CEPOL Research Week takes place in Budapest

CEPOL organised its first Research Week between 3-6 June 2024 in Budapest. The Research Week brought together around 100 leading experts, academics, and practitioners from a wide range of disciplines including criminology, sociology, psychology, engineering, informatics, economics, medicine, law and political science. Throughout the week, a series of targeted workshops, interactive sessions, and collaborative discussions helped participants transform theoretical research into actionable strategies and solutions.

This interdisciplinary exchange provided valuable empirical insights into the complexities of security research, particularly in areas such as organised crime, drugs, human and firearms trafficking, and money laundering. These areas are among CEPOL’s priorities for the delivery of practical and innovative training solutions.

The event also focused on the introduction of innovative approaches that can be directly employed in training/ law enforcement operations, through the knowledge gathered at the EU Agencies Network on Scientific Advice (EU-ANSA) and the EU-Innovation hub for internal security,  strengthening the connection between advanced academic research and the practical application of such findings in the daily operations of law enforcement agencies, as well as capacity building response. This year, CEPOL is chairing the EU-ANSA network, within the scope of the joint coordination of the EU Agencies Network (EUAN) by the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT) and CEPOL. 

On 4 June 2024, the "7th Meeting of the EU Agencies Network on Scientific Advice (EU-ANSA) Futures Cluster" organised by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addictions (EMCDDA) took place during the CEPOL Research Week. 
Representatives from several agencies and the European Commission convened to share insights andexpertise on effectively integrating foresight methods into organisational strategies, with the final goal of enhancing preparedness for future developments.

CEPOL’s aim is to establish the Research Week as an informative, one-stop shop forum bringing together different communities involved in research for law enforcement training at EU Level, and to enrich the dialogue with the participation of young researchers and strategic contributions from invited stakeholders.  By supporting young researchers, the initiative commits to injecting fresh ideas and perspectives into CEPOL training intervention strategies to help prevent and fight crime.

Background information

Within the scope of the CEPOL strategy 2023-2027, recognising the need to create a new impetus in research for law enforcement training at EU level, this initiative was developed to promote the dissemination of research findings and foster the growth of scientific knowledge across various networks. Its primary goal is to facilitate the exploration of trends, challenges and best practices, foresight topics and opportunities in security, specifically focusing on disrupting and dismantling high-risk criminal networks.

Such discussions also help raise awareness regarding the EU's unified operational approach, especially within the framework of the European Multidisciplinary Network Against Criminal Threats (EMPACT) and the EU Strategic Training Needs Assessment priorities, and contribute to the delivery of the most effective training and capacity building in the field.