The Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies was launched by the European University Institute in 1993 building up on the experience of an already existing Policy Unit, created by Joseph Weiler. It is named for Robert Schuman. The first Director of the newly established Centre was (1993-2001), followed by Helen Wallace (2001-2006), Stefano Bartolini (2006-2013) and Brigid Laffan (2013-). The initial set up was rather modest: one director, one assistant and two secretaries, but over the years the Centre has grown into a large research centre pursuing interdisciplinary research into the key political challenges facing Europe and the EU today and bringing together academics and practitioners, in both policy dialogues and executive training. The Centre's mission is to “contribute to research on the major issues facing contemporary European society, including questions associated with the construction of Europe.” The Centre has several main programmes. The Global Governance Programme brings together academics, diplomats, public officers and officials from international organisations to connect the worlds of research and policy-making. It tackles a wide range of issues, including human rights, international trade, development, climate change, internet governance and regional integration. The programme hosts a series of events, including High-Level Policy Seminars, where participants can exchange ideas. The Florence School of Regulation (FSR) is a centre of excellence for independent research, training and policy dialogue. The FSR has been founded in 2004 as a partnership between the EUI's Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, the Council of the European Energy Regulators (CEER) and the Independent Regulators Group (IRG). The school also works closely with the European Commission. The FSR organises policy events dealing with key regulatory issues, provides academic training for practitioners, produces regulation research and promotes networking and the exchange of ideas in the areas of:   Policy and business decision-makers, regulators, regulated companies and academics from different countries are encouraged to share their experiences through the school. The European Union Democracy Observatory (EUDO), launched in 2006, is an independent and interdisciplinary academic organisation whose goal is to produce an assessment of democratic practices within the EU. EUDO gathers documentation and data, provides basic and applied research reports for EU institutions, and fosters dialogue between policy-makers, academics and EU citizens. The Migration Policy Centre has been founded in January 2012 and conducts advanced policy-oriented research on global migration, asylum and mobility. It serves governance needs at European and global levels, from developing, implementing and monitoring migration-related policies to assessing their impact on the wider economy and society.