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Interview with Prof. Svend-Erik Skaaning on democracy and academic freedom
Political science professor Svend-Erik Skaaning (Aarhus University, Denmark) will be the academic keynote speaker at the high-level conference “Academic Freedom in Support of Democracy” organised by the European Parliament’s Panel for the Future of Science and Technology (STOA) in the European House... -
Planetary health: a critical discipline for the future
Seven of nine planetary boundaries have now been breached which means that humanity is pushing Earth's critical support systems beyond their safe operating limits. The consequences are not distant threats but present realities: destabilized ecosystems, compromised food security, and mounting risks... -
ESMH Summer School 2026 - Call for young journalists and content creators
Are you a young journalist writing about science and technology? Do you have questions about the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on newsrooms, content consumption and production, and science communication? ➡️ Apply to the 2026 ESMH Summer School on science communication in the age of AI! Selected... -
The changing attitudes of Generation Z towards substance use and risky behaviours
For approximately 30 years, the Italian National Research Council has partnered with the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) to survey more than 113,800 students aged 15–16 across Europe to monitor adolescent risk behaviours. The latest findings reveal that, although cannabis, alcohol, and traditional... -
Cybersecurity threats: how ready is the EU? Interview with Florian Pennings of ENISA
As the ongoing digital transformation leads to increased cybersecurity threats, the European Parliament’s Panel for the Future of Science and Technology (STOA) is organising a workshop on enhanced EU cooperation on cybersecurity in Brussels on 4 February 2026. One of the speakers is Associate Chief... -
Beyond technology: How social sciences and humanities drive human-centric innovation
As the European Union (EU) prepares the groundwork for the next Horizon Europe Framework Programme, many experts have been calling for the human and social dimension of progress to be better integrated into the EU’s research and innovation agenda. The STOA workshop ‘Humanities and social sciences at... -
STOA’s annual lecture: Academic Freedom in the US
In the past year, tensions between the US administration and many major American universities – apparently revolving around « Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) » policies and the handling of student and faculty protests - have reached a critical point. From legislative restrictions on teaching and... -
Interview with Prof. David Rabban on the challenges for academic freedom in the United States
In the past year, tensions between the US administration and many of the major US universities have intensified, increasingly putting pressure on their academic freedom. Law professor David Rabban (University of Texas) thinks “it is important to push back against government intrusions into the intellectual...