The conference focused on discussions about the new functions demanded for the state - increased by the emergence of Sustainable Development Goals and Grand Societal Challenges worldwide - in stimulating, regulating and disseminating innovations. The discussion on these new roles also involved research on the most effective governance schemes to enhance these emerging new state’ roles, highly relevant for researchers interested in contributing to analyses of government policies or understanding the new directions of global governance. The last day of the conference was reserved exclusively for the participation of 30 young scholars chosen worldwide by the moderators for their potential to become the next voices of academia actively influencing the directions of global governance in the coming decades. Among this limited number of young scholars invited was Mariia Shkolnykova, whose research involving radical innovation in biotechnology was seen as an important voice to be heard.

We thank the organizers of the event, among them our colleague from the Faculty of Business Studies and Economics, Professor Dr. Dirk Fornahl, for the excellent conference.

We congratulate Mariia Shkolnykova for receiving the Young Scholar Award!