Politics for tomorrow

15-16 October 2015

The 21st century requires new ways of thinking and doing. Increasing complexity and accelerated change dynamics bring forth challenges that can no longer be mastered with existing strategies and models. The need to find innovative solutions is reflected not only in economic contexts. The coexistence of people in a complex and globalised world needs new approaches in the political sphere as well.

In relation to this, recent years have seen a worldwide emergence of innovation spaces in political contexts, which are developing and testing new forms of cooperation between the public, private and civil society sectors. They address administrative cross-cutting issues (FutureGov, London), consider the perspectives and needs of those affected by legislative procedures (MindLab, Copenhagen), introduce new working and learning cultures into public administration (La 27e Région, Paris) or encourage structural reform based on societal participatory processes (Re:Think Austria, Alpbach).

‘Politics for Tomorrow’ inspires with innovative approaches in policymaking. Around ten representatives from European innovation labs and initiatives present their work during the two-day conference “Politics for Tomorrow – Innovative Approaches in Policy Making“, initiated by Next Learning in Berlin. These experts will provide insight into the way that participatory, experimental and design-based approaches are changing classic policymaking. Based on selected projects, they will explain how political decision-making can be shaped through creative processes and the involvement of different actors.

Marlieke Kieboom is guest speaker and organises a workshop about Feed Forward Stories++Feed ForwardCheck out Marlieke’s latest long read about Feed Forward Stories, recently published by URBACT..   In her talk she will share her day-to-day experiences++Dutch social labs Listen to how Kennisland sets up and runs social labs in the Netherlands in this podcast. in social innovation labs across the Netherlands. In these labs she initiates knowledge co-production between citizens, policymakers, academics, teachers and professionals over social challenges by introducing Kennisland’s knowledge co-production methodology Feed Forward Stories. What kind of change is needed to move forward?