This research cluster aims to advance knowledge about how regional integration affects socio-economic issues and social policies. This research cluster aims to advance research as well as policy dialogue and builds upon established partnerships with UNESCO, UNDESA and ILO. The ambition is to bring together existing expertise on social policy issues with expertise on regionalisation in order to facilitate inter-regional dialogue, policy learning and capacity building processes. It contains two strands of research:

• The study of regional trade and investment agreements from a political economy perspective
• The study of regional dimensions of social policies