Federalism - a catchword on everyone’s lips. A concept that nowadays has become extremely popular, not only at national but also at European and at global level. But let’s be honest: who could right off the bat properly explain what federalism means?

In 2012 the researchers of the Institute for Comparative Federalism developed a set of simulation games in which the participants embody the role of experts and develop different models of federations before agreeing on a common federal system.

The idea at the basis is to create a federation in a step by step process: the simulation game consists of several modules that focus on different components and profiles of multisphere-structures of government and governance. At present three of them have been outlined: a first module on decision making processes in federal countries, a second one on the division of legislative and administrative competences among the different tiers of government and a third one on financial relations and allocation of powers in fiscal and financial issues. The participants experience in first person which relations exist between the government levels and what consequences derive from every single decision in different policy fields.

“Learning by doing” has turned out to be an excellent method both for beginners as well as for advanced learners. Our simulation game can be easily adapted to the knowledge and the skills of the target group (from 13 to 99 years). We offer the role play in German, Italian, English or in a bilingual version (German-Italian).

In 2013, the simulation game "Let's go federal!/Verbünden wir uns!/Federiamoci!"® has been registered as European figurative trademark.

In collaboration with Eurac Junior our role play has become even a "schoollab" which will be offered during the school year to high schools in Bolzano/Bozen. The role play is facilitated by the researchers of the Institute for Studies on Federalism and Regionalism. Download the flyer for more detailed information.

Moreover, listen below to two radio broadcasts on the rules of our game (in German language)!

Radio broadcast (in German language) with our researcher Elisabeth Alber: