National Conference on Autonomy in a Digital Era

On Friday 30 January 2026, the focus areas Applied Data Science, Governing the Digital Society and Human-centered Artificial Intelligence are organizing an interdisciplinary conference focused on the theme “Autonomy in a Digital Era” at the Railway Museum in Utrecht.

Autonomy in a Digital Era

The conference program will feature renowned keynote speakers, presentations from Utrecht University researchers and a lively panel. The event aims to foster engaging and informed discussions on the pressing topic of autonomy in the digital era and in particular around data and Artificial Intelligence. We anticipate a large and engaged audience consisting of researchers, professionals, and enthusiastic students.

Railway Museum Utrecht

During the breaks there is ample opportunity to meet peers, discuss your work or research and enlarge your network. You can of course do so in the break room, but also around (historic) trains, since every conference visitor also has access to the museum.

Confirmed speakers and topics

Keynotes

• Frans Oliehoek: “Adaptive agents and interactive learning”
• Jeroen de Ridder: t.b.a.
• Cecilia Rikap: “Digital crossroads: corporate power, sovereignty and the ecological breakdown”

Speakers

• Joel Anderson: “Data-Ethical Autonomy as a Social Skill”
• Niels Kerssens: “Reclaiming Autonomy in the Digital Classroom: Securing Public Value in European Education in the Era of BigTech and AI”
• Rianne Riemens: “Big AI’s climate futures: an environmental perspective on the autonomy-dependency debate”
• Pinar Yolum: t.b.a.

Provisional program

09.30 – 10.00: Walk-in and registration
10.00 – 10.15: Welcome
10.15 – 11.00: Keynote 1 
11.00 – 11.30: Coffee/tea break
11.30 – 12.00: Presentation UU scholar(s)
12.00 – 13.00: Lunch break
13.00 – 13.45: Keynote 2 
13.45 – 14.00: Short break 
14.00 – 14.30: Presentation UU scholar(s)
14.30 – 15.00: Coffee/tea break
15.00 – 15.45: Keynote 3
15.45 – 16.15: Presentation UU scholar(s)
16.15 – 17.00: Panel and wrap-up
17.00 – 18.00: Drinks