Some studies have recently indicated that the number of countries classified as democracies are decreasing whereas authoritarian regimes are at the forefront. Also, within our societies we are increasingly witnessing disturbing signs of violent confrontation on the streets and verbal hate speech in the so called social media. In some European states we are witnessing policy-makers and citizens embracing elements of illiberal democracy and authoritarianism. 

How do these trends impact the future of democracy in the EU, in Europe? What are the perspectives of living together in a united Europe that is facing severe pressure from such megatrends as the climate crisis, military conflict and migration from inflicted countries, big tech controlling social media? How can we ensure that the project of democracy in the context of European peace after WWII will continue in the future? For the next 60 years? How can we give other actors - such as nature and future generations - a voice, which we have neglected/failed to do so far ? What aspects for research and innovation policy arise from these developments?

On behalf of the “Eye of Europe” project, we are offering a half-day online workshop for a maximum of 60 participants. The workshop aims to shed light on the questions "What makes democracy last? What could it look like in the future"? To do so, the workshop approach relies on a historical, empirical-analytical point of view, contrasted by a look into science fiction literature (see book titles above) that deals with democratic governance structures of the future. 

This is one event in a series of “Eye of Europe” pilot workshops taking place during 2025, aimed at exploring various futures and their implications for R&I policy.

The workshop is open to a wide audience - experts and non-experts - interested in questions of future democracies. The workshop also wants to give EU projects dedicated to the study of democracies a chance to present their work to a wider audience and connect with the futures4europe community.

The workshop is free of charge.

FCT, ISEG - Lisbon School of Economics and Management and the European Commission (Directorate-General for Research and Innovation) promoted, on December 5, a workshop with the active participation of representatives from all sectors of the National Research and Innovation System (R&I), and representatives of European states participating in this MLE-Mutual Learning Exercise, in order to discuss and agree on possible guidelines and joint work with a view to an institutionalization of capabilities and the creation of foresight communities in this system.

The following day, December 6th, FCT hosted the meeting of this network that has, besides Portugal, representatives from Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Finland, Norway, Romania and Slovenia.   

The workshop "Portugal in 2050 from the Perspective of Science and the Acceleration of Technological Development", organized by the FCT as part of the Planning and Foresight Services Network of the Public Administration(RePLAN), aimed to deepen reflection and discussion on the nine megatrends identified in the brochure "Megatrends 2050 - A changing world: impacts on Portugal - A brief introduction", and is part of the collaborative work underway to produce the final report, which is due to be released during 2025.

Purpose

Building on an exciting collaboration at Resilience Frontiers, on the success of a previous edition of this Futures Literacy course, the UNESCO Chair at the Hanze University of Applied Sciences and One Resilient Earth are offering once more a certified in-depth online course addressing the critical challenge of fostering transformative action in response to the climate emergency.

This course will enable students and professionals in the sustainability field, as well as individuals aspiring to dive into climate change challenges, to deepen their Futures Literacy skills so as to grow their own resilience and creativity. It will also provide practical advice and tools to mobilize Futures Literacy in professional contexts, and design transformative climate action.

Last, the course will build participants’ capacities to both innovate and embrace emergence, which are essential to designing and implementing impactful and regenerative initiatives today for a just, climate-positive, climate-resilient and biodiverse world.

Target audience

Target audience is students and professionals in the sustainability field, as well as individuals aspiring to dive into current climate change challenges. In case you would like to check if you are a good match for this course, feel free to contact us: contact@oneresilientearth.org.

Format

The course will take place online from 2.00 to 6.30 pm CET from Tuesday 14 January to Thursday 16 January, 2025 and will be offered to a small group of climate-curious individuals, sustainability students and sustainability professionals. It will be interactive, participatory, iterative and tailored to the needs of participants.

In order to enrich our imagination regarding the future, deepen connection to ourselves, and unleash creativity, One Resilient Earth will mobilize artworks, with a focus on multimedia and installation arts.

Feedback from previous participants

'I found the overall experience to be very informative, engaging, and eye-opening. As someone who is passionate about reimagining the future and helping people engage with the future, this training was exactly what I was looking for. I would love to delve further into Futures Literacy and further engage with it in my personal and professional life. I would highly recommend this training to anyone and hope that I can bring it into everything that I do.'

'The training was immersive, providing an experiential introduction to futures literacy. This design created an experience of the process which then made theoretical exploration more meaningful. The facilitators held the process skilfully and displayed depth of understanding. The use of technology was excellent, with the Miro board providing a map of the overall process and means of collaboration in the learning process.The climate action focus was engaging and the arts angle added an interesting angle to consider ways of nudging systemic transformation.'

Structure of the course

The course will enable participants to acquire an in-depth understanding of Futures Literacy, as a capability that facilitates the development of critical new skills to respond to the climate emergency. Futures Literacy will be taught through a Futures Literacy Lab on the future of climate action. The Lab will be informed by presentations of climate change projections and of recent trends in terms of climate action. Different climate scenarios and challenges identified will be discussed with the support of artworks through interactive sessions. The objectives of the course are to:

- Acquire an understanding of the Futures Literacy framework, and of different ways of mobilizing the future for transformative climate action;
- Adopt new approaches to building climate resilience, and embracing emergence in innovative climate-positive designs;
- Experiment with art as a channel for inner change and creativity growth.

Registration

We offer different fee categories to enable access and diversity in the group (click on ‘tickets’ for details). Participation in the different fee categories are capped, and we invite you to register early. All benefits made through this course support One Resilient Earth’s portfolio of regenerative activities.

In case you need a scholarship, cannot attend the course at this time, have any question and/or would like to hear about later opportunities, please follow our Eventbrite account and/or contact us: contact@oneresilientearth.org.

Research

A survey proposed at the end of this course will help gather information for research activities undertaken by Hanze University. The contributions of all participants to the survey are welcome.

Follow up

Three-month after the workshop, the teams at UNESCO Chair at Hanze University and One Resilient Earth will organize a follow-up group call to discuss different cases and scenarios shared by participants who have applied their newly acquired Futures Literacy skills in their workplace . This dialogue will provide an opportunity to deepen Futures Literacy skills, and to learn collectively from the experience of mobilizing Futures Literacy when designing and implementing climate action in the workplace.

***

More infomation about this event is available at the registration link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/futures-literacy-arts-for-transformative-climate-action-tickets-1011147077127

Foresight on Demand (FOD) is a rapid foresight response mechanism organised in a framework contract, and aims at providing quick forward-looking inputs to policymaking by leveraging the best available foresight knowledge. It addresses the growing need for quicker and more responsive foresight to inform policymaking in an increasingly turbulent environment.

Representatives of all twenty FOD partner organisations and representatives of different client authorities met in person during a lunch-to-lunch meeting in Brussels taking place at IDEA consult premises from October 10 to October 11, 2024.

47 people participated in the meeting that focussed on getting to know all FOD partners, especially the new partner organisations of FOD II, gaining insights on expectations of client authorities, as well as on updating the FOD consortium on ongoing and upcoming requests and discussing the FOD service provision processes. The meeting offered the opportunity to exchange in group discussions, during the FOD partner art gallery, where partners presented their organisations and services through art pieces and creative work, and informally during lunch, coffee and at the social dinner.

The meeting revealed inspiring insights on lessons learned during FOD I (2019-2023), on promoting the FOD framework for potential projects, as well as on emerging topics potentially relevant to the current FOD II (2024-2028) period.

We will give you a short introduction to Futures4All and explain how you can use this platform to connect, create, inspire, and be inspired. At the end of the event, you will also have the opportunity to ask questions.

Every month we discuss a different emerging topic and invite experts to start the discussion. Afterwards, the community has the opportunity to engage in the discussion.

Topic in April: AI and Transhumanism - How machines will change our lives in the future?

Speakers: 

• Fabian J. G. Westerheide (Founder & CEO of Rise of AI)
• Ana Chubinidze (AI Governance, AI Policy Advisor, CEO @AdalanAI & Founder @AIGI)
• Samira Khan ( Director, Citizenship + Market Dev, AI & Sustainability at Microsoft)
• Elisa Czerski (Founder and CEO at N Robotics )

Each month we discuss a different emerging topic and invite experts to open the discussion in a panel setup. Afterwards, the community has the opportunity to engage in the discussion via a QnA or Fishbowl session, depending on the topic and the number of participants.

If you're interested in becoming a speaker for one of our other events, please send us an email at info@futures4europe.org

In this talk, Adam will share stories behind the scenes of his work using futures to engage youth in development projects and policy making.

In this talk, Adam will share stories behind the scenes of his work using futures to engage youth in development projects and policy making. His experience can provide guidance and inspiration to encourage urgent investment in young people's human, social and cultural capital, using futures as a framework for action.

About Adam Sharpe

Adam Sharpe is a youth development specialist and futurist who is using the future to engage intergenerational groups in development policies and practices, maximizing their contribution to a better future for all. Adam founded youth futures think tank Futurely , co-founded the online futures learning platform Metafuture School and consults for multinational organisations including the United Nations and the Asian Development Bank. He is a member of the Association of Professional Futurists, sits on the working committee of the Asia Pacific Futures Network.

The Futures Wheel is a form of structured brainstorming that helps participants visualize the impact of trends or emerging signals.
Registration is closed

In this workshop, we will use the method Futures Wheel to explore the following futures topics:

• Smart Spaces
• Climate Change
• Global Commons
• Social Confrontation
• Criminal and Lawful Activities
• Transhumanist Revolution
• General AI
• Alternative Energy Sources

The participants can decide between different breakout rooms to discuss the impacts of the topics on the near and far future.

Purpose of the method
The Futures Wheel is a form of structured brainstorming that helps participants visualize how and to what extent trends or events might impact the organization, society or strategy area in question. It is particularly useful for identifying and mapping connections and causalities. It also helps us think far into the future as it is a very flexible, yet powerful tool.

Read more: https://millennium-project.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/06-Futures-Wheel.pdf

During this event, we will shortly introduce new platform features and how to participate before we open the conversation and provide the opportunity for 1:1 networking. We believe that in current times of social distancing and uncertainty, these human connections inspire our thinking.

During this event, we will shortly introduce new platform features and how to participate before we open the conversation and provide the opportunity for 1:1 networking. We believe that in current times of social distancing and uncertainty, these human connections inspire our thinking.

The 1:1 networking sessions enable all participants to simply exchange their field of expertise or start an interesting discussion around one of the topics of our future. We will provide some stimulating questions during the sessions and encourage you to join our Open Space group afterwards to continue growing your network.

To RSVP become a member of our community, so you can interact with others on the platform.

This event has a group. You’re welcome to join the group once you register for the event.

Todays topic will be in alignment of the #EUGreenWeek 2022: EU GREEN DEAL - MAKE IT REAL. Together with DIGIPRIME and EFPF, we will take a closer look at digital technology to boost a more resillient economy!
DIGIPRIME and EFPF are two Horizon 2020 projects focused on developing digital platforms.

As the Horizon 2020 research program becomes Horizon Europe, what better time to witness how great ideas turned into real projects? LOOPS will be the opportunity to show what cutting-edge research has been produced, and which changes it can bring to our communities. For those who are not familiar with it, LOOPS is a live webinar series committed to spotlighting innovation in the field of circular economy and sustainability.

Todays topic will be in alignment of the #EUGreenWeek 2022: EU GREEN DEAL - MAKE IT REAL. Together with DIGIPRIME and EFPF, we will take a closer look at digital technology to boost a more resillient economy!

DIGIPRIME and EFPF, are two Horizon 2020 projects focused on developing digital platforms.

Speakers of today will be Marcello Colledani from DIGIPRIME and Alexandros Nizamis from EFPF.

The Secretary General of Veltha, Luca Polidory will be the host of todays episode.

Check out DIGIPRIME here: https://www.digiprime.eu/

Check out EFPF here: https://www.efpf.org/

Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9AK7SpmR34 

How to build foresight capacities within the public sector - join our knowledge sharing session, where Alexandre presents results and insights from past foresight projects, as well as perspectives for the future(s) of foresight in Czechia.

In the last 2 years, České priority delivered foresight studies for various clients within the Czech public sector (Office of the Government, Municipality of Prague) and is currently setting up its own project aiming at building foresight capacities within the public sector. This session will thus cover the results and insights from past foresight projects, as well as perspectives for the future(s) of foresight in Czechia.

About Alexandre Reznikow

Alexandre Reznikow is a researcher and policy analyst in the independent think-tank "Czech priorities" (České priority ), which aims at promoting and supporting evidence-informed decision making in the Czech public sector.

This conference brings twenty industry leaders and experts together to spotlight the current and future best business practices propelled by AI and other cognitive technologies. Register here: https://swisscognitive.ch/ai-events/ai-the-global-green-deal/#1625664318088-c59c36f9-fdd4

In Brief

There are no organisations and industries which should not put green business practices on the top of their agenda. This conference brings twenty industry leaders and experts together to spotlight the current and future best business practices propelled by AI and other cognitive technologies, paving our path to a future with a societal welfare and blooming economies on a healthy planet.

In Detail

Stemming out from the idea of the European Green Deal initiated by the European Commission, this conference escalates the challenge to the global agenda. In our globalized world where everything is interconnected, best practices have no boarders – neither geographically nor in time. How we run our businesses has a crucial impact not only on immediate business performance but also on people, societies, and economies worldwide, as well as on our fragile planet, both today and in the future.

It is our top responsibility today to find the most innovative practices and applications that pave our ways into a sustainable future. Emerging technologies play a fundamental role in this – making processes more effective and products greener while minimizing waste and lowering the use & costs of resources.

Main Focus Points – Insights into best business practices featured by AI – Technological Social Responsibility – The need and potentials of cognitive technology innovations – Challenges, successes, failures, solutions, potentials.

Register here: https://swisscognitive.ch/ai-events/ai-the-global-green-deal/#1625664318088-c59c36f9-fdd4 

Get your ticket now - For the first 100% online Summit for all climate champions, decision makers and procurement leaders, driving climate transformation!

The decade for climate transformation is now!

We all know it: Our world is changing rapidly. And we also know: We hold in our hands the tools to turn this crisis into a positive climate transformation. If we focus on real CO₂ reduction, collaboration and intelligent business decisions, we can use the incredible opportunities today to drive the decarbonisation of whole systems and economies tomorrow.

What awaits you?

Together with scientists, politics and practitioners we are discussing meaningful climate actions to decarbonise companies and their supply chains. As collaborative CLIMATE Community, we share and gain insights into the climate transformation of companies, their measures for climate maturity as well as best practices to make CO₂ reduction possible along the value chain.

Through a mix of interactive panels, workshops and an online fair, you will experience inspiring conversations with world class innovators as well as hands-on working sessions to accelerate your own climate impact. The multi-channel format allows you to create your own agenda , to connect with other participants and to set up personal meetings with climate leaders. The whole summit takes place live and in English.

Who takes part?

Decision makers, procurement leaders and climate officers from companies that have embraced climate transformation and work on the decarbonisation of their company and supply chain. You will soon find the first speakers here: climatesummit.de. Get your ticket here: https://climatesummit2022.eventbrite.de

How can I take part?

▲ You are driving the climate transformation in your company or along the supply chain and want to learn how to truly take climate actions to decarbonise your entire value chain? Awesome, we cannot wait for you to join! Get your Ticket now.   

• Our ticket categories are based on the size of your company and are sold on the basis of trust. The link to access the summit as well as further info material will be send to your email address, shortly before the summit.   
• The summit is designed to empower company leaders, climate officers, purchasers and everyone implementing the climate transformation of its company from within - aiming to take smart, climate relevant business decisions.  
• Each ticket helps cover the costs of the summit and supports selected climate projects. 

▲ You are a leader from a climate pioneering company, aiming to share your challenges and learnings? Or you are an innovator, who empowers other companies to reduce emissions and to decarbonise their supply chain? We are excited to get to know you! Write as at: kontakt@theclimatechoice.com

▲ You are a climate enthusiast or media rockstar and you like to support the #CTS2022 as a partner? We are happy to work with you. Please contact as at: kontakt@theclimatechoice.com

▲ THE CLIMATE CHOICE organises the #CTS2022, already the third edition of the ClimateSummit.de, as part of its mission to empower every company to become a climate champion. As ClimateTech company from Berlin we provide the SaaS platform for the decarbonisation of companies and their supply chains.

Register on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.de/e/climate-transformation-summit-2022-tickets-224030510287

For 2022 Rise of AI will return to its roots. On two stages and various interactive formats, our 30+ speakers will cover the following topics which are stated below. Register here: https://hopin.com/events/riseofai-conference-2022/registration

Since 2015, the annual Rise of AI conference connects AI experts, decision-makers, opinion leaders and game changers to discuss Artificial Intelligence for society, politics and economy.

For 2022 Rise of AI will return to its roots. On two stages and various interactive formats, our 30+ speakers will cover the following topics and more:

• Is AI evil?
• Can AI heal the World?
• AI is happening now, deal with it or die
• Large AI Models from a Global Perspective
• Challenges of the European AI ecosystem
• Social responsibility of media in times of AI
• Trust in AI - is your AI compliant and explainable?
• The new AI - how we make AI social, creative and climate-friendly
• 25-year anniversary: the fastest way of computing all possible metaverses and its consequences for physics and philosophy.

Attendance live in person in Berlin only by invitation (use this Typeform to apply for an invite).

Register online via this link: https://hopin.com/events/riseofai-conference-2022/registration 

FREE Webinar and Networking Event
EU Missions provide new funding opportunities for impact oriented research and innovation projects in Horizon Europe, the world’s largest research and innovation programme.

EU Missions provide new funding opportunities for impact oriented research and innovation projects in Horizon Europe, the world’s largest research and innovation programme. They

• address grand societal challenges by applying new forms of governance and collaboration, 
• aim to mobilise and activate public and private actors to create real and lasting impact, 
• engage with citizens to boost societal uptake of new solutions and make it easier for them to understand the value of investments in research and innovation.

A broad variety of tools allow for the co-creation of solutions, technologies and products together with different societal groups and individual citizens. In the EU funded project LIVING INNOVATION [https://www.living-innovation.net/explore], we further developed, tested and documented several of them. Now, we would like to share our insights and initiate new partnerships.  

Attend our Webinar and Networking event and 

• exchange experiences on how co-creation, responsible and inclusive innovation can be integrated in research and innovation projects, 
• gain insights into the pros and cons of individual tools, such as Responsible Design Thinking, 
• initiate new collaborations for your next project and be part of a powerful network.  

Meet our experts:

🔶 Andre Martinuzzi, Head of the Institute for Managing Sustainability and Coordinator of the LIVING INNOVATION project: "Responsible Innovation means to co-develop solutions with and for the people."

🔶 Florian Findler, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Managing Sustainability: "Co-creation needs a clear compass to gain socially desirable outcomes."

🔶 Ursula Kopp, Design Thinking expert and facilitator of national and international stakeholder dialogues: "We integrated key aspects of responsibility and sustainability into design-thinking with a sound scientific basis."

🔶 Anja Grüll, PhD candidate at Vienna University of Economics and Business: "We developed a toolbox for inclusive innovation that allows blind and visually impaired people to participate fully in innovation."

Learn more about the event and sign up on Linkedin .

During this event, we will shortly introduce new platform features and how to participate before we open the conversation and provide the opportunity for 1:1 networking. We believe that in current times of social distancing and uncertainty, these human connections inspire our thinking.

During this event, we will shortly introduce new platform features and how to participate before we open the conversation and provide the opportunity for 1:1 networking. We believe that in current times of social distancing and uncertainty, these human connections inspire our thinking.

The 1:1 networking sessions enable all participants to simply exchange their field of expertise or start an interesting discussion around one of the topics of our future. We will provide some stimulating questions during the sessions and encourage you to join our Open Space group afterwards to continue growing your network.

To RSVP become a member of our community, so you can interact with others on the platform.

This event has a group. You’re welcome to join the group once you register for the event.

We focus on alternative futures of Europe, on regimes of stewardship of land and sea and address the role of ownership, access and use rights in rural areas (cities excluded), multiple uses of spaces (both land and sea), biodiversity, food (both aquaculture, fisheries and agriculture), energy (use of renewables), raw materials (mining etc.), carbon removal and storage, adaptation to climate change. While the challenges are global, they are addressed especially from the European research and innovation policy perspective.

Background and aim

The European Commission, DG RTD, has commissioned foresight projects to serve as a source of inspiration for the adjustment of existing and the identification of novel directions that Horizon Europe may want to take from 2025 onwards through its 2nd Strategic Plan.

This workshop brings together work from different projects on topics associated with potential disruptions and will aim to tease out implications for R&I policy and its contributions to important emerging challenges and opportunity spaces.

The aim of the workshop is to discuss the explorations of the future in a number of dynamic fields within a community of R&I foresight experts and representatives from European and national R&I policy organisations. The discussion will aim to prepare and strengthen a broader engagement effort through the online platform futures4europe.eu.

Participants:

• Experts from the European Commission and the Member States and Associated Countries’ R&I policy agencies
• Research and subject matter experts
• Members of Futures4Europe.eu
• Public who is interested in sharing insights and shaping Europe's future

You're invited to participate in the event - simply click on the RSVP button below and add your details to save your spot. The details for the event link will be sent approximately one week before the event via email.

We focus on alternative futures of Europe, on regimes of stewardship of land and sea and address the role of ownership, access and use rights in rural areas (cities excluded), multiple uses of spaces (both land and sea), biodiversity, food (both aquaculture, fisheries and agriculture), energy (use of renewables), raw materials (mining etc.), carbon removal and storage, adaptation to climate change. While the challenges are global, they are addressed especially from the European research and innovation policy perspective.

We focus on alternative futures of Europe, on regimes of stewardship of land and sea and address the role of ownership, access and use rights in rural areas (cities excluded), multiple uses of spaces (both land and sea), biodiversity, food (both aquaculture, fisheries and agriculture), energy (use of renewables), raw materials (mining etc.), carbon removal and storage, adaptation to climate change. While the challenges are global, they are addressed especially from the European research and innovation policy perspective.

Join us on May 24, 2023 at 10 am for the online relaunch of Futures4Europe.eu and find out what's new! Together with members from our community, we will take a look at exciting new features and ways to interact on futures4europe.eu.

Check out our program for more details!

Root causes and structural conditions of social confrontations (ideological divisions, discrimination, inequalities in access to resources, environmental issues, etc.) both online and offline.

The evolving complexity of global challenges is increasingly affecting the steering of European Research and Innovation which aims at addressing important present and future societal concerns. The idea of ‘watching futures’ to anticipate future possibilities and analyse the consequences of current choices to inform and shape a forward-looking EU R&I policy is continuously gaining ground.

In this light, as part of the ‘European R&I foresight and public engagement for Horizon Europe’ study launched by the European Commission in connection to the Horizon Europe Foresight Network, a series of online workshops will take place during the Spring and early Summer of 2023.

These workshops, which will run for two hours each, will discuss insights stemming from thematic policy briefs compiled by expert panels, addressing possible future scenarios for critical issues (i.e., social confrontations, use and management of land and sea, science for policy, etc.). Each workshop will feature experts from the panels who developed the policy brief, guest speakers from relevant EU R&I projects and policy-makers, and will involve extensive engagement with participants.

We organise a series of three workshops: the first two are devoted to devise scenarios, while the third one will derive policy implications.

On behalf of the European Commission, DG Research and Innovation, the “Foresight on Demand” consortium is conducting a foresight-like project “European R&I foresight and public engagement for Horizon Europe”. Eight deep-dive studies are to be conducted in 2023, leading to policy briefs to support European Union and national policy-makers. One of these topics is the “Futures of interpenetration of criminal and lawful economic activities” with a time horizon of 2040.

Please express your interest to contribute to building scenarios on the “Futures of interpenetration of criminal and lawful economic activities” by filling in the form below. This Deep Dive project considers – among other issues – the possibility of identifying, differentiating, and controlling criminal and lawful economic activities, the relevant trend and drivers shaping the possible futures for the interpenetration of these activities, the level of control technically feasible and socially and economically desirable to fight the interpenetration of criminal economic activities. The policy brief will highlight the major implications for EU and national policy-makers, with an emphasis on research and innovation policies.

We organise a series of three workshops: the first two of those are devoted to devise scenarios, while the third one would derive policy implications:

- the 1st scenario WS is to be held from 10:00 to 13:00 on 12 June 2023,

- the 2nd scenario WS is to be held from 16:30 to 19:30 on 26 June 2023,

- the policy implications WS is to be held in September (tba).

Stewardship of land and sea, including access and usage rights in rural regions, use of land and sea space, preservation of biodiversity, and sourcing of energy and raw materials.

The evolving complexity of global challenges is increasingly affecting the steering of European Research and Innovation which aims at addressing important present and future societal concerns. The idea of ‘watching futures’ to anticipate future possibilities and analyse the consequences of current choices to inform and shape a forward-looking EU R&I policy is continuously gaining ground.

In this light, as part of the ‘European R&I foresight and public engagement for Horizon Europe’ study launched by the European Commission in connection to the Horizon Europe Foresight Network, a series of online workshops will take place during the Spring and early Summer of 2023.

These workshops, which will run for two hours each, will discuss insights stemming from thematic policy briefs compiled by expert panels, addressing possible future scenarios for critical issues (i.e., social confrontations, use and management of land and sea, science for policy, etc.). Each workshop will feature experts from the panels who developed the policy brief, guest speakers from relevant EU R&I projects and policy-makers, and will involve extensive engagement with participants.

Earlier this fall, we invited foresight professionals to participate in the Nordic foresight survey. We wanted to find people interested in the creation of the Nordic Foresight Network, hear their thoughts and then start the formal creation. We received many replies. Thank you. Now it is time to present the results and take the next steps toward building collaboration.


Wecome to online event via MS Teams on February 6th from 10:30am to 12:00 EET where we will also get to discuss the formal creation: desired outcomes, ways of working etc.

Register here before February 3th and be part of shaping a collaborative future for foresight across the Nordics.

Feel free also to share the invitation with other foresight professionals.

You can read more about the Nordic foresight initiative here.

Looking forward to meet you!

Futures Finland and Futures Sweden

Trends that are likely to shape the ecosystem of science advice to policy in Europe in the future and their impacts

The evolving complexity of global challenges is increasingly affecting the steering of European Research and Innovation which aims at addressing important present and future societal concerns. The idea of ‘watching futures’ to anticipate future possibilities and analyse the consequences of current choices to inform and shape a forward-looking EU R&I policy is continuously gaining ground.

In this light, as part of the ‘European R&I foresight and public engagement for Horizon Europe’ study launched by the European Commission in connection to the Horizon Europe Foresight Network, a series of online workshops will take place during the Spring and early Summer of 2023.

These workshops, which will run for two hours each, will discuss insights stemming from thematic policy briefs compiled by expert panels, addressing possible future scenarios for critical issues (i.e., social confrontations, use and management of land and sea, science for policy, etc.). Each workshop will feature experts from the panels who developed the policy brief, guest speakers from relevant EU R&I projects and policy-makers, and will involve extensive engagement with participants. 

We organise a series of three workshops: the first two are devoted to devise scenarios, while the third one will derive policy implications.

On behalf of the European Commission, DG Research and Innovation, the “Foresight on Demand” consortium is conducting a foresight-like project “European R&I foresight and public engagement for Horizon Europe”. Eight deep-dive studies are to be conducted in 2023, leading to policy briefs to support European Union and national policy-makers. One of these topics is the “Futures of interpenetration of criminal and lawful economic activities” with a time horizon of 2040.

Please express your interest to contribute to building scenarios on the “Futures of interpenetration of criminal and lawful economic activities” by filling in the form below. This Deep Dive project considers – among other issues – the possibility of identifying, differentiating, and controlling criminal and lawful economic activities, the relevant trend and drivers shaping the possible futures for the interpenetration of these activities, the level of control technically feasible and socially and economically desirable to fight the interpenetration of criminal economic activities. The policy brief will highlight the major implications for EU and national policy-makers, with an emphasis on research and innovation policies.

We organise a series of three workshops: the first two of those are devoted to devise scenarios, while the third one will derive policy implications:

• the 1st scenario WS is to be held from 10:00 to 13:00 on 12 June 2023,
• the 2nd scenario WS is to be held from 16:30 to 19:30 on 26 June 2023,
• the policy implications WS is to be held in September (tba).

We organise a series of four workshops: the first three are devoted to devise scenarios, while the fourth one will derive policy implications.

On behalf of the European Commission, DG Research and Innovation, the “Foresight on Demand” consortium is conducting a foresight-like project “European R&I foresight and public engagement for Horizon Europe”. Eight deep-dive studies are to be conducted in 2023, leading to policy briefs to support European Union and national policy-makers. One of these topics is the “Futures of interpenetration of criminal and lawful economic activities” with a time horizon of 2040.

Please express your interest to contribute to building scenarios on the “Futures of interpenetration of criminal and lawful economic activities” by filling in the form below. This Deep Dive project considers – among other issues – the possibility of identifying, differentiating, and controlling criminal and lawful economic activities, the relevant trend and drivers shaping the possible futures for the interpenetration of these activities, the level of control technically feasible and socially and economically desirable to fight the interpenetration of criminal economic activities. The policy brief will highlight the major implications for EU and national policy-makers, with an emphasis on research and innovation policies.

We organise a series of four workshops: the first three of those are devoted to devise scenarios, while the fourth one will derive policy implications:

• the 1st scenario WS is to be held from 10:00 to 13:00 on 12 June 2023,
• the 2nd scenario WS is to be held from 16:30 to 19:30 on 26 June 2023,
• the 3rd scenario WS is to be held from 16:00 to 18:00 on 31 July 2023,
• the policy implications WS is to be held from 16:00 to 18:00 on 4 September 2023.

We organise a series of four workshops: the first three are devoted to devise scenarios, while the fourth one will derive policy implications.

On behalf of the European Commission, DG Research and Innovation, the “Foresight on Demand” consortium is conducting a foresight-like project “European R&I foresight and public engagement for Horizon Europe”. Eight deep-dive studies are to be conducted in 2023, leading to policy briefs to support European Union and national policy-makers. One of these topics is the “Futures of interpenetration of criminal and lawful economic activities” with a time horizon of 2040.

Please express your interest to contribute to building scenarios on the “Futures of interpenetration of criminal and lawful economic activities” by filling in the form below. This Deep Dive project considers – among other issues – the possibility of identifying, differentiating, and controlling criminal and lawful economic activities, the relevant trend and drivers shaping the possible futures for the interpenetration of these activities, the level of control technically feasible and socially and economically desirable to fight the interpenetration of criminal economic activities. The policy brief will highlight the major implications for EU and national policy-makers, with an emphasis on research and innovation policies.

We organise a series of four workshops: the first three of those are devoted to devise scenarios, while the fourth one will derive policy implications:

• the 1st scenario WS is to be held from 10:00 to 13:00 on 12 June 2023,
• the 2nd scenario WS is to be held from 16:30 to 19:30 on 26 June 2023,
• the 3rd scenario WS is to be held from 16:00 to 18:00 on 31 July 2023,
• the policy implications WS is to be held from 16:00 to 18:00 on 4 September 2023.

We organise a series of three workshops: the first two are devoted to devise scenarios, while the third one will derive policy implications.

Alongside digitalisation and automation trends, the shift towards greener and more sustainable economies is a game changer in EU labour markets. Grounded in long-term transformative trends spanning several decades, the green transitions are picking up speed. The resulting changes in skill needs will have impacts far beyond the key occupations driving them, affecting all economic sectors. An important challenge for the coming years is accelerating up- and reskilling so that people have the green skills to thrive in greener jobs.

In this workshop, we seek to develop scenarios for the future of green skills and jobs. The series is part of the "European R&I foresight and public engagement for Horizon Europe" project. It supports the work of the Horizon Europe Foresight Network and provides intelligence and supports the development of a European R&I foresight community.

We organise a series of three workshops: the first two are devoted to devise scenarios, while the third one will derive policy implications.

Alongside digitalisation and automation trends, the shift towards greener and more sustainable economies is a game changer in EU labour markets. Grounded in long-term transformative trends spanning several decades, the green transitions are picking up speed. The resulting changes in skill1 needs will have impacts far beyond the key occupations driving them, affecting all economic sectors. An important challenge for the coming years is accelerating up- and reskilling so that people have the green skills to thrive in greener jobs.
In this workshop, we seek to develop scenarios for the future of green skills and jobs. The series is part of the "European R&I foresight and public engagement for Horizon Europe" project. It supports the work of the Horizon Europe Foresight Network and provides intelligence and supports the development of a European R&I foresight community.

We organise a series of three workshops: the first two are devoted to devise scenarios, while the third one will derive policy implications.

We work towards antecipating possible scenarios for Europe in 2040 with regard to big business of high-tech industries. As we explore the futures of Big Tech and the implications to Europe there is a number of driver and buffer actors, factors and sectors to take into account.

The series is part of the "European R&I foresight and public engagement for Horizon Europe" project. It supports the work of the Horizon Europe Foresight Network and provides intelligence and supports the development of a European R&I foresight community.

We organise a series of three workshops: the first two are devoted to devise scenarios, while the third one will derive policy implications.

We work towards antecipating possible scenarios for Europe in 2040 with regard to big business of high-tech industries. As we explore the futures of Big Tech and the implications to Europe there is a number of driver and buffer actors, factors and sectors to take into account.

The series is part of the "European R&I foresight and public engagement for Horizon Europe" project. It supports the work of the Horizon Europe Foresight Network and provides intelligence and supports the development of a European R&I foresight community.

The evolving complexity of global challenges is increasingly affecting the steering of European Research and Innovation which aims at addressing important present and future societal concerns. The idea of ‘watching futures’ to anticipate future possibilities and analyse the consequences of current choices to inform and shape a forward-looking EU R&I policy is continuously gaining ground. 

In this light, as part of the ‘European R&I foresight and public engagement for Horizon Europe’ study launched by the European Commission in connection to the Horizon Europe Foresight Network, a second series of online workshops will take place during October – November 2023.

The workshops, which will run for two hours each, will discuss insights stemming from thematic policy briefs compiled by expert panels, addressing possible future scenarios for critical issues (i.e., Interpretation of Criminal and Lawful Activities, Green Skills and Jobs, Big Tech, etc.). Following the presentation of each policy brief, each workshop will feature two focus groups: one involving the group of experts from the panel who developed the policy brief and one including representatives from topic-relevant EU-funded R&I projects. All events will foster extensive engagement with participants, including policymakers.

This event will bring together participants from a Mutual Learning Exercise on R&I Foresight supported by the European Commission, with other policymakers, experts and interested stakeholders to discuss the lessons and takeaways from the year long process.

The Mutual Learning Exercise (MLE) on R&I Foresight was launched in July 2022 at the request of Member States supported by DG Research and Innovation of the European Commission. Nine countries (Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Estonia, Finland, Norway, Portugal, Romania, and Slovenia), the European Commission and a team of foresight experts, have been actively involved.

The aim of the MLE was to facilitate the exchange of information, experiences and lessons from the practice of R&I foresight across EU and Associated Countries, in order to contribute to the development of an impactful R&I foresight community as an important element of the European Research Area.

Location: Estonian Permanent Representation , Rue Guimard 11, 1040 Bruxelles, Belgium

We organise a series of three workshops: the first two were devoted to devising scenarios, while the third one was meant to derive policy implications.

Alongside digitalisation and automation trends, the shift towards greener and more sustainable economies is a game changer in EU labour markets. Grounded in long-term transformative trends spanning several decades, the green transitions are picking up speed. The resulting changes in skill1 needs will have impacts far beyond the key occupations driving them, affecting all economic sectors. An important challenge for the coming years is accelerating up- and reskilling so that people have the green skills to thrive in greener jobs.

In this workshop, we seek to develop policy implications based on the scenarios which were devloped in the previous workshops. The series is part of the "European R&I foresight and public engagement for Horizon Europe" project. It supports the work of the Horizon Europe Foresight Network and provides intelligence and supports the development of a European R&I foresight community.

We organised a series of three workshops: the first two were devoted to devising scenarios, while the third one was meant to derive policy implications.

We work towards antecipating possible scenarios for Europe in 2040 with regard to big business of high-tech industries. As we explore the futures of Big Tech and the implications to Europe there is a number of driver and buffer actors, factors and sectors to take into account.

The series is part of the "European R&I foresight and public engagement for Horizon Europe" project. It supports the work of the Horizon Europe Foresight Network and provides intelligence and supports the development of a European R&I foresight community.

The evolving complexity of global challenges is increasingly affecting the steering of European Research and Innovation which aims at addressing important present and future societal concerns. The idea of ‘watching futures’ to anticipate future possibilities and analyse the consequences of current choices to inform and shape a forward-looking EU R&I policy is continuously gaining ground.

In this light, as part of the ‘European R&I foresight and public engagement for Horizon Europe’ study launched by the European Commission in connection to the Horizon Europe Foresight Network, a second series of online workshops will take place during October – November 2023.

The workshops, which will run for two hours each, will discuss insights stemming from thematic policy briefs compiled by expert panels, addressing possible future scenarios for critical issues (i.e., Interpretation of Criminal and Lawful Activities, Green Skills and Jobs, Big Tech, etc.). Following the presentation of each policy brief, each workshop will feature two focus groups: one involving the group of experts from the panel who developed the policy brief and one including representatives from topic-relevant EU-funded R&I projects. All events will foster extensive engagement with participants, including policymakers.

The evolving complexity of global challenges is increasingly affecting the steering of European Research and Innovation which aims at addressing important present and future societal concerns. The idea of ‘watching futures’ to anticipate future possibilities and analyse the consequences of current choices to inform and shape a forward-looking EU R&I policy is continuously gaining ground.

In this light, as part of the ‘European R&I foresight and public engagement for Horizon Europe’ study launched by the European Commission in connection to the Horizon Europe Foresight Network, a second series of online workshops will take place during October – November 2023.

The workshops, which will run for two hours each, will discuss insights stemming from thematic policy briefs compiled by expert panels, addressing possible future scenarios for critical issues (i.e., Interpretation of Criminal and Lawful Activities, Green Skills and Jobs, Big Tech, etc.). Following the presentation of each policy brief, each workshop will feature two focus groups: one involving the group of experts from the panel who developed the policy brief and one including representatives from topic-relevant EU-funded R&I projects. All events will foster extensive engagement with participants, including policymakers.

The need to “decolonize the future” is becoming increasingly felt in foresight communities as they come to terms with the predicament of the anthropocene - the knowledge that each action has effects on the present and the future of others, that mostly we are unaware of. In this context, no individual can pretend to be swept by the big currents of modernist history but needs to take responsibility for the full effects of his/her choices.

Join here: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82264886120?pwd=mWsetw3h3TBJMgMBYMiaP37RTtRa7J.1

As a partner of the Eye of Europe Project, Helenos will implement its first pilot on Fashion Futuring, investigating potential links among objects, fiction, culture, and systems to understand how the values of the systems/societies can shape the future of fashion.

Date: 20/01/2025

Time: 12.00-16.00 (local-Athens time)

Location: MOMus- Museum of Modern Art, Thessaloniki, Greece

Format: In-person

Audience: Regional stakeholders and citizens 

Context

Have you ever wondered why people in Ancient Egypt (3100-30 BCE) wore hair wigs? Or why samurai have been associated with kimonos, while feminine full skirts are linked with the post-war America of the ‘50s? There are numerous examples of fashion items that represent specific periods and places. But what does that signify? In ancient Egypt, men wearing hair wigs was considered an honor and a symbol of equalization to women, as women were regarded as wise and sacred.  

Similarly, in Tokugawa Japan (1603 – 1868), when samurai lived, clothing indicated one’s rank and role within the highly structured feudal society, while in post-war America, fashion was influenced by the idealized image of the suburban family, emphasizing domesticity and traditional gender roles. The common space of all three examples is that - throughout the centuries - fashion has served people and societies as a way of self-expression, a sign of social status, also revealing the prevailing social norms and beliefs. 

Today, our highly complex and uncertain world requires strategic tools that will help us create new sustainable development trajectories. Fashion not only reveals unique and collective identities, norms, and ethics but is also associated with environmental issues. It is one of the largest pollutant industries, prompting a shift in the way we produce and consume fashion items. How might the climate crisis change our attitudes, and how does this impact the fashion industry? 

What is Fashion Futuring?

Fashion Futuring is an innovative approach that investigates potential links among objects, fiction, culture, and systems to understand how the values of the systems/societies can shape the future of fashion. It suggests a significant shift in the future of fashion approach, moving away from short-term trends and financial forecasting as primary factors for fashion production, towards sustainable, more humane means of fashion producing and consuming. 

The pilot

The upcoming pilot at the beginning of the next year is targeted towards regional stakeholders in Greece, such as citizens, CCI regional firms, and experts from academia and market and regional policy-makers. The workshop consists of a 7-stage methodology based on Garcia (2023), where participants will be encouraged to share their personal experiences and values, co-create a fictional future, and work together to design a fictional fashion item based on this future. The workshop will utilize various foresight methods, primarily core design, what-if scenario development, and strategic thinking.

In the spring of 2025, Helenos Consulting will organize a second pilot on the same topic, focussing on a different audience of international and national Fashion, Textile, and foresight experts, to grasp a holistic image of the topic. 

This workshop will be implemented in Greek with citizens and other local stakeholders from Thessaloniki.

Futures Conference 2025 focuses on the futures of technologies, their development, importance, role and risks as a driver of social change. What are the effects of social and environmental changes on technological development and vice versa?

‘Futures of Technologies’ is the 25th international Futures Conference of the Finland Futures Research Centre and Finland Futures Academy, University of Turku. It is organised together with the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd during 10–12 June 2025 in Turku, Finland.

Guidelines for abstract submission
Abstract submission for the ‘Futures of Technologies’ conference is ongoing actively. We invite researchers, scholars, practitioners, consultants and students from universities, research institutes, companies, governmental and non-governmental organisations to share the latest research results, findings and thoughts on these key topics:

1. Theoretical frameworks of technology in futures studies and foresight
2. Methodological innovations due to AI and emerging technologies
3. Anticipatory governance of emerging technologies
4. Linkages between foresight, technology, and policymaking
5. Bridging foresight and management: futures studies approach in management practices
6. Case studies on technology-enabled future design
7. The use of technologies in research, teaching and learning
8. Futures of the digital and green transitions
9. The role of technology in tackling global challenges
10. Technology impact assessment
11. Ethical issues in technology

The Call for Papers is open until 31 January 2025.

First Keynote Speakers Announced
Ali Aslan Gümüşay is professor of Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Sustainability at LMU Munich and head of research group Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Society at the Humboldt Institute for Internet & Society Berlin. His research focuses on values, meaning and hybridity in entrepreneurship; grand challenges, sustainability and new forms of organizing; digitalization, management and innovation as well as impact, scholarship and futures.

Cynthia Selin is a pioneering social scientist and strategic foresight expert known for developing innovative methodologies to navigate complex change and advance the theoretical boundaries of anticipation. An Associate Fellow at the Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, and core faculty in the Oxford Scenarios Programme, Dr. Selin also founded Scenaric, a consulting firm that equips organizations to tackle uncertainty and shape resilient futures.

Read more about the Keynotes. 

Conference Newsletters

• Conference Newsletter #1 (4.11.2024)
• Conference Newsletter #2 (26.11.2024)  

Project Futures Garden is warmly inviting you to engage with two fictional artifacts that showcase thought provoking future scenarios regarding “Dealing with future selves” and “Extending human perception to new scales”.
Join us for an immersive and interactive experience!

Artifacts:

INWARDS
The film Inwards invites us to explore new practices and technologies that enhance self-reflection and sharing of emotions, thus helping shape our choices in life and nurture a renewed sense of togetherness.

>> Watch the teaser for Inwards

SYMBIOTIC
The film Symbio tic invites us to explore new ways of inhabiting the perception of other intelligent beings, to embody their experience, their sensory world, their “umwelt” – what they “feel” and how they “think”.

>> Watch the teaser for Symbiotic

Who Should Attend? 

• EU citizens interested in reflecting on and discussing future fictional artifacts, thus fostering new ideas and attitudes that may reshape their present lives and their future
• Policymakers looking for fresh perspectives derived from future scenarios
• Futurists, designers, and behavioral scientists exploring the power of citizen engagement in molding future imaginaries

The evolving complexity of global challenges is increasingly affecting the steering of European Research and Innovation which aims at addressing important present and future societal concerns. The idea of ‘watching futures’ to anticipate future possibilities and analyse the consequences of current choices to inform and shape a forward-looking EU R&I policy is continuously gaining ground.

In this light, as part of the ‘European R&I foresight and public engagement for Horizon Europe’ study launched by the European Commission in connection to the Horizon Europe Foresight Network, a second series of online workshops will take place during October – November 2023.

The workshops, which will run for two hours each, will discuss insights stemming from thematic policy briefs compiled by expert panels, addressing possible future scenarios for critical issues (i.e., Interpretation of Criminal and Lawful Activities, Green Skills and Jobs, Big Tech, etc.). Following the presentation of each policy brief, each workshop will feature two focus groups: one involving the group of experts from the panel who developed the policy brief and one including representatives from topic-relevant EU-funded R&I projects. All events will foster extensive engagement with participants, including policymakers.

The evolving complexity of global challenges is increasingly affecting the steering of European Research and Innovation which aims at addressing important present and future societal concerns. The idea of ‘watching futures’ to anticipate future possibilities and analyse the consequences of current choices to inform and shape a forward-looking EU R&I policy is continuously gaining ground.

In this light, as part of the ‘European R&I foresight and public engagement for Horizon Europe’ study launched by the European Commission in connection to the Horizon Europe Foresight Network, a second series of online workshops will take place during October – November 2023.

The workshops, which will run for two hours each, will discuss insights stemming from thematic policy briefs compiled by expert panels, addressing possible future scenarios for critical issues (i.e., Interpretation of Criminal and Lawful Activities, Green Skills and Jobs, Big Tech, etc.). Following the presentation of each policy brief, each workshop will feature two focus groups: one involving the group of experts from the panel who developed the policy brief and one including representatives from topic-relevant EU-funded R&I projects. All events will foster extensive engagement with participants, including policymakers.

The ability to tell stories is a uniquely human achievement. Stories give humans a powerful evolutionary advantage that allows us to collaborate at scale by learning from the experiences or ideas of others. The stories we tell about the future influence and are influenced by others people’s views of the future. What is more, they can steer our own and our collective futures.

In this 90 minute workshop you will learn some of the basics of how we come to develop stories about the future in our own minds. You will understand better how these stories can have a big impact on the decisions that we make as individuals and collectively. Working in groups you will explore alternative future stories and together create a re-authored future narrative which will feed into #ourfutures project on the Futures4Europe platform. After the workshop, we would like to offer 30 minutes for an informal exchange to participants who would like to keep the conversation going after the official program ends.

Claire Marshall is an Australian doctoral researcher within Transdisciplinary School (TD School) at UTS. Her research is focused on exploring how our brains think about the future and how we can counter dominant narratives through narrative practise to encourage regenerative futures. Her award-winning project Museum of Futures has been exhibited across Australia and internationally and has been recognised as a way to help policy makers and communities connect over shared futures.

In this webinar, OECD together with the Government of Flanders will launch the blueprint for strategic foresight and discuss with experts on how other public organisations can also integrate strategic foresight into their systems.

Across OECD countries, strategic foresight has become an essential approach for governments to better anticipate and prepare for complex and volatile policy contexts and build resilience in policymaking. Strategic foresight helps to create shared goals, reframe policy issues, act as an early warning system, stress-test current policies and innovate for better policy outcomes.

Over the course of 2022-2023 OECD worked together with the Government of Flanders to assess its strategic foresight capacity. As the result of the work OECD co-designed a blueprint for strategic foresight for the Government of Flanders. The blueprint sets a strategic direction to integrate strategic foresight into policymaking through specific actions, new roles and functions in government.

In this webinar, OECD together with the Government of Flanders will launch the blueprint and discuss with experts on how other public organisations can also integrate strategic foresight into their systems.

The leadership team of Foresight Europe Network (FEN) cordially invites you to the upcoming in-person meeting on Wednesday 12 June 2024 in Turku, Finland - University of Turku, building: Medisiina D, room: ’Skooppi 1–2’, address: Kiinamyllynkatu 10, Turku, Finland

The meeting is free and open to all who are interested in futures and foresight in Europe. Whether you have signed up as a FEN Member, are wise and experienced in futures or newly starting in this field, professor or student of futures – we welcome you.

Agenda*

Welcoming Remarks (5 minutes) Nicolas Balcom Raleigh, FEN President

Icebreaker (10 minutes) Lena Tünkers, FEN Future President

Presentations: (á 15 minutes)

• Eye of Europe project and futures4europe.eu platform: Project coordinator Dr. Radu Gheorghiu, UEFISCDI, Romania & Bianca Dragomir, Institutul de Prospectiva, Romania
• Updates from The Millennium Project: Executive Director and Co-Founder Jerome Glenn & Deputy Director Ibon Zugasti
• Parliamentary/National Committees for Future: Dr. Sofi Kurki, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd
  

Group Discussions (30 minutes) & Plenary (20 minutes) FEN members discuss emergent topics sparked by the presentations.

Closing Remarks (10 minutes) Lena Tünkers, FEN Future President

Foresight Europe Network brings together foresight practitioners and users, futures educators and researchers, and futures studies/foresight students doing futures work in European contexts. FEN thanks the organizers of Futures Conference 2024 for providing the meeting space in conjunction with the conference. This meeting is free and open. All who are interested are welcome to attend, even if you are not already a member of FEN.

* Agenda is subject to change.

https://futuresconference2024.com/side-events/120624-fen/

Drawing on their decades-long experience and their permanent innovative processes, Futuribles and 4Sing run a week-long seminar, combining theoretical underpinnings and methods with practical applications for organizations.

About the event
This training is aimed at (future) foresight professionals, whether they are just starting out on this path, or have already set up a foresight function within their organizations, and regardless of whether they have already carried out a foresight project or are about to do so for the first time.

Offered entirely in English, the week-long seminar will also bring together and launch a conversation between foresight practitioners at a European and international level.

Agenda

9/16. Why foresight and how to do it well?

9/17. How do organizations develop and use foresight?

9/18. People and places using foresight

9/19. Various foresight methods

9/20. Using foresight to make change happen now

Facilitators

The training is facilitated by Marie Ségur, Research Director at Futuribles, and Adrian Taylor, Founder of 4Sing (ForeSight to Strategy for Security and Sustainability IN Governance).

With the support of:

• Antoine Cahen, Special Foresight Advisor at the European Parliament Research Service (EPRS), has recently built scenarios on the Ukraine war and its aftermaths on the European Union.

• Léa Chaussis, Futures Literacy Expert and Associate Project Officer at UNESCO.

• Cécile Désaunay, Research Director at Futuribles.

• Olivier Desbiey, Group Head of Foresight at AXA.

• Erik Grab, Vice-President in charge of Strategic Anticipation and Co-Innovation at Michelin.

• François de Jouvenel, Director of Futuribles, General Delegate of Futuribles International.

• Marianne Julien, Foresight Investigation Leader and Facilitator at i-Lab at Air Liquide.

• Christine Kavazanjian, Futures Literacy & Foresight Expert and Project Officer at UNESCO.

• Michel Maietta, Founder of IARAN (Inter-Agency Research and Analysis Network), with a long experience of using foresight to face humanitarian crises.

• Pierre-Antoine Marti, Research Director at Futuribles.

• Michelle Rathman-Josserand, Director of the Strategic and Scientific Foresight and Risk Intelligence at L’Oréal.

• Corinne Roëls, General Secretary of Futuribles.

• Geraldine Wessing, Chief Political Analyst at Shell.

Registration link:

https://www.futuribles.com/formation/one-week-foresight-training-2/#programme

Training cost:

The early bird registration fee is 3,200 € excluding tax, or 3,840 € including VAT, until June 21, 2024.

The standard registration fee is 4,000 € excluding tax, or 4,800 € including VAT.

Venue

Paris, 7th arrondissement, 75007 Paris, France

The concept of Future-Oriented Collective Intelligence (FOCI) offers a transformative approach to making sense of and addressing future challenges that are complex and interconnected. The topic will be at the centre of the Futures4Europe Conference that will take place on 15 - 16 May 2025 in Vienna, Austria, at the Skydome in Vienna’s thrilling 7th district.   

The event will focus on three subtopics that correspond to the tracks of the Call for Papers: 

• Collective Intelligence for R&I Policy Making;
• Science as Collective Intelligence;
• Emerging practices and cultures in future-oriented collective intelligence.

The programme will consist of keynotes, parallel sessions with paper presentations and interactive formats. The final agenda will be shared closer to the event date. 

Are you interested in sharing your latest research findings? 

You can find our Call for Papers attached below. The submission deadline has been extended until 28 February 2025, where selected papers will be published in the international bi-monthly Foresight journal by Emerald Publishing. Academic contributions and inputs from Foresight practitioners, policymakers, and domain experts are welcome. The conference especially embraces presentations from various technological and social science and humanities domains. We also welcome papers exploring the horizons of the three conference subtopics related to Future-Oriented Collective Intelligence. 

The Futures4Europe Conference 2025 will take place on 15-16 May 2025 in Vienna. We are looking forward to receiving your contributions to help shape the future of foresight!   

Early bird Registration will open on 1 March 2025. The conference is free of charge. For more details, please contact futures4europe@ait.ac.at 

The Conference is organised by AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, as part of the Eye of Europe project, which envisions a more cohesive and influential R&I foresight community that contributes significantly, as a collective intelligence, to shaping and guiding policy decisions. The project has received funding from the EU’s Horizon Europe Research Programme under Grant Agreement n°101131738.

#Futures4EuropeConference2025 #Foresight #CollectiveIntelligence

JRC hosted a panel discussion at the UN Summit of the Future on September 21st 2024 on how foresight can complement classical risk assessment methods.

The United Nations will publish its first Global Risk Report in Autumn 2024. This follows the UNDRR UN Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction in 2023. The Joint Research Centre of the European Commission published in June 2024 its report "Risks on the Horizon". In addition, the World Economic Forum published its Global Risk Report in January 2024 . The panel gathered together experts behind these reports and speakers highlight how existing foresight methods can help to identify future risks, many of which were inter-generational, by using methods which do not rely on a risk already being known.

The first Mutual Learning Event (MLE) took place on May 23, 2024 in Bratislava, Slovakia as part of the Horizon Europe project Eye of Europe, which aims to contribute to the maturing of a vibrant Research and Innovation (R&I) foresight community in Europe and to support the integration of foresight practices into R&I policy-making.

Forty participants from partner organizations and external representatives of ministries, governmental bodies, R&I funding agencies and the European institutions gathered in the premises of the Government Office of the Slovak Republic.

This MLE, organized by Technology Centre Prague (TC), focused on the identification of emerging needs and approaches in the practice of foresight for research and innovation. To this end, the MLE in Bratislava was structured along the following phases:

• Eye of Europe’s vision and main building blocks, presented by project coordinator Radu Gheorghiu
• The context and role of this MLE, and a brief overview of other mutual learning events that took place since 2020, presented by Michal Pazour 
• Showcasing preliminary results of the Stocktaking of the organisation of R&I Foresight activities in the European Research Area (ERA), by Simone Weske. The presentation highlighted key benefits of the R&I foresight activities, constraints and bottlenecks, as perceived by the survey respondents.
• Four country studies - Slovakia, Finland, Austria and Sweden - have brought interesting insights and comparisons related to R&I foresight uptake and potential for improvement:
  Slovakia: Research and Innovation System and the potential for R&I Foresight |Michal Habrman, Government Office of the Slovak Republic
  Finland: Finnish national foresight ecosystem | Juha Kaskinen, FFRC University of Turku Finland
  Sweden: Leading from the Future in Sweden | Joakim Skog, Vinnova Sweden
  Austria: R&I foresight | Christian Naczinsky, Austrian Ministry of Education
• Discussions in four participant groups on emerging functions and approaches of R&I foresight. Overall, the group discussions touched on the dynamics of R&I foresight demand and supply and on the diversification of tools and methods for establishing dialogue with policy-making.
  
  This video created by the event host, Výskumná a inovačná autorita (VAIA), offers a glimpse into the spirit of both the MLE and the R&I foresight masterclass that preceded it. The detailed outputs of the MLE will be published in a dedicated report.
  
  
  ***
  Five MLEs are planned in the project, with the following one being held online in September 2024. All Eye of Europe MLEs are organized by Technology Centre Prague (TC), Eye of Europe partner and key Czech national think tank and academia based NGO with a rich experience with knowledge-based policy making support and (participatory as well as expert based) foresight activities.
  

The second Mutual Learning Event (MLE) took place online on September 26, 2024, as part of Eye of Europe, a Horizon Europe project  which aims to enhance the integration of foresight practices into Research and Innovation (R&I) policy-making across Europe and to nurture a vibrant, cohesive R&I foresight community that contributes significantly, as a collective intelligence, to shaping and guiding policy decisions.

The online MLE brought together fifty participants from diverse stakeholder groups: Eye of Europe partner organizations, the European Commission, R&I funding agencies, representatives of governmental bodies. The event, organized by Technology Centre Prague (TC), focused on the topic of policy oriented communication of foresight results. Group and plenary discussions in three interactive sessions were framed by expert presentations showcasing diverse practices in the application and communication of foresight.

Presentations:

• Michal Pazour (TC Prague, Czech Republic) introduced the Eye of Europe project and the context of this second Mutual Learning Event.
• Moderator of the event Lenka Hebáková (TC Prague, Czech Republic) followed up with an introduction to the event’s aims and agenda.
• Mikko Dufva (SITRA, Finland) – “Communicating foresight. From knowing it all to empowering change”. The presentation included three case studies: SITRA’s decade long experience with megatrends as a platform for dialogue, their work on weak signals as an invitation to broaden futures thinking in a “what if?” spirit and, finally, their efforts to empower others to define futures bottom-up, through small funding to diverse teams across Finland.
• “Communicating foresight in the European Commission” presented by Maia Knutti and Teodora Garbovan (EU Policy Lab, European Commission) brought insights into how, in the European Commission context, foresight is employed and linked with the policy cycle. Examples covered foresight content (e.g. Strategic Foresight Reports) and engagement tools (e.g. megatrends hub, scenario exploration system) that are serving different stakeholder groups across multiple channels.
• Bianca Dragomir (Institutul de Prospectiva, Romania) discussed a case study on embedding foresight into policy making in the context of developing the Strategy for Fishing and Aquaculture 2035 in Romania. Moreover, she shared about embedding foresight into both policy making and societal conversation, discussing two Foresight on Demand projects: Scenarios on “Transhumanist Revolutions” and foresight-meets-speculative-design project “Futures Garden”.
• Totti Könnölä (Insight Foresight Institute, Spain) shared about the Foresight on Demand project "European R&I foresight and public engagement for Horizon Europe" that advanced several objectives: generating foresight intelligence, i.e. through forward-looking policy briefs; monitoring of foresight activities and providing support for exploitation (Horizon Futures Watch); laying the building blocks for a European foresight community supported by an online platform. 
• Marie Ségur (Futuribles, France) presented a case study on “Future of social work in France to 2035-2050” and the methods employed throughout the process: using surveys to motivate engagement with futures thinking, scenario building that may inform strategic choices and guide towards a vision and, finally, communicating outcomes in a synthetic manner, that may contribute to a wider discussion around the topic.
• Eye of Europe project coordinator Radu Gheorghiu (UEFISCDI, Romania) shared previews of the upcoming upgrade of the futures4europe.eu platform, with its new look and extended features.
  
  This event is the second in a series of five MLEs planned in the project; the following event will be held on January 21st 2025 also in an online format. All Eye of Europe MLEs are organized by Technology Centre Prague (TC), Eye of Europe partner and key Czech national think tank and academia based NGO with a rich experience with knowledge-based policy making support and (participatory as well as expert based) foresight activities.

4strat is running an online session on Horizon Scanning as a method for navigating uncertainty and exploring emerging signals. 

Join foresight practitioners Ullrich Lorenz and Ana Z. Keser for a dive in into:

🔎 Weak Signals & Sense Making: How to identify early indicators of change and make sense of them in a complex environment. 

📌 Scanning sources & practices: Explore best practices for gathering data from diverse sources to uncover opportunities and risks.

🌐 Tools & AI: Learn how AI and digital platforms are enhancing the scanning process, making it more efficient and insightful.   

What to expect: 

▪️ Practical guidance on how Horizon Scanning can support strategic decision-making and long-term planning.

▪️ In-depth insights from experienced foresight professionals on how to execute a platform-driven Horizon Scanning. 

▪️ A structured approach to integrating both human expertise and AI in identifying Weak Signals and emerging trends.

Interested in Joining this free webinar? Register here.