Skip to content

International Conference

  • Milan
    • 2 February 2017
     
     

    Industry 4.0: comparing best practices in the EU

      Kicking off proceedings at this International Conference was the observation that the fourth industrial revolution is already underway, taking advantage of technologies that transcend the boundaries between the physical, digital, and biological spheres. Robotics, artificial intelligence, big data, cloud computing, the Internet of Things, and 3D and 4D printers were held up as just some of the new technologies making a forcible impact on the economy in general and manufacturing in particular.

    • Turin
      • 27 October 2017
       
       

      Industrial renaissance: digital disruption and the post 4.0 economy

        A report on “Digital disruption and transformation of Italian manufacturing”, which focuses particularly on the case of Piedmont within the context of Northern Italy, was presented at this International Conference as a catalyst for discussion on the topic of “digital disruption”, examining both the great opportunities as well the risks and social costs that this entails.

      • Florence
        • 18 November 2016
         
         

        Creative disruption: technological innovation, new inequalities and human security

          No aspect of life, business or politics is immune to the major technological changes of our time. The speed and scale of transformation is such that breakthrough innovations are affecting everything, from the nature of work to what it means to be human. Zigzagging career paths are now the norm, traditional industries are revolutionized almost overnight, and the political debate is more intense and more polarized than at any other moment in recent history.

        • Palermo
          • 18 March 2016
           
           

          Hubs and networks in the Mediterranean basin: A path to sustainable growth

            The large trade and financial flows across the Mediterranean region and the Middle East are major opportunities for economic recovery. They are based mainly on the new energy networks (from both conventional and renewable sources) and the expansion of the Suez Canal, in addition to the persistent role of Gulf investors (particularly through sovereign wealth funds). There are certainly significant obstacles to growth, starting with volatile commodity prices linked to greater investor caution than in the recent past.

          • Rome
            • 11 December 2015
             
             

            Youth Forum – New Jobs for New Generations

              Emerging from discussions during the Med 2015 Youth Forum – devoted to the topic “The challenge: new jobs for new generations” – was the finding that investment in infrastructure, in the Internet of Things, and in renewable energy, along with a shift towards a greater grassroots focus, are the factors that could bring about a decisive breakthrough to the problem of youth employment in the Mediterranean.

            • Siracusa
              • 6 June 2014
               
               

              Arab Evolutions. The Mediterranean after the global slowdown

                Kick-starting talks at this session of the Aspen Mediterranean Initiative was the observation that the arduous and variegated evolution of the Mediterranean region needs to be viewed within the prevailing global context.

              • Rome
                • 29 June 2014
                 
                 

                The next frontiers: tapping the potential of our economies

                  Launching discussions at this World Economy Conference was an acknowledgement by those in attendance that the recovery from the economic crisis of recent years has been particularly slow in historical terms, with the most recent figures confirming fears of a further possible slowdown. This global scenario was seen as a fortiori necessitating that growth be considered a top priority for Europe during Italy’s current 6-month-long presidency of the Council of the EU.

                • Geneva
                  • 18 October 2013
                   
                   

                  Science and innovation: research, infrastructure and international collaboration

                    The opening premise of discussions at this International Conference was that scientific research is crucial to innovation, understood as both the discovery of new facts, data, or laws of nature, as well as knowledge with a direct technological application. Indeed, technology provides an essential bridge between science and society. As a demonstration of this, the participants pointed to the limitless practical applications of the World Wide Web (which had its origins at CERN, based on the development of the internet), citing it as a case where the industrial spinoff has been enormous.

                  • Naples
                    • 5 July 2013
                     
                     

                    The changing Mediterranean: the quest for growth and the Gulf factor

                      Discussions at this 2-day event got underway with the observation that the Mediterranean Sea clearly connects Europe not just with North Africa, but also the Middle East, the Anatolian Peninsula, and the Persian Gulf. All these axes present opportunities for growth through greater interdependence, in spite of the current difficulties being experienced by European economies and the political uncertainty holding back those on the southern shores of the Mediterranean.

                    • Rome
                      • 15 April 2012
                       
                       

                      Media, business and societies: a platform for change

                        The second Aspen Mediterranean Initiative seminar provided the opportunity to widen the network of the region’s emerging leaders as it analyzed the relationship between traditional and new media, and society and politics. Journalists, activists, bloggers and artists all shared their perceptions on the direct influence of communications on political events.

                      • Hammamet (Tunisia)
                        • 15 June 2012
                         
                         

                        Energizing the Mediterranean economies: transitions, global competition and the search for opportunities

                          The Mediterranean region is very diverse and simultaneously presents elements of close interdependence: the economic crisis of the past few years has shown that each country reacts to the challenges and opportunities on the basis of specific institutional and social features, even in the presence of important contagion effects. The political transitions in some Arab countries, starting with Tunisia and Egypt, confirm these twin tendencies whereby endogenous and local factors interact with regional and international ones.

                        • Palermo
                          • 2 December 2011
                           
                           

                          Aspen Mediterranean Initiative

                            The Aspen Mediterranean Initiative participants concurred that the Mediterranean area is becoming even more diverse than it has been in the past, a fact which calls for special attention to be paid to the situation unfolding in various locales in the region, especially at a time of uncertain political transition in which social forces have a potentially crucial role to play.

                          • Venice
                            • 27 October 2011
                             
                             

                            China-Europe-U.S. Trialogue Second meeting

                              The second meeting of the Trialogue series focused on the issues of global economic governance (with special attention to the role of the G20), trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific links in the security field, and instability in the Middle East region with its possible implications.

                            • Milan
                              • 8 May 2011
                               
                               

                              Jobs, growth and values. Creating opportunities for new generations

                                The Dialogue session got underway with the observation that the world economic recovery has failed to alleviate the social impact of the crisis, with the improving economic situation having no appreciable effect on employment. The participants highlighted that this phenomenon affects both workers in more mature sectors – that is, those most exposed to the consequences of globalization – as well as younger people, who are just entering the labor market.

                              • Rome
                                • 24 May 2011
                                 
                                 

                                From Arab spring to Arab winter? Regional trends and implications for business

                                  Those attending this Aspen Mediterranean Initiative workshop set out to evaluate the impact of the so-called “Arab spring” on the economies of North Africa and on the wider Mediterranean region. The event, which saw the participation of key political and business figures from the northern and southern shores of the Mediterranean, also marked the launch of Aspen Institute Italia’s Mediterranean Program.

                                • Stresa (Verbania)
                                  • 26 June 2011
                                   
                                   

                                  Family businesses: leading the future

                                    The focus of this international conference was the family-run firm, without question the most widely-used business ownership and organizational structure. It was noted that in Europe and the Anglo-Saxon world, and in the Far East and more recently emergent countries, the family business constitutes – albeit to greater or lesser extents and with marked differences from region to region – a key pillar of the global economy, in the production of wealth as well as in job creation.

                                  • Rome
                                    • 13 October 2010
                                     
                                     

                                    Western democracies under pressure

                                      The members of the first panel analyzed the multiple repercussions of the crisis that began in 2008 on the Western economies, as well as on their political systems and societies. The impact has been profound, putting in question the growth model and the sustainability of the welfare state in its current forms. Major tensions have also emerged between short term needs – such as the bailouts – and longer term goals. The very close link between modern states and capitalism, which in the Western world is captured by the expression “market democracy”, has become more evident than in the past.

                                    • Berlin
                                      • 29 April 2010
                                       
                                       

                                      Europe in the G-20 world

                                        The Conference got underway with a general discussion on a fundamental question: in the new world order, is Europe’s importance destined to wane – no matter what? Leaving aside the impact of major international trends (such as demographic changes), which have reduced the relative influence of the EU in objective terms, the participants pointed to various internal factors as constituting constraints on Europe’s potential. First and foremost of these is the difficulty of reconciling the sovereignty of the various Member States with the authority of Brussels.