Brooks School establishes faculty partnership with University of Torino

Building on a long-running successful collaboration centered on summer study abroad programming, the Brooks School and the University of Torino have established a new partnership to foster faculty and graduate student exchange.

Under the terms of the partnership, faculty and graduate students affiliated with Cornell's Brooks School and the University of Torino's Department of Economics and Statistics will have the opportunity to spend a semester abroad in residence at the other institution.

"This is an exciting opportunity for Cornell faculty and graduate students to work with our colleagues at the University of Torino and enjoy the intellectual and cultural exchange that has proven so popular with our students and faculty during the summer," said Laura Tach, professor of public policy and sociology at the Brooks School and chair of the Department of Sociology.

The partnership grew out of a summer experience offered by Brooks School faculty called Cornell In Turin: Public Policy, which examines contemporary policy issues through a European lens. The upcoming 2026 summer session includes the three-credit course "Population Controversies in Europe" (PubPol/Soc 3620) and features Brooks faculty members Tach, Matt Hall, professor of public policy and sociology and Director of Cornell Population Center, and Sharon Sassler, professor of public policy and sociology at the Brooks School, in addition to guest lectures from Italian faculty and local leaders with firsthand experience addressing population issues such as immigration, declining fertility, and population aging.

Seth Sanders, professor of economics and public policy at the Brooks School and chair of the Economics Department, a multi-college department within the Brooks School, the ILR School and the College of Arts and Sciences, helped to create the faculty and graduate student exchange program by fostering relationships with peers at the University of Torino-with economist Dr. Pierluigi Conzo playing a pivotal role in bringing Cornell faculty and students to UniTo.

"This really grew out of the generosity of the faculty and administration at the University of Torino hosting Cornell through the years and now we've found a way to create a formal relationship that will be a great benefit for both institutions," Sanders said. "Torino is one of Europe's great cultural capitals and it's a wonderful place to study."

More information about Cornell In Turin: Public Policy

• Faculty, graduate students, and PhD students interested in participating in the exchange should contact Professor Tach or Professor Sanders.

• Undergraduate students interested in signing up for the 2026 Cornell in Turin Public Policy Summer Program can find more information here.