FORTHEM international conference: Responsible Bio Innovation × Rethinking Knowledge

FORTHEM international conference

^{26-28 November 2025}

This conference brings together researchers and practitioners from biosciences, engineering, social sciences, humanities, and education to co‑create responsible, democratic, and sustainable innovation for Europe. We invite contributions that connect cutting‑edge science with ethics, inclusion, governance, and societal impact, drawing inspiration from the FORTHEM Alliance’s efforts to connect worlds of science and society.

The program features two complementary streams and joint cross‑over sessions:

• Track A. Democratic & Responsible Bio‑Innovation — aligning bio‑tech breakthroughs with ethics, safety, sustainability, and security.
• Track B. Rethinking Knowledge in Democratic, Inclusive & Evolving Europe — re‑imagining how knowledge is produced, governed, taught, and shared across cultures and systems.

We particularly welcome interdisciplinary work, co‑authorship across FORTHEM universities, and submissions that pair scientific advances with SSH analysis.

We invite submissions on but not limited to the following topics:

Track A — Democratic & Responsible Bio‑Innovation

Topics include (but are not limited to):

1. AI‑Driven Biosciences & Ethical Autonomy — algorithmic transparency, bias, and autonomy in genomics, diagnostics, and drug discovery.
2. Bioconvergence & Resilient Innovation Ecosystems — inclusive governance for biology × engineering × digital convergence.
3. Sustainable Bioeconomy & Nature‑Based Solutions — circular biotech, algae‑based fuels, waste‑to‑resource systems, environmental justice.
4. Next‑Gen Therapies & Fair Health Innovation — equity, long‑term safety, and regulation of gene editing, mRNA, and cell‑based therapies.
5. Green, Safe & Digital Laboratories — sustainable lab infrastructures, automation, and risk management in digital transitions.
6. Microbiome & Multi‑Omics in Health, Food & Environment — ethics, regulation, and public trust for multi‑omics data.
7. Coastal & Environmental Security in a Warming Europe — marine biotech, biodiversity monitoring, community resilience.
8. One Health, Pandemic Preparedness & Biosecurity — risk literacy, global health diplomacy, and antimicrobial resistance.

Track B — Rethinking Knowledge in Democratic, Inclusive & Evolving Europe

Topics include (but are not limited to):

1. Cultural Heritage & Identity — belonging, civic identity, and democratic resilience; digital preservation and conservation science.
2. Multilingualism, Language Justice & Knowledge Access — inclusive pedagogy, translation of science and policy, equitable communication.
3. Democratic Innovation, Participation & Epistemic Justice — trust, polarization, citizen science, open science, research evaluation.
4. Transforming Higher Education: Governance, Values & Alliances — European University Alliances as spaces for institutional change (e.g., FORTHEM).
5. Researching Learning & Teaching in Multicultural, Digital Contexts — engagement, digital literacy, AI in education, decolonizing curricula.
6. Migration, Belonging & Plural Knowledge Systems — inclusive citizenship, indigenous and migrant knowledge.
7. Ethics, Governance & Human Impact of Technology — responsible AI, surveillance, data protection, inclusive design.
8. Environmental Humanities for Sustainability & Wellbeing — cultural narratives for ecological futures.