Fabrizio Gilardi studied political science (1994-1997) and European integration (1997-1999) at the University of Geneva. In 2004 he received the doctoral degree in political science at the University of Lausanne, where he was first teaching assistant (1999-2004) and then lecturer (2004-2007). In 2007-2008 he was visiting scholar at Harvard University, and since August 2008 he has been professor of public policy at the University of Zurich