At this event in Brussels on 23 January 2024, researchers from the University of Bergen and NORCE – Norwegian Research Centre will present and discuss new and pressing democracy issues with policy makers and experts from the European Commission and stakeholder organizations.
How can research and innovation contribute to a future robust society?
At this event, we will discuss what we mean by democracy today and how R&I can contribute to robust knowledge-based democracies. In parallell sessions we will address democracy in the contexts of artificial intelligence, climate change, and democratic participation platforms. Researchers, policy makers, and experts from the European Commission and stakeholder organizations will highlight these issues together.
The goal is to present challenges, perspectives and solutions, raise awareness of democracy as a crucial research topic for Europe, and discuss how to enhance future research on democracy.
We aim to emphasize the importance of democracy in the upcoming 10th framework programme for research and innovation, placing it at the center alongside sustainable development, climate-friendly growth, and digitalization.
The event is hosted by the University of Bergen (UiB) and NORCE – Norwegian Research Centre.
Draft Programme
New Challenges to Democracy
How can R&I contribute to a future robust society?
| 12:30 | Networking lunch | |
| 13:30 | Welcoming keynote | Margareth HAGEN, Rector, University of Bergen (UiB) Camilla STOLTENBERG, CEO, Norwegian Research Centre (NORCE) |
| 13:50 | Keynote speech | Signe RATSO, Deputy Director General, DG RTD, European Commission |
| PLENARY SESSION I: Setting the Scene – Democracy in Europe in 2024 | ||
| 14:00 | Panel debate: Democracy in Europe in 2024 Moderator Maryline FIASCHI, CEO, Science|Business | Panelists: Francisco DE LA TORRE FRANCIA, Deputy Head of Unit, DG RTD D.4, Democracy & European Values, European Commission Assya KAVRAKOVA, Executive Director, European Citizen Action Service (ECAS)Silvia KOTANIDIS, Policy analyst, Citizens’ Policies, DG for Parliamentary Research Services, European ParliamentKarl Harald SØVIG, Dean, Professor, The Faculty of Law, UiB Sveinung ARNESEN, Research Professor, NORCE |
| 14:55 | Transitional coffee break | |
| PARALLEL SESSIONS | ||
| 15:10 | Parallel 1: Democratic Tensions in Climate Politics Moderator Håvard HAARSTAD, Professor, Director, Centre for Climate and Energy Transformation (CET), UiB | Panelists: Thea GREGERSEN, Senior Researcher, NORCE Fay FARSTAD, Associate Professor, Department of Comparative Politics, UiBRichard YOUNGS, Senior fellow, Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program, Carnegie EuropeLina STRANDVÅG NAGELL, Topic lead, Sustainable Finance & Economy, Bellona |
| 15:10 | Parallel 2: AI + Society + ? = Smart SocietyModerator Marija SLAVKOVIK, Head of Department, Department of Information Science and Media Studies, UiB | Panelists:Sveinung ARNESEN, Research Professor, NORCE Malgorzata CYNDECKA, Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, UiBTBCTBC |
| 15:10 | Parallel 3: Engaging Society and Good Democratic DeliberationModerator Anne Lise FIMREITE, Professor, Department of Government, UiB | Panelists:Andreas N. UHRE, Senior researcher, NORCE Adriana BUNEA, Professor, Department of Comparative Politics, UiBTBCTBC |
| 16:00 | Transitional coffee break | |
| PLENARY SESSION II: Looking ahead – Research for Innovative Democracy | ||
| 16:20 | Summing up the parallel sessions Moderator Maryline FIASCHI, CEO, Science|Business | Moderator parallel 1: Håvard HAARSTAD, Professor, Director, Centre for Climate and Energy Transformation (CET), UiBModerator parallel 2: Marija SLAVKOVIK, Head of Department, Professor, Department of Information Science and Media Studies, UiBModerator parallel 3: Anne Lise FIMREITE, Professor, Department of Government, UiB |
| 16:35 | Panel debate: Looking ahead: Research for Innovative DemocracyModerator Maryline FIASCHI, CEO, Science|Business | Panelists: Gabi LOMBARDO, Director, European Alliance of Social Sciences and Humanities (EASSH)Elisabeth IVARSFLATEN, Professor, Department of Government, UiB Ida Vikøren ANDERSEN, Senior Researcher, NORCE Martin Paulsen, Head of Department, Department of Foreign Languages, UiB David MAIR, Head of Unit, Science for Democracy and Evidence-Informed Policymaking, Joint Research Centre, European Commission |
| 17:20 | Summing up the day | Margareth HAGEN, Rector, UiB Camilla STOLTENBERG, CEO, NORCE |
| 17:30 – 20:00: Networking reception | ||