Brussels Institute for Advanced Studies - Brias

08/04/2026

We will soon go live with our Big Ideas for Democracy lecture with Isaac Owusu-Mensah: Enhancing Quality Electoral Governance for Democratic Consolidation in Ghana’s Fourth Republic. Join the livestream via our Youtube channel here:

Enhancing Quality Electoral Governance for Democratic Consolidation in Ghana’s Fourth RepublicAbstractGhana has made significant progress with democratic gov...

28/11/2025

✅Event Wrap-Up! Waseda Brussels Office Conference

🇪🇺🇯🇵We have just wrapped up the 7th Waseda Brussels Office Annual Conference: “Next-Generation Quantum Technology through the Fusion of Nanophotonics and Atomic Physics”

On the 25th of November, researchers from Europe, Japan and beyond shared their most recent advances in quantum technology, in Usquare, Brussels.

A huge thank you to Jean-Louis Moortgat, Patrick Vittet-Philippe, Prof. Takao Aoki from Waseda University and Prof. Nicolas Cerf from ULB for organising this fantastic conference !✨

28/11/2025

❗ Save the date! ❗
It is our pleasure to announce that on January 22, 2026, we will be celebrating the opening of the new season of the BrIAS programme, titled "Democratic Governance: Challenges and Innovations".

Register here to secure your spot : https://lnkd.in/eCDsrg7D

For more information: [email protected]

We have an exciting programme planned for the day:

12:00 - 14:00 Pre-ceremony Book Launch with Author Prof. Natasha Wunsch on her new book "Democratic Commitment: Why Citizens Tolerate Democratic Backsliding" and discussant Prof. Luca Tomini

16:00 - 16:30 Welcome Speeches by the BrIAS Directors Prof. Frank Deconinck and Prof. Serge Jaumain and the Vice Rectors for Research of the ULB Prof. Marius Gilbert and VUB Prof. Pieter Ballon

16:30 - 16:45 Introduction to the 2026 BrIAS Theme with Programme Director Prof. Silvia Erzeel and WP leader Prof. Jasper Van Assche

16:45 - 17:30 Opening speech by Sam van der Staak, Director of Regional Europe International IDEA

18:00 Concert by Jazz Pianist Nico Vancouver and Singer Sabine Kabongo

18:30 Cocktail Reception

The Programme Directors: Emilie van Haute Silvia Erzeel
WP Leaders: Didier Caluwaerts Ike Picone Daniel Zamora Vargas Karen Celis Bram Spruyt Louise Knops Caroline Close
The Junior Fellows: Joke Matthieu Lucas Kins Nino Junius Maria Babinska Pauline Grippa
Artist Residency in collaboration with Ohme - Resident artists will be announced in December

📢 Announcing the 2026 BrIAS Senior Fellows:
Prof. Sergiu Gherghina - University of Glasgow
Prof. Amanda Machin - University of Agder
Prof. Omar Gueye - Université Cheikh Anta Diop Dakar
Prof. Liza Mugge - Universiteit van Amsterdam
Prof. Marija Radoman - University of Belgrade
Prof. Isaac Owusu-Mensah - University of Ghana
Prof. Luana Russo - Maastricht University
Prof. Edson Tandoc - Nanyang Technological University in Singapore
Prof. VERGE Tania - Universitat Pompeu Fabra

19/11/2025

📢 Join us for an important conversation on protecting democracy and combating violence against women in politics!

Brussels Institute for Advanced Studies (BrIAS) teamed up with Brulocalis for the conference “La démocratie en danger: agir contre les violences envers les femmes politiques/Democratie in gevaar: samen tegen geweld op vrouwen in de politiek”, a crucial event addressing threats to democratic governance and gender equality.

This initiative contributes to the BrIAS programme on Democratic Governance (co-directors: Silvia Erzeel and Emilie van Haute), under the Diversity and Inclusion work package lead by Karen Celis and Daniel Zamora Vargas.

🗓 Date: 1 December
📍 Location: ULB, Campus Solbosch, Salle Dupréel
🔗 Learn more & register:
FR: https://brulocalis.brussels/fr/agenda/colloque-la-democratie-en-danger-agir-contre-les-violences-envers-les-femmes-politiques
NL: https://brulocalis.brussels/nl/agenda/colloquium-democratie-gevaar-samen-tegen-geweld-op-vrouwen-de-politiek

Let’s work together to safeguard democracy and ensure respect and safety for women in politics.

18/11/2025

🎉We are extremely proud to share that the 2024-2025 season report on our programme and activities is now out! Download it here :https://brias.be/reports/BrIAS-Report-2024-25.pdf

👏A special thanks to the programme directors who managed to pull off an impressive programme:
Emanuele Garone
Bram Vanderborght
Ann Nowe
An Jacobs
Carl Maria MÖRCH from FARI - AI for the Common Good Institute who have supported us throughout this programme.
Also a Special thanks to Ohme for the pilot collaboration with the artist residencies, and for organising the first edition of the OhmexBrIAS crossing wires event.
And of course a huge thank you to our many fellows, without whom this programme would not have happened.

🤩This beautiful report was put together thanks to the special talents of our latest addition to the core BrIAS team, our communications officer, Andres Cotorruelo.

cc. the sustainable robotics fellows:
Sharath Chandra Akkaladevi
Stephen bailey
Eduardo Camacho
Leonardo Cappello
Fabrizio Dabbene
Yael Edan
Eric Feron
Franziska Kirstein
Francesco Lamonaca
Barry Lennox
AJung Moon
Krzysztof Olejarczyk
Paolo Turrini
Bettina Wollesen
Rafael Bello Perez
Paolo Falcone
Antonella Ferrara
Ilya Kolmanovsky
Luca Magri
Yilin Mo
Giang Nguyen
Marco Nicotra
Alessandra Parisio
Andrea Roli
Hideyuki Sawada
Bruno Sinopoli
Panagiotis Symeonidis
Hannu Toivonen
Willem zuidema
A Two Dogs Company / Kris Verdonck
Dewi Brunet
Guillaume Slizewicz
Andres Cotorruelo
Fatma Demir
Shirley Elprama
Alix Partridge
Luca Rossini
Michel Joop van der Schoor
Naveen Tiwari
Hieu Luu Trong
Mehrdad Asadi
Elias Fernández
Alejandro Goldar Davila
Yailen Martinez Jimenez

17/09/2025

Interested in the links between Citizens, Political Organizations and Digital Technologies?

Register here: https://forms.office.com/e/zLTjWiyVDn

Join us for a Brussels Institute for Advanced Studies (BrIAS) / COST action Relink2 event on October 1-2 at USquare in !

The event mixes round tables with practitioners and academic panels.

Thank you to Caroline Close, Lucas Kins Michał Jacuński for organising the event!
With the participation of Jasmin Fitzpatrick Elżbieta Szulc-Wałecka, PhD Dmytro Khutkyy Egla Mansi Andrea Bonomi Savignon Izabela Kapsa Petia Gueorguieva Şeyda Kır Gabriela Borz Felix von Nostitz Salma Aquila Diana Janušauskienė Shopi Pandey Pablo Ceballos Borredà Emilien Paulis André Pereira Jordi BARRAT Zhang Dechung Smilla S. Fabio García Lupato Adrià Mompó OMAR KOUIYACHE

17/09/2025

Interested in Democratic Challenges and how to deal with them?

Register here: https://forms.office.com/e/rF9gphGra0

Join us for a Brussels Institute for Advanced Studies (BrIAS) / CERiM - Centre for European Research in Maastricht roundtable on September 25 at in !

Thanks to Luana Russo for organising the event!

With the participation of Mario Scharfbillig, Yves Dejaeghere, Giulia Sandri, PhD and Dr. Constantin Schäfer

08/09/2025

Come and join us for the first Lunchtime seminar of this academic year with our new programme on Democratic Governance - Register here: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=qHxbaagtRUWi2kLQN4TlhfyNSeuI0m9AmKo3tf0yiP5UNUVETjZXQzdQQUxRVzBOM1VBQ0dYRDdMMi4u
When: 15.09.2025 at 12:00
Speaker: Prof Axel Bruns
Title: Investigating the dynamics of destructive polarisation in public communication
Where: BrIAS seminar hall, Building AB-0, Bv General Jacques 210, 1050 Ixelles (Entrance via the Usquare side)

02/05/2025

✅Event Wrap-Up! One-day Forum: Europe’s Vision on Responsible AI

🧠We have just wrapped up an engaging one-day forum on Europe’s Vision on Responsible AI at BrIAS in collaboration with Brussels Responsible AI Network (BRAIN).

On Monday 28th of April, researchers, practitioners, and policymakers from Belgium and abroad came together to explore the latest advances in artificial intelligence and to reflect on its societal implications.

From emerging technologies to ethical frameworks and policy challenges, the discussions underscored the importance of inclusive, interdisciplinary dialogue in shaping the future of AI.
A delicious lunch was provided by Bro's Pizza and we wrapped up the day with 10 flash presentations from participants, followed by a magnificent cocktail dinner catered by Traiteur Les Gaillards.

A huge thank you to our speakers, partners, and participants for contributing to such a thoughtful and engaging forum!

💡 Missed it or want to explore more?
The full livestream is here: https://lnkd.in/de3HRbQ7

02/05/2025

📣 Upcoming BrIAS / CEVIPOL seminar with Arun Chaudhary on The Filibuster for Democracy on Wednesday, 7th of May 2025, 13:30-16:00

📍 Caroline Pauwels Seminar Hall, BrIAS (Blvd. General Jacques 210, 1050 Ixelles, Belgium)
🔗 Register here: https://lnkd.in/eAyZ9jDW

Arun Chaudhary is a political filmmaker who served as the first-ever White House Videographer under President Obama and later as Creative Director for Bernie Sanders’ 2016 campaign. Now based in Berlin, he works globally to support democratic movements and counter the far right.

Drawing from work on nearly 20 elections across 4 continents in the past year, Arun will share what actually works, offering strategic insights for progressive campaigns around the world.

⚠️ Spots are limited - register early to join us!
The session will be recorded and annotated for future access.

23/01/2025

Simon Vaskou and Julien Olive playing Claire de la lune (Debussy) as an encore to wrap up a fantastic recital in our seminar room during the BrIAS opening ceremony on the 21.1.2025. The Piano is an original restored vintage Hautrive from Brussels. Thank you to VUB rector Jan Danckaert for helping us to procure this beautiful instrument!