Knowledge for the City – Opening Night

Like many metropolises, Brussels is faced with numerous social, political, economic and environmental challenges such as climate change, mobility, access to healthcare, the diversification of the population and the increase in social inequalities. Given the increasing complexity of these realities and the challenges they pose, the co-production of expertise and the sharing of knowledge – especially academic knowledge – between different urban stakeholders (associations, the political and economic world, civil society, citizens, etc) has become essential.

Beginning in February 2022, the Brussels Studies Institute (BSI) and its educational and public debate initiative, the Brussels Academy, the academic journal Brussels Studies propose to reflect on the challenges of knowledge generated by the city, for the city, during the festival KNOWLEDGE FOR THE CITY: Create, Share, (Re)imagine.

On 16 February, we will begin with an opening night with professor Caroline Nevejan, Chief Science Officer of the City of Amsterdam as well as one of the initiators of the European Commission’s City Science Initiative. She will speak about the challenges of producing and sharing knowledge about the city, within the city. Afterwards, during a panel discussion, the ideas of the keynote will be explored with respect to the situation in Brussels and the specific challenges facing the Brussels-Capital Region.