European Perspectives on COVID-19: Governance, Education, Culture

The UCL Cities Partnerships Programme, in collaboration with the UCL European Institute, is organising a series of webinars with leading researchers, policy makers and arts professionals. We discuss the extraordinary challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic to our teaching, research, mobility, and cultural and artistic practices. The series includes contributions from some of UCL’s key European partners in Paris and Rome.

Launched in 2018, the Cities Partnerships Programme is a cross-UCL initiative to support, fund and promote the work that UCL academics carry out with partners in a selected number of global cities, with the aim of developing sustainable, multidisciplinary research and teaching partnerships. The programme focuses on specific cities, each for a three-year period: Rome (2018-2020), Paris (2019-2021) and Stockholm (2020-2022). The initial focus on Europe is an expression of UCL’s commitment to our European partners.

The webinars will take place on 22 June, 24 June, 29 June, and 3 July. See below for more information about panellists and registration. 

22 June: Universities, experts, research and the COVID-19 pandemic – insights from UCL and European partners in Rome and Paris

Monday 22 June 2020, 15:30-17:00 UK time
(16:30-18:00 Paris/Rome time)

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Universities across the world have immediately responded to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic by starting, accelerating and communicating relevant research, not just in the medical and public health fields, but across the social sciences and humanities. Besides, many academic experts at UCL and in our partner institutions internationally have been providing advice to policy-makers on various aspects of the pandemic and the measures taken to address it.

In this webinar, leading academics from UCL and two of our partner universities in Rome (Sapienza) and Paris (Sciences-Po) will discuss how researchers are contributing to public policy debates on the COVID-19 pandemic; debate the complex relationship between experts and politicians, and outline the role of social sciences - beyond medical research - in our understanding of the pandemic’s impacts.

Chair: Dr Uta Staiger, Director of the UCL European Institute, Pro-Vice Provost for Europe at UCL

Panellists:

Prof. Christina Pagel, University College London

• Professor at the Clinical Operational Research Unit, UCL Department of Mathematics 
• Member of the Independent Sage group, an independent group of scientists providing transparent advice with the purpose of helping the UK navigate COVID-19 

Prof. Paolo Villari, Sapienza University of Rome

• Full Professor of Hygiene and Director of the Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases 
• Member of the Task Force against Coronavirus for the Sapienza Community

Prof. Ettore Recchi, Sciences-Po Paris

• Professor of Sociology, Observatoire Sociologique du Changement
• Part-time professor, Migration Policy Centre, European University Institute, Florence
• Principal Investigator of the project "Coping with Covid-19: Social Distancing, Cohesion, and Inequality in France in 2020”

24 June: Rethinking teaching, learning and student mobility in the COVID-19 era – insights from UCL and European partners in Rome and Paris

Wednesday 24 June, 13:00-14:30 UK time
(14:00-15:30 Paris/Rome time)

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

The COVID-19 pandemic is significantly disrupting international and national mobility. Universities across Europe are preparing to adapt to an uncertain context, and taking action to shift part or all of their teaching online in the foreseeable future. In this webinar, leading academics from UCL and two of our partner universities in Rome (University of Roma 3) and Paris (Sorbonne University) will discuss the challenges and opportunities of preparing a high-quality online / blended teaching offer, share their ideas about good practices, and discuss how international collaborations in teaching can be woven into, and enrich, online learning experiences.

Chair: Prof. Claire Colomb, Academic Director for Paris of the UCL Cities Partnerships Programme, Professor of Urban Studies and Planning at the UCL Bartlett School of Planning

Panellists:

Dr Alexander Samson, University College London

• Vice Dean for Education of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities
• Reader in Early Modern Studies, School of European Languages, Culture and Society

Dr Marie-Céline Daniel, Sorbonne University

• Vice-President of education and lifelong learning
• Maître de Conférences (Associate Professor) in British Civilisation, Faculty of Arts

Dr Zachary Walker, University College London

• Associate Professor and Academic Head of Teaching and Learning, UCL Department of Psychology and Human Development

Prof. Luca Marcozzi, University of Roma 3

• Professor of Italian Literature, Department of the Humanities
• Director of international mobility and Erasmus coordinator

29 June: Coronavirus and Culture: Virtual Exchanges

Monday 29 June 2020, 15:00-16:00 UK time
(16:00-17:00 Paris/Rome time)

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

This webinar explores cultural responses to the coronavirus pandemic, with specific attention to museums, collections, festivals and art residencies. Distinguished artists, curators and arts professionals will speak about their experience with the health crisis. What has been role of the cultural sector during this crisis: for artists, for audiences, for curators? How has the pandemic changed perceptions of space, place, and community? What is the role of digital technologies? Can they foster new forms of access, presence and mobility, e.g. in response to border regimes or political and social inequality? What are their limitations?

Chair: Dr Florian Mussgnug, Academic Director for Rome of the UCL Cities Partnerships Programme, Reader in Italian and Comparative Literature, School of European Languages, Culture and Society

Panellists:

Jean Cameron

• Creative Director, UK/ITALY 2020 Season of Culture

Jean-Baptiste Joly

• Founding artistic director of Akademie Schloss Solitude, Stuttgart
• Honorary Professor, Kunsthochschule Weissensee, Berlin

Dr Nina Pearlman

• Head of UCL Arts Collections

3 July: Coronavirus and Culture: Creative Futures

Friday 3 July 2020, 15:00-16:00 UK time
(16:00-17:00 Paris/Rome time)

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER 

Creative industries and cultural organisations are under enormous pressure. This seminar brings together three leading figures in the cultural world, who have called for new creative strategies and policies. We discuss the future of the arts during and after the coronavirus pandemic. How do artists and cultural organisations contribute to provide a robust foundation for society, in times of growing uncertainty and deep divisions? How can different sectors of society support the arts in this moment of great crisis? How can international collaboration promote examples of good practice and develop positive futures for the arts?

Chair: Dr Florian Mussgnug, Academic Director for Rome of the UCL Cities Partnerships Programme, Reader in Italian and Comparative Literature, School of European Languages, Culture and Society

Panellists:

John Newbigin OBE

• Co-founder of Creative England and Chair of Counterculture
• Chairman of the British Council’s Advisory Group for Arts and Creative Economy
• Visiting Fellow at Goldsmiths University of London

Dr Katia Pizzi

• Director of the Italian Cultural Institute in London
• Senior Lecturer, Institute of Modern Languages Research, University of London

Roy Alexander Weise MBE

• Co-artistic director Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester