Edinburgh Futures Conversations

The University of Edinburgh and the Edinburgh Futures Institute (EFI) present a series of events to promote global understanding and cooperation, and to contribute action-oriented thinking to the public debate about the world’s response to Covid-19.

The University of Edinburgh Futures Conversations is a series of events aimed at promoting global cooperation in solving the critical challenges facing the world, especially post Covid-19. They bring together global influencers, academic experts, policymakers, writers, activists and artists, including our alumni and our students, to debate possible solutions and define the actions necessary to achieve them. They seek to engage the wider public, opening conversation and creating change across local and international communities. 

The Future of Artificial Intelligence

Held over two sessions in March 2023, the fourth event in the Edinburgh Futures Conversations Series brought together leading experts from the worlds of science, politics, and civil society to discuss the potential hopes, and fears, for Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The Future of Climate Justice

Held over three sessions in October 2022, the third event in the Edinburgh Futures Conversations Series brought together voices from international leaders, climate scientists, artists, academics, and political economists to discuss the injustice the acceleration of climate change is bringing.

The Future Economy

Held on 12 October 2021, the second event in the Edinburgh Futures Conversations Series saw experts from around the world explore the systemic nature of the risks we are facing and the dependency between the components of systems for the future economy.

The Future of Health

Held on 2 March 2021, the first event in the Edinburgh Futures Conversations series saw experts from around the world share their perspectives of the pandemic and explore how to change and reshape public health systems to transform outcomes.