Contribute to EUIdeas
EUI academics can pitch ideas for articles to euideas@eui.eu.
EUIdeas publishes short articles (800-1,200 words) or brief multimedia content by EUI academics at all career stages on their research topics and fields of expertise. These pieces aim to shed light on topical issues or bring to the forefront subjects that the authors argue deserve more notice. EUIdeas is aimed at a general, informed audience interested in social, political, legal, and economic issues.
When an article idea is approved, contributors should provide short evidence-driven analysis of their chosen argument, with the clear scope of shaping perceptions of the issue. Articles that simply present research results will not be considered for publication, nor will traditional opinion pieces advocating for a particular political platform or ideology.
Proposed articles must lie in the author's areas of expertise. EUI authors can publish a maximum of two EUIdeas pieces per academic year. Non-EUI authors can publish or be featured on this thought leadership platform only when their article is co-written with an EUI academic.
The EUIdeas platform aims to showcase an EUI scholar's unique viewpoint in a way that will open readers' eyes, not as a mere opinion, but as an insightful argument supported by robust research and evidence.
While most contributions are single, stand-alone articles, authors may also propose multi-author 'symposia' of three pieces which comprehensively treat a selected topic.
Editorial policy
The EUI reserves the right to edit any article for clarity or brevity. The contributing author will be invited to review the changes before the piece is published.
Editing process
The EUIdeas editor will review submitted articles aiming to enhance their readability for the general public. Authors will then receive the edited version and have a chance to respond.
All articles must be evidence-based or research-based. The EUIdeas editor may verify factual accuracy or request supporting links. Articles lacking evidence or sources will not be published.
Style guidelines for contributors
Length and format
To increase readability and accessibility, EUIdeas entries should be between 800 and 1,200 words, written in British English. The writing should be native quality, read naturally, and be understood by a wide audience.
Entries should be submitted in Word format, with the author's name at the top. Given that the EUIdeas format is short, authors are invited to focus on one main argument only, with 3-4 supporting points, and to clarify the main argument at the beginning of the piece.
Audience, writing style and language
EUIdeas aims to increase public understanding of the social sciences. Accordingly, articles must be written with a wide audience in mind, including academics from across the disciplines, policymakers, and non-academics. Authors should avoid jargon, lead with the main idea, and present their arguments clearly and succinctly. If a technical term is used, it must be defined in the body of the article.
Referencing
The EUIdeas articles uses hyperlinks instead of traditional citations for references. Footnotes cannot be used on EUIdeas. Hyperlinks should direct readers to more detailed reports, research, news items, or other relevant articles. Authors should avoid paywalled sources and prioritise open access articles that will support readers in accessing further information. Ideally, authors should also link to relevant publications in the EUI repository Cadmus.
Titles
Authors should craft a short, narrative title – a single sentence or phrase that clearly summarises the main point. Within the article, a few subheadings should be used to effectively break up the text and improve its readability.
Teasers and images
Authors can propose a short teaser that summarises the article. The EUIdeas editor will draft a teaser for the pieces submitted without one.
EUIdeas authors and the platform editor will collaborate on selecting a suitable image to accompany the published article. All images used on EUIdeas articles must be of high-quality, horizontal, and free from copyright restrictions.
Graphs and charts
EUIdeas encourages the use of charts, figures, and other infographics to present data clearly and engagingly, as they are generally easier to interpret than tables.
Biography
EUIdeas provides full attribution to all contributors. Authors should send to the editor a concise biography including their current academic position, research interests, and, if relevant, one or two recent publications.
Comments Policy
While comments on articles are not foreseen, evidence-based rebuttals and counter-arguments will be considered for publication as EUIdeas separate entries.
Creative Commons and article sharing policy
Unless otherwise specified, EUIdeas original articles are published under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International Public License (CC BY-NC 4.0) whereby others are free to use them for non-commercial purposes, with attribution. EUIdeas authors are free to publish their contribution on other platforms, specifying that the article was originally published on EUIdeas and linking to it.
Transparent use of AI tools
Authors who rely on AI tools at any point while writing their piece (whether for brainstorming ideas, generating examples, or for English editing and proofreading) must add a brief disclosure explaining how the AI tool was used. Authors may include this statement at the end of the piece.
Disclaimer
The European University Institute supports the principle of academic freedom. The views expressed in the articles and on the EUIdeas platform reflect the opinion of individual authors and do not necessarily represent those of the European University Institute or other contributors.