IIEA Talks IIEA

In recent years digital technologies have led to rapid economic and social change. For Ireland and Europe to adapt, grow, and prosper in the digital age it is vital that their populations are equipped with the right skills to navigate this digital transition. In this event an expert panel examines the current state of play with regards to digital skills in Ireland and Europe. The panel also discusses the challenges and opportunities relating to digital skills for the economy and society. The panel also explores the role of policymakers and other stakeholders in promoting the uptake of the skills required to ensure a prosperous and inclusive future.

This event is jointly organised by the IIEA and the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS).

This event begins with a keynote address by Minister Patrick O’Donovan, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.

The panel for this event include:

Francesca Borgonovi, Head of the Skills Analysis team in the OECD Centre for Skills
Barry Lowry, Chief Information Officer of the Government of Ireland
Grainne Blake, Associate Director, KPMG
Anna Thomas, Co-Founder and Co-Director of the Institute for the Future of Work

How effective has America’s new industrial policy been to date? How seriously should western countries take the threat of a wave of cheap Chinese goods flooding the global marketplace? Is the end of the US dollar as the world's reserve currency in sight? What lessons can be drawn from Japan's 20-year history of unconventional monetary policy? And how is American public opinion shifting on issues ranging from domestic political polarization to the role of the US in the world? In the next edition of IIEA Insights, polymath analyst Noah Smith will answer these question and others about which he has written recently.

Noah Smith is an American blogger, journalist, and commentator on economics and current events. A former assistant professor of Behavioral Finance at Stony Brook University, Smith writes for his own Substack blog, Noahpinion, and posts prolifically to his more than 300,000 followers on X. He has also written for publications including Bloomberg, Quartz, Associated Press, Business Insider, and The Atlantic.

Sally Hayden, journalist and photographer focused on migration, conflict, and humanitarian crises and an international correspondent for The Irish Times, participates in a fireside chat with IIEA Researcher Tara Kukec and a Q&A session with members. Based on her acclaimed book “My Fourth Time, We Drowned: Seeking Refuge on the World’s Deadliest Migration Route,” Ms Hayden discusses the movement of refugees and migrants in the Mediterranean Sea, their treatment on the way to Europe, and how EU institutions and citizens have responded to the ongoing migration crisis. She also provides insights into her personal experience conveying the stories of refugees and what she has witnessed throughout her reporting.

About the Speaker: 

Sally Hayden is a journalist and photographer focused on migration, conflict, and humanitarian crises and is an international correspondent for The Irish Times. Her debut book, “My Fourth Time, We Drowned: Seeking Refuge on the World’s Deadliest Migration Route,” was awarded the Orwell Prize for Political Writing, Il Premio Terzani, An Post Irish Book of the Year, and the Michel Deon Prize. She is a three-time winner for ‘best foreign coverage’ at the Irish Journalism Awards and was named Journalist of the Year in 2023.

About the Speech: Since the onset of Russia's war against Ukraine, the Franco-German engine has stalled. The two countries are pursuing fundamentally different policies, particularly in security, defense, and energy. Additionally, Berlin and Paris have failed to achieve significant progress on EU enlargement and reform. In this IIEA discussion, Dr Ronja Kempin will discuss the reasons behind the strained relationship between the two countries and assess how to bridge the divide and inject new momentum into the EU integration process.

About the Speaker:

Dr. Ronja Kempin is a Senior Fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) in Berlin, advising the Bundestag, the German government, and the business community on foreign policy issues. Previously, she led the EU External Relations Research Group at SWP and advised the German Federal Foreign Office. In 2024/2025, she will hold the Alfred Grosser Chair at SciencesPo Paris. Her research focuses on European security and defence policy, particularly the EU's Common Security and Defence Policy, as well as France and Franco-German relations.

This panel discussion on sustainable aviation brings together leaders from industry and research. Steven Fitzgerald, Ryanair; Steven Gillard, Boeing; and Prof Marina Efthymiou, DCU, share insights into sustainability initiatives in aviation, including advancements in eco-friendly aircraft technology, operational strategies to reduce carbon emissions, and the role of policy and innovation in achieving sustainability goals. The panel also explores how research can contribute to innovative solutions and workforce development in this field. The aim of this panel discussion be to provide insights into collaborative efforts between airlines, manufacturers, and researchers to drive the aviation industry towards a green future.

Speakers on this panel include:

Steven Fitzgerald, Head of Sustainability and Finance at Ryanair
Steven Gillard, Regional Director for Middle East and Europe Sustainability at Boeing
Dr Marina Efthymiou, Professor of Aviation Management at Dublin City University Business School.

As adolescent mental health has declined substantially in the last decade, it has spurred pervasive concern that digitalisation and social media use might be playing a part in this phenomenon. Dr Orben reflects on the challenges and problems facing research in this space to date, and provides an overview of her team’s work in trying to address these challenges to produce evidence that can be used to improve adolescent’s mental health.

About the speaker:

Dr Amy Orben is a UKRI Future Leaders Fellow at the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit and Fellow of St. John’s College at the University of Cambridge. She directs an internationally renowned research programme investigating the links between mental health and digital technology use in adolescence. Dr Orben advises governments, health officials and public servants around the world. She has received a range of prestigious awards including the Medical Research Council Early Career Impact Prize (2022), British Psychological Society Award for Outstanding Contributions to Doctoral Research (2019) and Society for the Improvement of Psychological Science Mission Award (2020).