democracy
Civic AI: Reconnecting citizens with EU democracy
Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the way societies communicate, organise information and participate in public debate. At the same time, many European citizens still feel disconnected from EU decision-making, often perceiving Brussels as distant, complex and difficult to access. Can digital technologies help close that democratic gap? And if so, under what conditions? A STOA ...
2026 ESMH Summer School kicked off
From 22 to 25 June 2026, the European Science-Media Hub (ESMH) of the European Parliament hosted its sixth Summer School for young science journalists and content creators in Brussels. The 2026 ESMH Summer School focused on science communication in the age of artificial intelligence (AI). It explored the transformative role of AI in journalism and ...
AI and the future of journalism: Balancing innovation and responsibility
The advent of generative artificial intelligence (AI) is already transforming society across a wide range of sectors and journalism is no exception. The challenge is twofold: AI can both support and disrupt journalistic work, acting at once as a powerful tool and a potential competitor. At the same time, journalists carry the responsibility of helping ...
Interview with Dr Maura Hiney on the future of research integrity in Europe
How can we keep our trust on science in a world where research integrity is increasingly challenged? Experts are discussing different paths to ensure the continued integrity of the scientific process. One of them, Dr. Maura Hiney is an Adjunct Professor at University College Dublin Institute for Discovery and chair of the ALLEA Research Ethics ...
Can digital tools revive European democracy? Interview with Bjørn Bedsted
Online discussion platforms, digital deliberation tools, and - more recently – tools using artificial intelligence are increasingly being explored as ways to involve citizens more directly in policymaking processes. But can technology truly improve democratic participation? And what risks come with handing more of these processes over to algorithms and digital platforms? The European Parliament’s ...
Academic Freedom in Europe: safeguarding democracy, science and innovation
Academic freedom and democracy are not parallel values — they are interdependent. Where democracy weakens, academic freedom erodes. And where academic freedom is constrained, democracy itself is undermined. This is the central question that brought together policymakers, researchers and institutional leaders at the House of European History on March 4th, for the annual STOA high-level ...
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 of History in Brussels on Wednesday 4 March 2026. What trends do you ...
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 life of universities. Some universities have resisted, sometimes bringing successful ...