New Interinstitutional Laboratory on Demographic Challenges launched: USI joins the initiative

The City of Lugano today presented the new edition of Lugano in Cifre 2026, the statistical yearbook that offers an updated snapshot of the city through data on population, economy, territory, services, and quality of life.

During the event, a Letter of Intent was also formalised, establishing the birth of the Interinstitutional Laboratory on Demographic Challenges. This initiative involves the collaboration of the City of Lugano, the research institutes of Università della Svizzera italiana (USI), the competence centres of SUPSI, and the IBSA Foundation for Scientific Research. For USI, the Laboratory represents an important opportunity to place its scientific expertise at the service of the region, fostering a structured dialogue between research and institutions. The objective is to translate the analysis of demographic changes into concrete public policy proposals and pilot projects grounded in scientific evidence.

The initiative arises in response to clear changes, such as the falling birth rate and the progressive ageing of the population. Priority themes include support for families and early childhood, work-life balance, social inclusion, and the promotion of intergenerational relationships.

Representing USI will be the Institute of Public Health, the Institute of Family Medicine, and the Centre for Economic and Political Research on Ageing, contributing multidisciplinary expertise to the development of innovative solutions to tackle one of the main challenges for the region's future.

The press release from the City of Lugano is available here.