Leopoldo Biffi

Leopoldo Biffi is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Niehaus Center for Globalization and Governance, Princeton University, with prior experience as a visiting fellow in Harvard University's Department of Government. His academic appointment centers on advanced research in global governance structures.

His educational background includes:

• Bachelor of Arts in International Relations (First Class Honours) from King’s College London, Department of War Studies
• Master of Arts in International Relations/Political Science from the Graduate Institute, Geneva
• Doctor of Philosophy in International Relations/Political Science from the Graduate Institute, Geneva

Dr. Biffi's research critically examines international institutions through the lens of institutional design theory. His work analyzes how preferential trade agreements (PTAs) and bilateral investment treaties (BITs) evolve to address cooperation challenges including political uncertainty and protectionist pressures. He investigates treaty implementation politics, international investment screening mechanisms, and the European Union's role in global economic governance, bridging theoretical frameworks with empirical policy analysis.

His current Niehaus Center affiliation supports ongoing projects exploring innovation in international agreement architecture, building directly on his doctoral dissertation examining institutional adaptation in trade and investment frameworks.