Welcome to the Futures Conference 2021!

The Learning Futures – Futures of Learning online conference is less than three months away! This year’s programme consists of interactive virtual workshops and cross-disciplinary parallel sessions, providing a space for the futures community to tackle the pressing global ecological, cultural, societal and economic challenges. Education and learning have an essential role to play in solving these issues, with the development of futures learning at all levels of education and in wider society offering a potential pathway for renewal.

In addition, our keynote speakers will critically address a diverse range of topical themes:

• Critical factors in futures of (un)equal education: access, content, application
• Learning from transformation, for transformation beyond pandemic
• Futures Literacy – ideas for the 21st Century Literacy
• Co-evolution of human capabilities and intelligent technologies for future competences

We welcome you to join, discuss, and be inspired by the current and forthcoming developments of futures of learning and education!

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Remember to reserve your seat at the event – Early bird fees expire 31 March
Thank you all who have already registered! For others: please note that you can find the registration fee categories and the registration form at the event website. Do remember that the favourable early-bird fee is valid until the end of this month. Reserve your front row seat.

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The winner of the €30.000 Pentti Malaska Futures Award will be announced at the conference
We are looking for research-based, visionary, and boundary-crossing solutions supporting the building of a more sustainable global future.The competition is open (5 March – 26 April) to Nordic futures researchers and multidisciplinary research teams with a future-oriented research approach. Further information about the Award.

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Meet some of our distinguished conference speakers

Linda Mannila
The event will be facilitated by Dr. Linda Mannila. Linda Mannila is an educator, researcher, writer and facilitator with over 20 years of work experience at the crossroads of digitalisation and education.

Nick Balcom Raleigh
Nick Balcom Raleigh is a project researcher at Finland Futures Research Centre. He is co-chair of the UNESCO Chair on Learning for Transformation and Planetary Futures. He also serves as Vice President of Foresight Europe Network.

Markku Wilenius
Markku Wilenius is a Professor of Futures Studies in Turku School of Economics at the University of Turku. He is UNESCO Chair on Learning for Transformation and Planetary Futures. He also is Dean of the Dubai Futures Academy.

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Recent articles related to the conference themes

Turning uncertainty into opportunity: a new way to use-the-future
Researchers at the FLxDeep initiative turn uncertainty and complexity into assets and opportunities that enable innovation, leadership, discovery, choice, knowledge, and more. Read the article.

Perspective: Towards a More Resilient World
Professor Markku Wilenius’ article focuses on managing global risks in the new age of growing complexity. In the post-Covid-19 world, it seems that there are various alternative pathways to the future. Read the article.

Demystifying futures literacy, a key skill for climate innovation
Nick Balcom Raleigh and Irianna Lianaki-Dedouli explain how Futures Literacy can help sustainability innovators invent new approaches to addressing climate change. Read the article.

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