books, and published more than two hundred scholarly works, including journal articles and book chapters. His publications have appeared in leading international journals such as Public Administration, Journal of European Public Policy, Policy Sciences, Regulation & Governance, Governance, Public Policy and Administration, Policy Studies Journal, and Policy & Politics.

He is listed among the Stanford–Elsevier World’s Top 2% Scientists (2022–2025) and, in 2025, was awarded the title of Doctor Honoris Causa in Social Sciences by the University of Buenos Aires.

Connect

To connect or enquire about engaging with this Fellow, please get in touch with us.

University of Bologna Profile.