As our global landscape continues to evolve rapidly, knowledge serves as a critical tool for informed decision-making and innovative responses to pressing global issues. Through their 'third mission,' universities expand their influence beyond traditional academic roles, emerging as informal diplomatic actors. They foster global collaboration and address common challenges such as public health crises, climate change, and geopolitical tensions.
Funded by the CIVICA Call for Thematic Activities, the KIND conference seeks to explore how CIVICA contributes to fostering global cooperation, advancing international dialogue, and addressing shared global challenges. By focusing on the collaborative efforts of CIVICA partners, the conference will highlight how academic institutions engage in diplomacy through knowledge-driven initiatives.
The conference will include representatives from five CIVICA universities (EUI, LSE, Bocconi, CEU, SGH) including senior faculty, academics, doctoral students, alumni, and staff. In addition, it will host representatives from other university alliances participating in the European Universities Initiative, alongside Ukrainian universities, EU policymakers, and high-level stakeholders. This diverse gathering will foster a multi-stakeholder dialogue enriched by various perspectives.
Over the two-day conference, we will examine how universities contribute to knowledge creation, shape community integration, and influence science policy interactions. We will explore their evolving role in global affairs, discussing potential tensions and concerns. Understanding this shift is crucial for university leaders, researchers, educators, students, and policymakers, as it underscores the strategic importance of universities as independent actors in current affairs.
Key Questions for Discussion
What role do universities play in fostering understanding and cooperation in the context of current geopolitical challenges and conflicts through informal diplomacy?
How do universities, particularly those within the CIVICA alliance, act as informal diplomatic actors?
In what ways can the knowledge produced and disseminated by universities influence international relations and policy-making?
Preliminary Programme
DAY 1
Thursday, 21st November
1:00 - 2:00 PM
Registrations
2:00 - 3:10 PM
Opening Remarks
Marina Cino Pagliarello (Marie Sklodowska-Curie Research Fellow, STG)
George Papakonstantinou (Acting Director, STG)
Panel 1: What is Informal Diplomacy in the Context of Higher Education?
This session will explore the concept of informal diplomacy within higher education, highlighting its significance and the unique role universities play in fostering international cooperation and dialogue.
Chair: Sébastien Huber (Director ad interim Development and External Relations Service, EUI)
Diane Stone (Professor, EUI)
Andrew Gunn (Lecturer, University of Manchester)
Claire Morel (Head of Unit Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions, DG EAC, Online)
Marina Cino Pagliarello (Marie Sklodowska-Curie Research Fellow, EUI)
Gaia Danese (International Cultural Relations and Public Diplomacy Coordinator, European External Action Service, Online)
3:10 - 3:30 PM
Q&A Session
3:30 - 4:00 PM
Group Picture & Coffee Break
4:00 - 5:10 PM
Gaby Umbach (Professor, EUI)
Paola Mattei (Professor, University of Milan)
Carle Bonafous-Murat (Professor, France/ Rectors’ conference - and EUI High Council, Online)
Pawel Wyrozebski (Professor and Dean of the Doctoral School, SGH)
5:10 - 5:30 PM
Q&A Session
5:30 PM
Guided Tour Palazzo Buontalenti (also known as the Casino Mediceo di San Marco)
7:30 PM
Dinner (by invitation only)
DAY 2
Friday, 22nd November
8:30 – 9:00 AM
Registrations
9:00- 10:25 AM
Panel 2: Reflection on CIVICA as Informal Diplomatic Actor (I)
This session will showcase CIVICA research, education, and engagement projects, emphasizing their role in fostering collaboration and addressing global challenges. It will explore how universities act as informal diplomatic actors, advancing cross-border partnerships and societal impact through knowledge-driven initiatives.
Chair: Zeineb Mazouz (CIVICA Coordinator, EUI)
Moderator: Grace Ballor (Assistant Professor, Bocconi)
Elena Asciutti (Coordinator for External Relations, EUI)
Iryna Degtyarova (Rector’s Representative for Cooperation with Ukrainian Universities, SGH)
Daniel Izsak (Visiting Professor, CEU)
Nadia Manzoni (PhD Candidate, CEU)
10:25 - 10:45 AM
Q&A Session
10:45 - 11:15 AM
Group Photo & Coffee Break
11:15 - 12:40 AM
Moderator: Angelo Martelli (Assistant Professor, LSE)
Alexandros Kentikelenis (Associate Professor, Bocconi)
Michela Taddeo (CIVICA Coordinator, Bocconi)
Malgorzata Znoykowicz-Wierzbicka (Deputy Head of the International Center, SGH)
Anastasiia Liesna, (Student, Kyiv National Economic University & CIVICA for Ukraine)
12:40 - 1:00 PM
Q&A Session
1:00 - 2:00 PM
Lunch (by invitation only)
2:00 - 3:30 PM
Panel 3: Reflection on CIVICA as Informal Diplomatic Actor (II)
This high-level discussion with CIVICA senior leaders will focus on the alliance's vision and strategy in tackling global challenges. It will highlight CIVICA's role in fostering collaboration, promoting academic innovation, and enhancing universities' diplomatic influence on higher education and global policy.
Chair: Simon Hix (Professor, EUI)
Moderator: Aurélien Krejbich (Executive Director, CIVICA)
Carlo Altomonte (Professor, Bocconi)
Paul Apostolidis (Professor, LSE)
Marie Azuelos (Deputy Director for International Affairs, Sciences Po)
Sébastien Huber (Director ad interim Development and External Relations Service, EUI)
Maria Eugenia Marin (Vice Provost Global Academic Partnerships & Alliances, IE University)
Q&A Session
3:30 - 4:00 PM
Coffee Break
4:00 - 5:30 PM
Panel 4: The European Universities Alliances and the Way Forward: Intersecting Knowledge and Diplomacy
This final session will explore the future of the European Universities Initiative alliances, focusing on the social sustainability of universities and their impact on global challenges. Representatives from other alliances, universities, and the European University Association will join to provide diverse perspectives.
Chair: Marina Cino Pagliarello (Marie Sklodowska-Curie Research Fellow, EUI)
Angela Liberatore (Head of the Scientific Management Department, ERC Executive Agency)
Ilaria Poggiolini (Professor, EC2U Alliance)
Alexander Frame (Professor, Forthem Institutional Coordinator)
Thomas Jorgensen (Director Policy Coordination and Foresight, European University Association)
Anthony Teasdale (Executive Director, Europaeum, Online)
Yaroslav Prytula (First Vice-Rector, Ukrainian Catholic University)
Q&A Session
5:30 PM
Closing Remarks by the EUI President Patrizia Nanz followed by Cocktail Reception (by invitation only) & Group Picture
Please find below the connection details to the event:
https://eui-eu.zoom.us/j/93469825420?pwd=D05pw5cd4bajOIs0YEYgwqkhs3jlmA.1
Webinar ID: 934 6982 5420
Passcode: 430936
This initiative is organised in the framework of CIVICA – The European University of Social Sciences. The CIVICA alliance brings together ten leading European higher education institutions in the social sciences. The alliance's mission is to create an inter-university campus for collaborative teaching, research, and innovative learning, while fostering academic excellence and global civic engagement. CIVICA was selected by the European Commission as one of the pilot European Universities in 2019 and confirmed as a successful alliance in 2022 for its full roll-out under the Erasmus+ programme. Read more on civica.eu.