Stephan Köppe

Stephan Köppe is an Associate Professor at University College Dublin's School of Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice. He joined UCD in 2015 after working at universities in the UK (Edinburgh, St Andrews, Dundee) and Germany (Bremen), with research visits in Sweden (Stockholm, Linnaeus University/Växjö). He has held visiting professorships at the University of Fribourg (Switzerland, 2018-2019) and Trinity College Dublin (Spring 2022), and was a Senior Research Fellow at the HWK Institute for Advanced Study (Bremen, Germany) during 2022-23.

• University College Dublin (2015-present): Associate Professor since May 2025, Assistant Professor 2015-2025
• Institute for Advanced Study, Delmenhorst, Germany (2022-2023): Senior Fellow
• Trinity College Dublin (2022): Visiting Fellow
• University of Fribourg (2018-2019): Visiting Professor
• University of Dundee (2013-2014): Research Fellow
• University of St Andrews (2012-2013): Research Fellow
• University of Edinburgh (2009-2011): Research Fellow
• University of Bremen (2007-2009): Research Assistant

Professor Köppe's research focuses on comparative social policy with in-depth knowledge of welfare states in Ireland, Germany, and Sweden. His primary expertise lies in the privatization of social policy and welfare markets, spanning from private pensions to housing wealth, asset-based welfare, and private school choices. His PhD compared the governance, politics, and regulation of welfare markets across Germany, Sweden, and the United States. His recent work examines individual and household behavior in markets, responses to choice demands, intergenerational transfers, inheritance conflicts, active labor market policies, paternity leave, the Irish Fair Deal, and Working Family Payment. He is currently involved in research on large families as a poverty risk factor, as evidenced by his role in welcoming the 2025 special issue of the International Journal of Social Welfare on this topic.

Professor Köppe teaches across social sciences in UCD's flagship BSocSc Social Policy & Sociology (DN750) undergraduate program and the international Master of Public Policy. His research employs both qualitative and quantitative methods including sequence analysis, discourse analysis, and network analysis across multiple policy fields (pensions, education, schools, housing) and countries (Ireland, UK, Scotland, Germany, Sweden).

He holds a Dr Rer Pol from the University of Bremen and a Staatsexamen (MA-equivalent) in Political Science, Biology, and Education from the same institution. Professor Köppe is fluent in English, German, and Swedish, which supports his comparative research across European welfare states.

Professor Köppe actively welcomes PhD student applications in his research areas and facilitates visiting fellowships. His office hours during term time are Thursdays from 14:00-15:00, bookable up to 45 days in advance.