On April 5th, 2018, the University of Kent’s Brussels School of International Studies (BSIS) opened its doors to host its annual International Conference. This year’s student-run conference was titled Digital Disruptions: How Technology Changes Our Reality, inquiring the influence technology bears on our society. Reflecting BSIS’s interdisciplinary spirit, we chose three very different examples for our discussions: cyber radicalization, online platforms, and blockchain technology. The day was kicked off by an Opening Keynote on public policy and digital innovation and ended by a Concluding Discussion to reflect on the day’s overarching themes.
14 speakers from Brussels and beyond were invited, representing academia, think-tanks, civil society, the EU, the UN, and social enterprises. The event attracted about 170 attendees also from a wide range of backgrounds including the European Parliament, regional representations, think-tanks, and various academic institutions across Europe. Throughout the conference, attendees and panelists continued lively discussions during the networking breaks and closing reception.
The conference’s topic was not only very well received by the participants and attendees, but also online. The BSIS student-run podcast ‘Beyond Brussels’ posted recordings of the sessions, which were listened to by 150 people within 24 hours. More highlights of the conference, as well as pictures, can be found on facebook and twitter.
We look forward to welcoming everyone back in 2019!
Hyperlinks:
http://www.beyondbrusselspod.com/
https://www.kent.ac.uk/campusonline/?view=13464
https://www.facebook.com/bsisconference/
https://twitter.com/hashtag/BSISConf2018?src=hash
