The Bridge Forum Dialogue in partnership with the University of Luxembourg (Uni.lu), the Europe Direct at the University of Luxembourg (ED-UNILU) and the European University Institute (EUI, Florence) have the honor of inviting you to a conference entitled:
What Role for European Higher Education in a Changing World?
Abstract
The global order is undergoing profound upheavals that are testing the European Union and the values on which it was founded. Universities are particularly affected, facing a growing mistrust that can even take the form of direct attacks by national governments. In this context, defence movements are emphasising the fundamental importance of science for democracy and the future of human societies. Immersed in a sea of data and facing the rise of fake news and other forms of disinformation, it is clear that we need truth more than ever. But universities do not have a monopoly on truth, and they have sometimes served to support anti-democratic regimes. What is the role of European higher education in this changing world? This role points in three directions, each a pillar of society: preserving and sharing knowledge, innovating and informing public debate. However, these roles cannot be properly fulfilled without careful consideration of the conditions under which they are carried out, the key ones being academic freedom and openness.
The keynote speaker will be
Prof. Patrizia Nanz
President of the European University Institute
The conference will be chaired by
Prof Marie-Hélène JOBIN
Vice-Rector for Partnerships and International Relations of the University of Luxembourg
Member of the Executive Committee of the Bridge Forum Dialogue
The speech will be followed by a questions-and-answers session.
A reception will take place afterwards.
This conference shall be held in a Hybrid format.
IN PERSON
(within the limits of available seats)
Venue : Auditorium Cité
3, Rue Genistre (same entry than the Cercle Cité Library),
L-1623, Ville-Haute – Luxembourg
VIRTUALLY
A few days before the event, the streaming link will be sent to the registered participants.
Mandatory registration online on Bridge Forum Dialogue.
Register at the latest 12 June 2025.
Please mention on the registration form if you will attend the event virtually or in person.
Biographical notes
Prof. Patrizia Nanz has been President of the European University Institute since March 2024. She combines a distinguished scientific record with proven leadership experience, having served as Director of the Institute for Sustainability (RIFS) in Potsdam, and Funding Director of the Franco-German Forum for the Future. Her expertise spans a broad spectrum of themes, with a particular focus on such topical issues as the future of European democracy, public participation, innovative public administration, and the socio-economic transformations linked to climate change. Professor Nanz has served as Vice-President of Germany’s Federal Office for the Safety of Nuclear Waste Management and Head of the Collaborative Governance Lab. She has advised regional and national governments, as well as the European Commission, and built an extensive network in both the academic and political domains. Patrizia Nanz studied philosophy at the Munich School of Philosophy and history and literary studies as well as philosophy at universities in Munich, Milan, Montréal and Frankfurt Rhine-Main. She also trained as a journalist and worked as editor for S. Fischer Verlag (Frankfurt) and Feltrinelli Editore (Milan). Nanz later obtained a doctorate in Political and Social Sciences at the European University Institute. After having been a researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods (Bonn) and Marie-Curie Fellow at Westminster University (London), she has been Professor of Political Theory at the University of Bremen and the University of Potsdam. She has also been Fellow of the Institute for Advanced Study (Berlin) and Visiting professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Source: European University Institute
Prof. Marie-Hélène Jobin is Vice-Rector for Partnerships and International Relations at the University of Luxembourg, where she oversees the development and promotion of the University’s impact on Luxembourg’s society and economy, as well as on European society more broadly. She supports the initiation and strengthening of public and private partnerships, the development of academic chairs, the valorisation of intellectual property and the University’s expertise through partnerships, collaborations, or intellectual property licensing, as well as support for entrepreneurship, incubation, and the acceleration of startups and spin-offs originating from the University. Internationally, she supervises the strategic development of inter-university collaborations and the mobility network for students and staff, cooperation with universities in developing countries, and the strengthening of the University’s voice within global academic networks. A dedicated professor committed to experience-based learning and applied research in collaboration with industry, she has extensive governance experience in the academic sector, particularly in Canada. Since joining the University of Luxembourg in 2023, she has continued her commitment to innovation and the strategic development of international academic relations.