AESCON3: Shaping Asia-Europe Pathways for Human-centric and Resilient Digital Connectivity
14 June 2023
AESCON is a meeting place for experts from the EU and Asia to work together on expanding sustainable connectivity opportunities and cooperation prospects between the two regions. The AESCON platform fosters an open dialogue to reinforce the connectedness of the EU-Asia scientific network.
The third edition of the Asia-Europe Sustainable Connectivity Scientific Conference (AESCON3) was held online on 14 and 15 June 2023. AESCON3 focused on a key priority area for the two regions: Digital Connectivity. With an emphasis on the intersection of human-centric and resilient digital transformation, the conference deliberated on the digital partnerships between the EU and Asia, as well as the fast-changing global geopolitical and geoeconomic landscape.
The conference featured four panel discussions mobilising diverse Asian and European expertise over two half-days, privileging a multistakeholder approach to digital connectivity challenges and opportunities.
Schedule
Date: 14-15 June 2023
Time: 9 AM - 12:30 PM CEST | 14:00 – 17:00 WIB
Agenda
Day 1 | Wednesday, 14 June 2023
09:00 – 12:00 CEST | 14:00 – 17:00 WIB
Opening remarks
- Helena KÖNIG, Deputy Secretary-General for Economic and Global Issues, European External Action Service
- Toru MORIKAWA, Executive Director, Asia-Europe Foundation
Thematic session 1: Bridging regional interests and global challenges in digital connectivity
Moderator:
- Anita PRAKASH, Senior Policy Advisor for International Economic Cooperation, Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia
Speakers:
- Lurong CHEN, Senior Economist, Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia
- Mireia PAULO, Head of Management, Centre for EU-Asia Connectivity at Ruhr-Universität Bochum
- Manuel WIDMANN, Mercator Fellow, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
Thematic session 2: Enhancing human rights through digital connectivity
Moderator:
- Rosanna FANNI, Researcher and Trade and Technology Dialogue, Centre for European Policy Studies
Speakers:
- Myong-Hyun Go, Senior Research Fellow, Asan Institute for Policy Studies
- Osama MANZAR, Founder and Director, Digital Empowerment Foundation
- Marie-Therese SEKWENZ, Researcher, The Sustainable Computing Lab
Day 2 | Thursday, 15 June 2023
09:00 – 12:00 CEST | 14:00 – 17:00 WIB
Thematic session 3: Securing resilience through cybersecurity cooperation
Moderator:
- Sohyun SHIN, Research Fellow, National Intelligence and Cyber Security Center, The Sejong Institute
Speakers:
- Lorenzo PUPILLO, Head of the Cybersecurity@CEPS Initiative
- Melanie GARSON, Acting Director Geopolitics, Tony Blair Institute for Global Change
Thematic session 4: Disaster preparedness and prevention
Moderator:
- Stefania BENAGLIA, Head of the Global Connectivity Programme, Centre for European Policy Studies
Speakers:
- Muhammad Habib Abiyan DZAKWAN, Researcher, Department of International Relations, Centre for Strategic and International Studies Indonesia
- Irina RAFLIANA, Associate Researcher, German Institute of Development and Sustainability
Closing remarks
- David RINGROSE, Head of Connectivity and Digital Transition, European External Action Service