MATCHPOINTS 2026 - Resilience in a Challenged Europe

Thursday, 7 May

08.15-09.00 

Registration and coffee 


09.00-09.20

Official opening of MatchPoints 2026 

  • Brian Bech Nielsen, Rector at Aarhus University  
  • Anders Winnerskjold, Mayor of Aarhus  
  • Conference moderator: Lotte Folke, Journalist, Opinion Editor, Politiken  

SESSION I: ‘A Challenged Europe’ – in which ways are we challenged?

The morning session introduces us to perspectives on how Europe is challenged, through different lenses across foreign affairs, political science research, think tank advocacy, and the business world – all perspectives seen in the context of the geopolitical shifts that reshape Europe’s future.  

09.20-09.40 

Opening: ‘A Challenged Europe’ seen from outside Europe

This session helps us understand which challenges Europe faces in the light of a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape. A former diplomat shares insights across different geographies with geopolitical significance. How is Europe’s current development and future trajectory seen from within Europe and from abroad? What is Europe’s place in the world in the year 2026?  

  • Friis Arne Petersen, former Permanent Secretary of State and Danish Ambassador to the U.S., China and Germany, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark . 

09.40-10.15

Fireside chat on European resilience and competitiveness – how to move forward?

The fireside chat will evolve around the following overarching questions, based on the challenges in Europe that e.g. are highlighted in the Mario Draghi Report "The Future of European Competitiveness" (2024), e.g. closing innovation gaps and increasing security and reducing dependencies.  

Panelists: 

  • Nana Bule, Board Chair of DCAI and CarbFix, Board member at Novo Nordisk Foundation & more  
  • Derek Beach, Professor, Department of Political Science, Aarhus University  
  • Friis Arne Petersen, former Permanent Secretary of State and Danish Ambassador to the U.S., China and Germany, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark 
  • Mette SkakAssociate Professor Emerita, Department of Political Science, Aarhus University
  • Christine Nissen, Chief Analyst, Think Tank Europe
     
  • Corporate case:
    Anders Hjarnø Jørgensen, 
    Vice President, Product Owner for Plant & Energy Solutions, R&D, Vestas Technology & Operations, Vestas Wind Systems A/S

10.15-10.45

Break and coffee 



12.15-13.30

Lunch  

Option: Meet the Expert Lunches 



15.00-15.30

Break and coffee


SESSION II: How do we best move a challenged Europe forward? 

In the parallel sessions, more sector-specific perspectives on resilience have been discussed. In the afternoon session, we will hear perspectives from across the ecosystem: from researchers, companies, union representatives, business associations, and policy-makers on both ideas and concrete actions needed to strengthen Europe in the future. 

15.30-15.35

Introduction to the afternoon session  

  • Moderator Lotte Folke 

15.35-16.25

Keynote on Populism and Geopolitics: How Europe can respond to a changing United States?

  • Francis Fukuyama, Olivier Nomellini Senior Fellow & Professor of Political Science, Stanford University

16.25-16.30

Insights from the parallel sessions on resilience: What are the most important challenges towards self-sufficiency?

  • Carsten Suhr Jacobsen, Scientific Lead of MatchPoints 2026, Professor & Head of Department, Professor at Department of Environmental Science in conversation with moderator Lotte Folke

16.30-17.30

Panel discussion: What do we need to do locally to help build a stronger Europe?

Based on the perspectives and discussions during the day, the final panel debate addresses how we accelerate actions locally (in member states like Denmark) to help build a stronger future for Europe? Who can do what locally to strengthen innovation capacity building and competitiveness overall? And not least, how do we coordinate and prioritize our efforts in the light of the multi-facetted challenges we face as society – e.g. across the areas of food systems, water management, biodiversity, energy independence, health, and cybersecurity that the parallel session deep dives covered? 

Panelists: 

  • Eskild Holm Nielsen, Dean, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Aarhus University  
  • Lia Lefland, Managing Director, Danish Academy of Technical Sciences (ATV)  
  • Laura Klitgaard, Chairman, IDA  
  • Jakob Ellemann-Jensen, Deputy Director, Dansk Erhverv  
  • Bjarne Corydon, Director-General, DR
  • Ulrik Gernow, Group Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, Grundfos

17.30-18.00

Transfer to evening venue


18.00-21.30

Evening talk (tbc), dinner and network