Harvard European Conference with HEC Paris in Boston

On March 6-8, HEC Paris joined Harvard Kennedy School for the second consecutive year, to organize a 3-day event entitled “European Conference”. This year’s topic is: “The world is watching”.

Created 8 years ago, this Conference is the largest student-initiated event on European and Transatlantic Affairs in North America. It brings together students from Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Harvard Business School, MIT Sloan School of Management and the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.

Several partners, including HEC Paris through its representative office in North America and HEC Alumni based in Boston, supported this event.

​The conference brought together over 450 students, academics, decision-makers as well as business and community leaders from both sides of the Atlantic. This year’s theme was “The world is watching,” as Europe is in the process of defining and establishing its place in a world with changing dynamics and power relations, both within and outside of the EU.  

Three panels, three masterclasses and six keynote speakers contributed to the success of this event with discussions around: “Innovation and Inequality”, “Citizen Engagement”,” Diplomacy of Balance: the EU between China and the US”, “Fostering a Sustainable Africa”, “Migration and Integration in a New Europe”.
 

One of the main keynote speaker was Amélie de Montchalin (H09) , HEC Alumna and current French Secretary of State for European Affairs. During her intervention on the topic: “The World is Watching: Europe’s Time to Act” she highlighted the importance of Europe to find its place among so many transitions.

A place where Europe instead of being a perpetual utopia, would be a well rooted present. The establishment of a new European commission, European Parliament and the vote on a new EU budget is an opportunity for Europe to show to the world what it really wants to defend. In addition, the new relationship with the United Kingdom and the fact that European heads of state across the bloc will be approaching key milestones in their terms will make this 2020 a decisive year for the EU.

The 2020 edition of the “European Conference” was a real success as it reinforced the international position of HEC Paris as one of the world-class institutions making an impact through an exclusive community of students, alumni, academics and global partners.