Academics in Istanbul discuss the future of the UN on its 80th anniversary

An international conference titled “Un/Governance in the Mediterranean Region and the Global System,” organized in collaboration with the Turkish Academy of Sciences (TÜBA) International Relations Working Group and The Euro-Mediterranean Academic Network (EMAN), was held in Istanbul on November 1-2, 2025, hosted by Nişantaşı University.

The conference, scheduled to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations (UN), focused on current issues related to governance and ungovernance in the global system and the Mediterranean region.

The event provided a broad framework for academics, decision-makers, and the public, creating a platform for discussing various practices from multiple perspectives.

The UN’s role and need for reform were discussed

One of the main objectives of the conference was to re-evaluate the role of the UN system in global governance and discuss potential reform requirements.

Participants analyzed the intertwined problems of our age—such as war and peace, economic cooperation, migration, the environment, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, health, and energy security—through the dilemma of “governance” and “ungovernance.”

The meeting served as an important platform for questioning how the global order is being reshaped in the face of the growing influence of state and non-state actors.

Many topics, including governance in health and pandemics, management of human security and human rights, governance in the energy sector, and the security of supply chains, were discussed in detail.

High-level academic participation

The conference was chaired by Prof. Dr. Ahmet Nuri Yurdusev, President of EMAN, President of the Association of Academies and Societies of Sciences in Asia (AASSA), and a principal member of TÜBA. Opening speeches were delivered by TÜBA President Prof. Dr. Muzaffer Şeker and Nişantaşı University Rector Prof. Dr. Ayşegül Komsuoğlu Çıtıpıtıoğlu.

Also speaking at the opening were EMAN Vice Presidents Prof. Dr. Muris Čičić from the Academy of Sciences and Arts of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Prof. Dr. Francesco Priolo from Italy’s Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, and Prof. Dr. Viorel Panaite from the University of Bucharest, Romania, along with EMAN Secretary General Academician Žarko Mirković from the Montenegrin Academy of Sciences and Arts.

Dr. Catherine Bréchignac, Permanent Representative of the Inter-Academy Group for Development (GID), attended the meeting as a guest of honor.

Multidimensional perspectives in the sessions

The conference, completed in four sessions, featured an opening panel where Prof. Dr. Ersel Aydınlı from Bilkent University reinterpreted the global concept of “soft power” in the context of governance.

Prof. Dr. Siraj Shaik from Swansea University addressed the security and governance dimensions of artificial intelligence and autonomous systems, while Dr. Andre Barrinha from the University of Bath examined the UN’s governance capacity against cyber threats.

During the first day’s sessions, Türkiye’s science diplomacy ecosystem was discussed. Representatives from TÜBİTAK, TÜSEB, YÖK, TİKA, and the Maarif Foundation shared their global strategies in this context.

The second session highlighted themes of migration, human rights, culture, and coexistence. Prof. Dr. Ilija Vujačić presented his work on violations along the Balkan migration route.

Dr. Samuel Doveri Vesterbye from the European Neighbourhood Council addressed disinformation and cognitive security governance, while Assoc. Prof. Dr. Efe Can Gürcan, a TÜBA Young Academy member from Nişantaşı University, examined the concepts of multipolarity and fragmentation in a comparative framework in his presentation titled Multipolarity and the Transformation of Global Governance.

In the final sessions of the day, forms of governance in areas such as security, energy, climate change, artificial intelligence, and global resilience were debated.

Prof. Dr. Emel Parlar Dal from Marmara University evaluated fragmented multilateralism in an age of multiple crises.

Prof. Dr. Habiba Zerkaoui Drias from SUNY Binghamton presented findings on AI-powered greenhouse gas predictions.

Dr. Eliza Gheorghe from Bilkent University and TÜBA Young Academy analyzed the fragile control structure of de facto states in the field of nuclear security and its effects on the global security architecture in her presentation titled Fragile Control: ‘De Facto States’ and Nuclear Security.

The sessions were moderated by TÜBA principal members Prof. Dr. Ali Balcı and Prof. Dr. Şener Aktürk, along with Prof. Dr. Mehmet Akif Kireçci, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mürsel Doğrul, and Asst. Prof. Dr. Musab Talha Akpınar.

EMAN General Assembly convened under Turkish presidency

Within the scope of the conference, the EMAN General Assembly also convened under the presidency of Türkiye to evaluate opportunities for scientific cooperation in the Mediterranean region.

Established in 2010 on the initiative of the Inter-Academy Group for Development (GID), EMAN continues to contribute to regional academic diplomacy as an autonomous, non-governmental, and non-profit scientific network.