The PMU International Conference on Futures Studies in cooperation with WFSF
In collaboration with its partner the World Futures Studies Federation (WFSF), the Prince Mohammad bin Fahd University held an International Conference in Futures Studies, on 7th – 8th December 2022, under the direction of PMU’s Center for Futuristic Studies at the PMU campus in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia.
The Conference was an in-person event which combined plenary sessions, guest speakers, panels, workshops and experiential happenings, as well as the presentation of award-winning scientific papers.
In addition, the organizers curated a “living the future” exhibition of emerging futures work and artefacts developed by faculty and students at PMU.
The 44 speakers from some 20 different countries, including 11 keynote speakers and 11 sessions spread over four venues, took the opportunity to explore and debate an extensive range of emerging future-focused topics, challenges, and visions, as well as to demonstrate and discuss the diverse, multifaceted approaches, processes, methods, and techniques used to imagine and shape a progressive future.
Topics ranged from the future of global governance and sustainable growth to the world of transdisciplinary education and transformative social, economic and technological developments in areas such as work, sustainability, health, education and the built space, as well as the impact of the arts and culture, space travel and generative AI and communications technology on our changing lives and world.
The conference was a huge success both in terms of the quality of the speakers and presentations as well as the levels of attendance throughout each of the four venues and the discussions it generated that carried over into the corridors and other sessions. Following the daily keynotes in the auditorium, the sessions ran in parallel across the four campus venues. The sessions ranged from panel discussions, presentations and research papers to fully fledged workshops.
As PMU Vice-President, Dr Faisal Yousif Al Anezi stated: “As the title indicates, live in the future, beyond the now, PMU always tries to be proactive in all aspects, in terms of technology, education, research, and other solutions or scenarios we can provide for the university – and the region”.
The PMU International Conference in Futures Studies substantiated this vision by leading discussions on the critical challenges of our time and the decades to come.
PMU President, Dr. Issa H. Al Ansari opened the conference in PMU’s 100-seater Auditorium. He was followed by five keynotes, namely, Dr. Erik Overland, President of World Futures Studies Federation,
presenting his concept on artificial nature, Dr. Mariagrazia Squicciarini, Director AI and Chief Executive Officer Social and Human Sciences, UNESCO, speaking on the need for increasing learner creativity and digital anthropology, Dr. Sandberg, President of NAI, speaking on the National Academy of Inventors, Dr Mika Aaltonen, Cofounder Sustainable Nation Group, Visiting Professor, London School of Economics, Associate Professor, Complexity and Foresight talking on complexity, time, and space, Dr. Christin Pfeiffer speaking on sensemaking and the development and expansion of UNESCO role in formalizing and spreading futures literacy.
Following the keynotes, the conference broke into three additional venues, the male Lecture Hall, the Executive MBA Room and the Center for Futuristic Studies. This format was continued for both days. Each of the 11 sessions were themed, covering Global Futures, Technology Futures, Education Futures, Work Futures, Economic and Business Futures, Human Futures, Legal Futures, Mena Regional Development and Emerging global Challenges.
The PMU International Conference in Futures Studies in cooperation with the WFSF concluded with a wrap-up by Dr. Muamar Salameh, Director of the PMU Center for Futuristic Studies and Dr. Derek Woodgate, Chair of the Conference Organizing Committee.
Dr. Muamar explained how he saw the conference advancing the vision, mission activities and goals of PMFCFS. He also mentioned the Center’s upcoming involvement with the UNESCO-PMU Futures Studies Prize, the largest in UNESCO’s history, the upcoming UNESCO Chairs Symposium in spring 2023 and the ongoing research program with WFSF and the Federation’s MENA Region plans.
Dr. Woodgate recapped on the highlights of the Conference with particular reference to those topics that we creating the greatest buzz. Namely, topics such as the accelerated advances in generative AI and communications technologies; the changing and augmented human and its interaction with constructed nature; the new challenges in increasing creativity, a critical skill for the emerging and future workforce; new theoretical frameworks for futures studies in the context of the current postnormal times and the complexities and challenges we are facing with decentralized economies and governments, the role of identity, ethics and cultural transformations and its impact upon security, governance and policy.
Thanks went out to all the dignitaries, speakers, guests, faculty, students, organizing Committee members and the 20 plus student volunteers.
The PMU International Conference in Futures Studies was accompanied by a “Living the Future” exhibition of the futures-related work of faculty and students held in the Atrium of the main auditorium.
The exhibition demonstrated the futures focused aspirations and vision of PMU and the way in which futures thinking is integrated into the vast majority of curricular. Exhibits ranged from new technological inventions in computer science, mechanical, civil and chemical engineering and the humanities.
The regular breaks in the Conference programme offered significant opportunity for networking with dignitaries, speakers, visitors, faculty and students. Since this was a landmark event for PMU with a broad spectrum of experts in the futures field in the same space, it was a great chance for discussion about the future needs of the profession required to meet the rapidly changing demands and contexts for government, industry and other institutions in the Eastern province, Saudi Arabia, the Gulf, MENA and globally.
In addition, the programme included two evening events. Firstly, a visit to The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, situated in Dhahran, (ITHRA), which was inaugurated by King Salman bin Abdulaziz on December 1, 2016. It was built and is operated by Saudi Aramco with a focus on culture, learning and cross-cultural activities. The center's own stated aims are to “make a tangible and positive impact on human development by inspiring a passion for knowledge, creativity, and cross-cultural engagement for the future of the kingdom.
The second gathering involved a tour and dinner at the Heritage Village in Dammam. The amazing architectural attraction houses and showcases manuscripts, antiquities & vintage cars in a cultural village with a traditional Saudi restaurant. Designed and built over a fifteen-year period by a local designer, who wished to preserve his Saudi ancestral heritage.