About us

Vienna Global Forum

Who we are

The Vienna Global Forum is the result of a close collaboration between ÖFSE (Austrian Foundation for Development Research), the International Political Economy Research Group at King’s College London and the Helsinki Centre for Global Political Economy.

Since the 2008 global financial crisis, intensifying geopolitical rivalries as well as escalating trade conflicts have weakened international cooperation, contributing to the emergence of a more fragmented and multipolar global system. In this context, elements commonly associated with the so-called liberal international order are experiencing mounting strain: as the legitimacy of key global governance institutions erodes, organizations such as the United Nations and the World Trade Organization face growing difficulties in addressing contemporary economic and political problems and crises. Rather than reflecting the breakdown of a singular and stable order, these developments are better understood as symptoms of broader transformations in an evolving and contested world system. As a result, many state and non-state actors are seeking alternatives to the prevailing disorder.

Our Mission

Against this backdrop, the Vienna Global Forum brings together voices from academia, policymaking, and civil society from around the world to foster a transdisciplinary dialogue on the future of global cooperation. The project critically assesses the strengths and limitations of existing international institutions while exploring ideas and pathways for reforming and redesigning global economic governance. This includes examining proposals inspired by earlier initiatives such as the International Clearing Union, the New International Economic Order, and global taxation schemes aimed at addressing inequality, economic instability, and climate change. The project also considers the role of civil society and social movements as important for shaping alternative visions of global governance. Ultimately, the Vienna Global Forum seeks to contribute to a progressive and inclusive vision of international cooperation for the 21st century, one capable of countering current trends toward nationalist fragmentation and geopolitical rivalry.

What we do

Over the next three years (2026 – 2028), we will organize a number of complementary activities, including workshops, a high-level conference, a summer school, a Discussion Paper series, and a podcast, amongst others. Updates on our activities will be posted in the News section of this website.

VIENNA GLOBAL FORUM

Project Coordination

The members of the coordination team are:

Director of the Austrian Foundation for Development Research (ÖFSE)

Werner Raza

Director of the Austrian Foundation for Development Research (ÖFSE) in Vienna. An expert on international trade, global value chain analysis, and global development, his work has assessed the economic effects of free trade agreements such as the TTIP, CETA, as well as industrial upgrading potentials and the resilience of global value chains. He also contributes to discussions on the green and digital economies and the role of industrial policy in promoting the “twin transformation”.

Professor of International Political Economy at King’s College London

Magnus Ryner

Professor of International Political Economy at King’s College London, Ryner’s research primarily concentrates on European monetary integration and questions around its neoliberal nature, the Eurozone crisis and the EU’s failure to articulate a viable social-democratic alternative in its aftermath. He further focuses on post-industrial welfare capitalism, the impact of the Bretton Woods system on Europe’s export-oriented social market economies and the emergence of authoritarian neoliberalism in the aftermath of the Eurozone crisis.

Professor of World Politics and Global Political Economy at the University of Helsinki

Heikki Patomäki

Professor of World Politics and Global Political Economy at the University of Helsinki and member of the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters, he focuses on the democratic transformation of global governance. Frequently critiquing neoliberalism, he has proposed various progressive economic reforms like global taxes and public investments as a tool to overcome disintegrative tendencies, control global finance, mitigate climate change and democratize globalization. Patomäki’s recent work on the International Clearing Union (ICU) focuses on addressing modern trade imbalances, global financial instability and the „weaponization of interdependence“, exploring how a neutral international currency could hold both surplus and deficit countries accountable.

VIENNA GLOBAL FORUM

Advisory Board

To be announced in due course!

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