Brussels, 29 MAY 2026
Fondation Universitaire
The world is undergoing a profound transformation. The rules-based international order is under strain, multilateralism is weakening, and cooperation is making way for conflict. Yet at the very moment when political systems are fragmenting, the challenges confronting humanity โ from the triple planetary crisis to artificial intelligence, biotechnology, pandemics, and nuclear proliferation โ are inherently scientific and transcend borders and ideologies. This growing mismatch places science diplomacy at the center of an increasingly complex global landscape.
Science diplomacy is therefore needed more than ever. However, the conditions in which it operates have fundamentally changed. Where, in the postโCold War period leading up to the 2010s, it was largely understood as a bridge-building tool, science is now again increasingly politicized, securitized, and instrumentalized for strategic purposes. The erosion of trust in the international system directly affects the very currency on which science diplomacy relies. As scientific collaboration becomes entangled with power politics, a critical question emerges: who safeguards science as a global common good?
Universities have a unique role to play. As institutions grounded in knowledge and international collaboration, they are well placed to uphold shared scientific values. Universities and the alliances they constitute demonstrate how academic networks can act as laboratories of science diplomacy. Central to this is the โfourth dimensionโ (Diplomacy IN Science) where researchers themselves act as ambassadors of global knowledge, provided they are supported by their institutions.
The EUTOPIA Global Conference on Science Diplomacy will bring together academics, policymakers, diplomats, and students to reflect on these dynamics structured around three interlinked panels: (1) the changing global context; (2) the role of scientists as ambassadors of science; and (3) the ways in which universities and European University Alliances can implement science diplomacy agency.
The conference will aim to move towards a more shared understanding of the role of universities and European University Alliances in science diplomacy. In this context, EUTOPIA will present a number of reflections and proposals intended to stimulate discussion on how universities and alliances can act as vanguards of the global scientific commons and contribute to international dialogue and cooperation.
08:30 โ 09:00
Registration & Welcome Coffee
Participants arrive, register, and enjoy a welcome coffee.
09:00 โ 09:30
Opening Remarks
Official opening with high-level introductory addresses.
- Jan Danckaert, Rector, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), and Chair of the Board of Presidents of EUTOPIA
- Lodovico Folin Calabi, UNESCO Representative to the European Union
- รgota David, Policy Officer, DG Research and Innovation, European Commission
- Aรฏda Mimouni Chaabane, Vice President International Relations, CY Cergy Paris University
09:30 โ 11:00
Panel 1 โ Multilateralism: What Next?
- In a context of declining multilateralism and rising geopolitical competition, what role can science diplomacy realistically play in sustaining international cooperation?
- How can science diplomacy navigate the growing tension between openness, security, and strategic interests?
- What forms of cooperation might emerge in a post-multilateral world, and how can scientific collaboration adapt to this new landscape?
Panelists
- Rasmus Gjedssรธ Bertelsen, Professor of Northern Studies, Arctic University of Norway
- Jean-Francois Doulet, French Embassy in Ottawa
- Toto Matshediso, Director Global Projects, Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, South Africa
- Luca Polizzi, United Nations University (UNU-CRIS)
Moderator
- Luciana Radut-Gaggi, CY Cergy Paris University
RapporteurAngela Schindler-Daniels, DLR Project Management Agency
11:00 โ 11:15
Coffee Break
11:15 โ 12:45
Panel 2 โ The Fourth Dimension: Diplomacy in Science
- In an increasingly politicised and securitised environment, how can scientists act as credible ambassadors of science as a global common good?
- What does โdiplomacy in scienceโ look like in practice, and how can it help maintain trust and dialogue across geopolitical divides?
- How can universities and alliances better recognise, support, and incentivise the diplomatic role of researchers?
Panelists
- Abdelrazek Elnaggar, Professor of Heritage Sciences and Scientific Advisor, University of Ljubljana
- James Hammond, Professor of Geophysics, School of Natural Sciences, Birkbeck University of London; Director, Mount Paektu Research Center
- Christopher Strelluf, Associate Professor of Linguistics, University of Warwick
Moderator
- Jean-Claude Burgelman, Professor Emeritus, VUB
RapporteurNina Perลกak, University of Ljubljana
12:45 โ 14:00
Lunch Break
14:00 โ 15:30
Panel 3 โ Models of Implementation
- How can universities and European University Alliances build institutional capacity to act as science diplomacy actors?
- What concrete models (curricula, training, governance structures) can embed science diplomacy into higher education and research systems?
- How can alliances translate shared values into coordinated action and contribute to a common European approach to science diplomacy?
Panelists
- Jean-Christophe Mauduit, Associate Professor of Science Diplomacy, University College London
- Marina Cino Pagliarello, Research Fellow, European University Institute
- Barbara Curyลo, Assistant Professor, University of Opole; FORTHEM Institutional Coordinator
Moderator
- Eric Piaget, VUB / UNU-CRIS
RapporteurAdina Fodor, Babeศ-Bolyai University
15:30 โ 15:45
Closing Keynote by Marina Cino Pagliarello
- Stewards of the Commons: What Alliances Enable in a Fragmented World
15:45 โ 16:30
Closing Remarks
- Reflections from the panel rapporteurs.
- Steps towards the future of science diplomacy within EUTOPIA and European University Alliances
- Open discussion and concluding reflections
16:30 โ 18:00
Networking Reception with Buffet
Informal networking over drinks and a buffet.
Attendance is free.
DUE TO A MASSIVE RESPONSE, REGISTRATIONS ONLINE HERE