Symposia

The Capital City Universities Initiative has hosted international symposia events on themes such as security, carbon emissions, migration, and fake news.

The Initiative creates a space for capital city university academics, students, and leaders to discuss and debate how their ideas and institutions can influence policymaking around the pressing challenges we all face today.

Each symposium includes an academic roundtable, a public event, and private meetings with officials and civil society leaders.

Leading capital city universities are invited to send experts to each symposium.

Past symposia

The Capital City Universities Initiative has hosted four symposia:

First symposium: Will tomorrow’s Asia be secure?

Strategic competition and cooperation in the Asia–Pacific region were examined in the first Capital City Universities Initiative symposium in August 2016.

Second symposium: Delivering on Paris—Stepping up to a zero-carbon future

The second Capital City Universities Initiative symposium in November 2016 explored the public policy needed to create a sustainable future in our region.

Third symposium: Migration and populism in the 21st century

The 2017 Capital City Universities Initiative symposium discussed how migration has reshaped politics and the effect of rising populism on immigrants.

Fourth symposium: Open knowledge versus fake news

The November 2018 symposium provided a platform for experts to discuss 'fake news'—where it comes from, how it is spread, and how this affects society.