Edinburgh Futures Institute is excited to share the launch of our new events programme — Future University.
The Future University programme will include events around the future of the higher education sector in the context of today’s global challenges including the rapid development of artificial intelligence.
Professor Marion Thain, Edinburgh Futures Institute Director, shares what the Future University event programme aims to explore:
How do universities need to evolve to meet the needs of a rapidly changing world? Financial challenges within the sector are currently dominating the public debate about universities, but what if we look beyond this present moment — beyond sustaining today’s model — to reimagine the university of the future? Across 2026 we are running a provocative programme of exploration, inviting in a variety of stakeholders to consider what’s needed from our university sector for the future.
Civic University – Democracy, AI, and the Public Imagination
We are delighted to invite you to attend the first hybrid event of the Future University event programme: Civic University – Democracy, AI and the Public Imagination featuring Beth Simone Noveck, in conversation with Professor Oliver Escobar, on 2 June 2026.
Beth Simone Noveck is a professor and director of the Burnes Center for Social Change at Northeastern University, who also leads The Governance Lab and its Innovate US initiative.
Former US deputy chief technology officer and the first state chief AI strategist, Beth founded AI for Impact, which builds democratic AI with communities.
The event is a timely exploration of the civic role of the university in an age of democratic uncertainty and rapid technological change.
This conversation will examine how universities can act as democratic institutions — harnessing AI not just as a tool for innovation, but to strengthen participation, trust, and public problem-solving.
The Future University programme will continue with a two-day event in September 2026.
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Image credit: Elise Racine & The Bigger Picture / https://betterimagesofai.org / https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
