Ethos+Tekhne: the EELISA event in Brussels exploring Artificial Intelligence from every perspective

The third edition of “Ethos+Tekhne”, the international event dedicated to artificial intelligence as a global systemic phenomenon, has concluded in Brussels. The initiative took place on 13–14 May 2026 at the UN House and was organized by EELISA (European Engineering Learning Innovation and Science Alliance) under the coordination of the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, in collaboration with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR).

The Seasonal School brought together policymakers, regulators, researchers, engineers, legal scholars, standardization experts, representatives of civil society, and industry professionals in an intensive programme focused on the governance, oversight, and social implications of artificial intelligence. The theme chosen for the 2026 edition, “Everything AI”, highlighted the cross-cutting nature of artificial intelligence and its impact on disciplines, institutions, and decision-making processes.

The aim of the initiative was to address the most pressing issues related to AI governance by fostering dialogue between regulatory ambition and practical implementation. The programme connected the European debate on AI policy, democratic resilience, governance research, and industrial practices concerning assurance and robustness testing, with the goal of translating principles, standards, and regulation into operational tools and institutional applications.

The programme featured the participation of high-profile stakeholders, including representatives from European institutions, academia, and the international AI governance community. Among the keynote speakers were Agne Limante, Legal and Policy Officer at the EU AI Office of the European Commission; Wouter Kleynen, Technology Specialist in Artificial Intelligence at the European Commission; and Gianclaudio Malgieri, Associate Professor of Law & Technology at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB).