London, 2 June 2025 – In today’s rapidly evolving global landscape, leading international experts will gather at Middlesex University for the 4th Open Forum, titled “Global Economics: History is Not the Past.” Organized by the EU-funded CONNECTS-UK initiative, the event will explore the intersection of economic thinking and socio-political dynamics, emphasizing long-term, collaborative solutions.

CONNECTS-UK, a pan-European initiative fostering scientific collaboration between the EU and the UK, will bring together leading global experts for an interactive discussion on how to tackle the most pressing global challenges. Through plenary sessions, panel discussions, a roundtable, and a poster and video competition, participants will explore three key themes:

1. How historical insights shape today’s economic strategies.
2. The socio-political challenges that we face and innovative approaches to deal with them.
3. The transformative power of interdisciplinary thinking to foster trust in science.

Opening Remarks & Speakers
The forum will commence with introductory remarks from Nathalie van Meurs, CONNECTS-UK and Dutch Network of Academics in the UK (DNA UK), Middlesex University. Shân Wareing, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer at Middlesex University, will welcome attendees, and Cyril Robin-Champigneul from the Delegation of the European Union to the United Kingdom will deliver a video message highlighting the European Union’s contributions in the field. 

Featured Panels and Experts

Panel 1: Trust in science (12:50 – 13:50)

As we navigate an era marked by misinformation, climate crisis, and rapid technological change, understanding the historical and global dynamics of trust in science from multiple perspectives is more urgent than ever.

• Lucy Noakes, Rab Butler Professor of Modern History at the University of Essex and President of the Royal Historical Society. “The Never-Ending War: Britain, Brexit and the Value of History”
• Rick van der Ploeg, Professor of Economics at the University of Oxford, University Professor at the University of Amsterdam, and Research Fellow of CEPR, CESifo and the Tinbergen Institute. “Climate sceptics: how to deal with it”
• Nolen Gertz, Associate Professor of Applied Philosophy, University of Twente (NL). “Why AI Ethics is Unethical”
• Iliana Olivé, Senior analyst at Elcano Royal Institute, Director of the European Think Tanks Group (ETTG), Associate professor at Complutense University of Madrid, Vice-president at the European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI). “Trust in data. How can the Elcano Global Presence Index help you understand the newspapers’ headlines”

Panel 2: What is the impact of research on society? (14:40 – 15:40)

This panel will explore how the transformative power of research and its lasting impact on society not only deepens our knowledge but also influences economic development, social justice, and global interconnectedness.

Bastien Chabé-Ferret, Senior Lecturer in Economics, Middlesex University (UK). “When Does Research Shapes Policy and Why?”David Clayton, Professor of History at the University of York, UK. “Cutting Personal Consumption via Rationing: lessons from drought mitigation in 1960s Hong Kong”Julian Jessop, Independent Economist. Fellow at the Institute of Economic Affairs (London, UK). “Have we really had enough of experts?”

Roundtable Discussion: Resolved Challenges and Interdisciplinary Potential

As boundaries between disciplines become increasingly fluid, we have a unique opportunity to exchange methods, perspectives, and ideas. Let’s explore how cross-disciplinary connections have helped solve longstanding challenges – and how they might pave the way for innovation yet to come.

Chair: Marius Kat, Lead Associate, Financial Conduct Authority

Jesús Sanjurjo, Chancellor’s Fellow in Atlantic World History at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow

Jeremy Chapman, The Integrity Centre, Co-founder. Sycamore Alliance Ltd, Director (Germany) 

Martin Broad, Middlesex University, Dean, Faculty of Business & Law, Professor

Joanna Paulynn Masangkay, Centre for the Understanding of Sustainable Prosperity (CUSP) Research Fellow (CUSP) and Middlesex University

The forum is co-sponsored by the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT), the Embassy of the Netherlands in the UK, with leadership from the Dutch Network of Academics in the UK (DNA in UK) and the support of the University of Middlesex.

For more details or to register, click here 

For media inquiries, please contact:

Anna Fumarola

Project Manager CONNECTS-UK

project.manager@connects-uk.org

Further details on the CONNECTS-UK website and its social media  Twitter page, Linkedin, Facebook 

About CONNECTS-UK:

CONNECTS-UK stands for ‘Connecting European Communities Through Science in the UK’ and is a pioneering pan-EU project co-funded by the European Union (EU) that aims to advance scientific collaborations between the EU and the United Kingdom (UK) in the post-Brexit context. The initiative brings together scientific diasporas from Finland, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, and Spain, and the non-profit organisation, Native Scientists, to foster cross-border research, promote knowledge exchange, and drive innovation. CONNECTS-UK serves as a catalyst for groundbreaking scientific collaborations and partnerships in diverse fields of study. The EU funding of around half a million euros not only reflects its commitment to advancing scientific progress but also underscores the importance of maintaining robust research ties between the EU and the UK despite the challenges posed by Brexit.

By creating a robust framework for cross-border collaboration, CONNECTS-UK will enable scientists, researchers, and innovators to overcome the barriers created by Brexit and tap into the vast wealth of expertise and resources available in both the EU and the UK to jointly tackle pressing global challenges. 

CONNECTS-UK is a partnership, open to new collaborators, between

• Association of Italian Scientists in the UK (AISUK)
• Dutch Network of Academics in the UK (DNU inUK)
• Finnish Science Society in the UK
• French Education and Research Network UK (FERN-UK)
• Native Scientists
• Polonium Foundation
• Portuguese Association of Researchers and Students in the UK (PARSUK)
• Society of Spanish Researchers in the UK (SRUK/CERU)
• Association of Slovens Educated (VTIS)