Public Integrity Research Group (GRIP)

The Research Group on Public Integrity - Gruppo di Ricerca Integrità Pubblica (GRIP) focuses its research on issues of democratic governance. In particular, it deals with theoretical conceptualization, measurement and policy-evaluation linked to transparency, anti-corruption, accountability and civic participation in the broadly defined public sector. These themes are embedded in the perspective of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, notably in Goal 16 on Peace, Justice and Institutions.

It is an international collaborative group with partnerships different countries (in Switzerland, but also Brazil, Canada, China, Italy, Norway and Taiwan).

Fields of expertise:

• Transparency in public institutions
• Accountability and anti-corruption policies
• Lobbying and civic participation
• Measurement of governance initiatives
• Digital democracy
• Gambling regulation issues

Current projects include:

• Measuring corruption and trust in institutions (with SSHRC and Carleton University)
• Analysis of civic participatory platforms (with Innosuisse and Helvetic Forum)
• Analysis of transparency-focussed multi-stakeholder initiatives (OGP, OCP, COST, EITI, IATA) (with University of Oslo)
• Civic participation in international affairs (with different int’al orgs.)
• Analysis of government Twitter communication during COVID (with ENAP)
• Analyses linked to the new Swiss Federal Strategy on Corruption
• Scoping study identifying failures and detriments of transparency policies
• Analysis of accountability issues in crisis situations (with SSHRC and Dalhousie University)
• Conceptual analysis of interlinkages between transparency and disinformation
• Analysis of connections between better regulation and open government initiatives
• Monitoring anti-corruption policies (gaps and recent developments) in Germany
• Development of anti-corruption toolkits for public administrations at municipal level (with TI Italy).

USI Teaching activities linked to GRIP core research:

• Accountability and Performance in the Public Sector
• Current Issues in International Affairs
• Corruption in Public Administrations
• Basi politologiche delle istituzioni pubbliche

GRIP researchers collaborated and received funding from different academic funding institutions…

• Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF)
• European Science Foundation (ESF)
• Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC)
• Innosuisse

… and from public institutions

• United National Organization on Drug and Crime, Council of Europe, Transparency International, Open Government Partnership, World Lottery Association, UEFA and various national and subnational governments.