Back-to-School 2020: Schedule of Inaugural Lectures

Welcome new and welcome back, Sciences Po students! Despite an unprecedented and peculiar global context, our 2020 Back-to-School programme of inaugural lectures - which are, for many, open to the general public - promises to set you on the right track to begin an inspiring, fulfilling, and challenging academic year.

As always, Sciences Po’s inaugural lectures are a formal occasion that celebrate Sciences Po’s educational programme’s values and ambitions. This year, our prestigious guests of honour include: Nobel Memorial Prize Laureate of Economics, Esther Duflo; Harvard professor and former Chair of Council of Economic Advisers under President Barack Obama, Jason Furman; French jurist and judge of the European Court of Human Rights, André Potocki; the International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda; the CEO of Voxe, Léonore de Roquefeuil; Karima Delli, French politician and Member of the European Parliament, and Sverker Sorlin, Swedish historian and professor of Environmental History; and our very own FNSP President, Professor Olivier Duhamel.

Find the complete schedule of inaugural lectures below - many of which will be streamed live and open to the public. (For students, a link was sent by your school to participate in the private webinar where you have the possibility to post your questions live). Follow trending topics related to our Back-to-School programme on social media via the hashtag #RentréeScPo.

Schedule of Inaugural Lectures

On 9 September 2020

2:45pm: The School of Research's Welcome Session, "Training for research in a time of crisis", in the presence of Frédéric Mion, President of Sciences Po, Bénédicte Durand, Vice President of Academic Affairs, Guillaume Plantin, Vice-President of Research, Pierre François, Dean of the School of Research, Heads of doctoral studies and the whole team will welcome new master and PhD students. Watch the replay.
3:30pm: The Undergraduate College’s Inaugural Lecture, “To Be in the World, To Be at Sciences Po”, by Olivier Duhamel, President of the FNSP, with Frédéric Mion, President of Sciences Po, and Stéphanie Balme, Dean of the Undergraduate College. Read the recap and watch the replay.

On 10 September 2020

3:30pm: The School of International Affairs’ Inaugural Lecture, "Multilateralism Under Duress: The Case for International Criminal Justice and the International Rule of Law", by Dr. Fatou Bensouda, Chief Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court. Read the recap and watch the replay.
5pm: The Urban School’s Inaugural Lecture, “Cities, Climate Crisis and Ecological Transition”, by Karima Delli, Elected Member of the European Parliament, and Sverker Sorlin, Swedish historian and professor of Environmental History. Watch the replay.

On 11 September 2020

2pm: The School of Management and Innovation’s Inaugural Lecture, "The Post-Crisis World Beyond Public Policy: Stakes and Prospects" by Jason Furman, American Economist and Professor at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government and Senior Fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. Read the recap and watch the replay.
3:30pm: The School of Public Affairs’ Inaugural Lecture, “Good Economics for Harder Times” by Esther Duflo, Professor of Poverty Alleviation and Development Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Nobel Prize Laureate in Economic Sciences. Read the recap and watch the replay.
5pm: The Law School’s Opening Lecture, “The Judge and Democracy”, by André Potocki, French jurist and judge of the European Court of Human Rights. Open to Law School students only.

On 18 September 2020

11:15am: The Journalism School’s Inaugural Lecture, by Léonore de Roquefeuil, CEO of Voxe.

All times are Central European Summer Time (GMT+2).

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