As organizers of the MatchPoints seminar 2018, we want to thank all those involved – participants, panel conveners, workshop organizers, key note speakers, presenters, the working group and all our support staff – for their contributions to making this year’s event a fine continuation of previous MatchPoints Seminars.
The theme: The Welfare State: New solutions to Ole Problems? was approached from many different angles. They all contributed to a better understanding of the complexities of welfare state development and in that way demonstrated the value of the MatchPoints seminar approach: To bring people from various backgrounds together in order to allow for a fruitful discussion and a better understanding of the issues. But we did not provide a final answer to the question of whether we should primarily rely on robots or voluntary assistance to provide personal care and service in the future.
We also appreciate the support from our partners and sponsors: Aarhus Kommune, Folkeuniversitetet, Aarhus Universitetsforlag, Teater KATAPULT, VIVE – Dansk Center for Anvendt Socialforskning, Trygfondens center for børneforskning, and SEISMONAUT.
See pictures from the MatchPoints Seminar
Let’s meet again on 23-25 May 2019 for the next MatchPoints Seminar! The theme will be Leadership and Performance in the 21st Century: Value Creation in Public, Private and Voluntary Organisations!
The welfare state is one of the greatest achievements of Western societies. It provides income protection to the jobless and care for the sick and the old. Without it, millions would suffer from poverty and ailments. Therefore, it is also no surprise that voter surveys in Denmark demonstrate over and over again that voters prefer a solid and reliable welfare system to reduced tax payment.
Yet the welfare state is challenged. Rising costs and deep socio-economic changes such as globalization and automatization require us to answer new, pressing questions: How do we ensure equal opportunities for everyone in a globalized and skills-intensive economy? What are the political consequences if we fail? How do we best utilize automatization in public service delivery? What moral dilemmas do automated public service delivery present us with?
The MatchPoints Seminar 2018 brings experts from a variety of different fields together with welfare state practitioners to explore these and related questions.
Explore this website to find out more about the different parts of the MatchPoints Seminar 2018. See you in May!
James Heckman is the Henry Schultz Distinguished Service Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago, a Nobel Memorial Prize winner in economics and an expert in the economics of human development. His current research focuses on human development and lifecycle skill formation, with a special emphasis on the economics of early childhood development. Read more about James Heckman.
Please note that professor James Heckman gives two lectures during the MatchPoints Seminar:
Read Danish article about Heckman's research in Børn&Unge no. 2/2018:
https://www.epaper.dk/buplforbund/boernogunge/2018/022018/
Guy Standing is a Professorial Research Associate at SOAS University of London and a founder member and honorary co-president of the Basic Income Earth Network (BIEN), a non-governmental organisation that promotes a basic income for all.
Read more about Guy Standing here.
The title of his keynote speech at MatchPoints Seminar 2018 is: Rentier Capitalism and the Precariat: Arguments for Basic Income
If you speak Danish - don't miss the event Thursday evening on Who saves the welfare state: Robots or Volunteers? Get updated on the old problems and the new solutions regarding the Danish welfare state and follow the panel debate on the theme. You can also experience a "scientific monologue on welfare" performed by actress Özlem Saglanmak from Nørrebro Teater, based on the Danish Tænkepause about Welfare (written by Carsten Jensen, AU). The evening will be held at the Lake Side Lecture Theatret at Aarhus University.
The evening event is organized by Aarhus Municipality and Aarhus University together with Nørrebro Theater and Folkeuniversitetet.
See full programme and read about the robots, you can meet during the evening here.
Education: The Future of the Welfare State?
Nobel Memorial Prize winner in economics and an expert in the economics of human development James Heckman speaks at Rytmisk Sal at Concert Hall Aarhus on welfare, education and inequality. Heckmans speech is followed by a panel debate with professor Niels Egelund, CEO Voluntas Morten Albæk, MP and former minister Morten Østergaard among the panelists.
Moderator this evening is communications advisor and political analyst Rulle Grabow.
Please note there are a limited number of seats available. The evening will be held in English.
The use of so-called “social robots” may offer new ways to unburden employees in social and health services both physically and psychologically, while opening up for citizens new modes of receiving social and health services - as a ‘win-win’ solution for both sides. However, as the research landscape in “Social Robotics” and “Human Robot Interaction Studies” shows, special efforts at 'user-driven design' are called for.
If you sign up for the full conference participation in this day is free of charge. It is also possible to buy a day ticket for this day only - register here.
See the full Saturday programme and read more on the workshop on Social Robotics here and on the theatre performance ROBOT DREAM here
What role can - and should - the public sector play in welfare society of the future, and how can the citizens take part. Read the discussion paper and get inspired about how Aarhus Municipality is rethinking the development of welfare.
Download and read the presentation
