On the 6 and 7 April 2017, the University of Kent’s Brussels School of International Studies hosted their annual conference, drawing together students, academics, academics and the curiously minded from all across Europe and beyond. The conference, entitled ‘The Disappearing State? Contested Governance in the 21st Century’, ambitiously aimed to discuss a broad range of the ‘public goods’ that are being contested by both state and non-state actors in the 21st century.

Reflecting the multidisciplinary nature of BSIS, the conference brought together some of the brightest in their fields to discuss topics such as aid and development, Taliban justice in Afghanistan, Education and the future of Iraq, access to the internet, migration and counterterrorism.

The conference and its topics attracted 140 attendees from a great range of backgrounds, including the European Parliament and Commission, think tanks, governmental institutions, current and former professionals and journalists, and many more. Through our lunches, breaks and networking receptions at the end of each day, the panelists and attendees were able to keep the conversation going, sharing even more knowledge and developing contacts that could aid them in the future. This conference allowed those with interest direct access to those with knowledge, and this will only further embolden the will of people to discuss and research the conference topics, many of which are becoming increasingly important in today’s society.

The conference was designed to reflect the overall nature of BSIS, in that it brings together knowledgeable people from a diverse set of backgrounds to discuss the most pressing issues facing the international community today, and aims to ensure all those who spend time at BSIS leave richer for the experience. With the feedback received from attendees and the panelists themselves, we believe this goal had been achieved.

The full story, photos and social media resonance can be followed here, and a post-conference will be available here in the next weeks.

We look forward to welcoming everyone back in 2018!