Date: Thursday 23 January 2025, 14:00-17:00 CET
Location: online via TEAMS
The first "Fresh Ideas Seminar" of ESSCA's EU*Asia Institute marked a promising start to an initiative aimed at fostering creativity and innovation in research.
The vision behind this initiative, as shared by the Institute's Director, Thomas Hoerber, in his introductory remarks, was to create a platform for researchers to present unconventional, early-stage ideas that may not yet be fully developed but have the potential to make significant academic, policy, or business contributions.
The seminar featured a range of speakers, each with a unique perspective:
- David CARDENAS FLORES (ESSCA graduate).
The Creation of Shared Value and Application of Sustainable Standards as a Competitive Advantage for Building Strategic Alliances in Social Impact Projects
Based on a case study co-developed with his classmates, that combines shared value and resilient partnerships, David introduced the concept of caretaking, a new approach to sustainability that emphasises its social dimension.
- Tommaso LUZZATI, Dipartimento Economia e Management & REMARC, Università di Pisa
Can We Escape Our Addiction to the Throwaway Economy? The Case Against Premature Obsolescence
Tommaso offered an idealistic vision of a better world, which is both inspiring and necessary in today's often pragmatic discussion, reconciling the problems of premature obsolescence and the reduction of working hours to find innovative solutions.
His presentation was part of ESSCA's MSc in Sustainable Management and Social Impact, and allowed the 22 students to participate in the seminar and interact with cutting-edge perspectives from the various presentations.
- Andrew THOMAS, ESSCA EU*Asia Institute – European Space Policy Research Group
A trans-scalar Re-calibration of Space Policy
Bold and exploratory, Andrew's presentation embodied the seminar's ambition to push intellectual boundaries and venture into uncharted territory. His objective was to highlight the missing voices in space policy, through the interplay of artistic and academic works.
- Camila VILLARD DURAN, ESSCA & EU*Asia Institute
The Coalition of the Willing (and Capable) States for a New Global Payment Infrastructure: Transforming the International Monetary System through Central Bank Digital Currencies
In her paper, Camila explored alternatives to established financial systems, presenting diverse and sometimes unconventional viewpoints that are crucial to research. Her research opened doors to new and fresh perspectives on how to replace the dominance of the dollar as global currency, and was therefore undoubtedly very much in line with the aim of the seminar.
In his closing remarks, Thomas Hoerber described the seminar as an important first step in fostering innovation. He emphasised the importance of turning shared ideas into tangible results, be they academic publications, policy proposals or commercial innovations.
Looking ahead, Thomas outlined a vision for the growth of the seminar, including the addition of face-to-face events to complement the online format. This blend of virtual and face-to-face engagement, he suggested, could further enrich the seminar experience and deepen connections between researchers.
This first edition of our Fresh Ideas Seminar has laid a strong foundation, and we hope it will become an important platform for groundbreaking ideas and interdisciplinary collaboration in the years to come.
