Challenge Handbook 2018

THE HANDBOOK 2018

LEADERS OF TODAY CONNECTING WITH LEADERS OF TOMORROW

AARHUS SYMPOSIUM CHALLENGE 2018

ARE YOU UP FOR A CHALLENGE? Aarhus Symposium Challenge is your opportunity to secure your seat for Aarhus Symposium and Aarhus Symposium Focus. Engage with great leaders of today by submitting an essay that expresses your unique take on one of three challenges.

SECURE YOUR SEAT Seize one of the three challenges by submitting an essay of maximum two standard pages and secure your seat for Aarhus Symposium 2018 and Aarhus Symposium Focus 2018.

Read more in this handbook.

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HAND-IN DEADLINE Sunday, September 23, 2018, at 23.59.

SUBMISSION Submit your essay online on www.aarhus-symposium.org in PDF format.

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CREATING CONNECTIONS THE THEME OF AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 2018 The world is increasingly shaped by complex connections. Consequently, organisations, companies, and individuals find themselves navigating a maze of opportunities and challenges. The declining importance of national borders can amplify global issues but also creates unique opportunities to tackle them collectively. Companies can benefit from collaborating but must do so without compromising their core values. They also enjoy easier access to qualified labour and cutting-edge technology. Therefore, to stay competitive, the workforce has to constantly improve their competences.

Which path should leaders take to seize the opportunities of an increasingly connected world while also navigating its complexities?

PARTICIPATING SPEAKERS

NIELS B. CHRISTIANSEN

AFSHAN KHAN

ULRIK JUUL CHRISTENSEN

CEO, LEGO GROUP

REGIONAL DIRECTOR, EUROPE & CENTRAL ASIA, UNICEF

CO-FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN, AREA9

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PRESENTING THE SPEAKERS

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NIELS B. CHRISTIANSEN CEO, LEGO GROUP

TOPIC 1: SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON...

HOW A COMPANY CAN ENJOY THE ADVANTAGES OF COLLABORATING WITH OTHERS WHILE PROTECTING ITS CORE VALUES Companies may enjoy advantages of collaborations in many shapes and sizes, such as strategic alliances, joint ventures, outsourcing, or co-branding. However, in a fast-paced market where the stakes are high, many considerations must be weighed when selecting whom to collaborate with. Those considerations may go beyond commercial objectives and relate to how the collaboration fits with the company’s core values.

HAVE YOU FOR INSTANCE THOUGHT ABOUT...

HOW COMPANIES CAN BALANCE BUSINESS OBJECTIVES AND RESPONSIBILITY COMMITMENTS WHEN ENGAGING IN PARTNERSHIPS?

WHICH CONSIDERATIONS MUST BE MADE WHEN SELECTING A PARTNER FOR STRATEGIC ALLIANCES?

HOW TO ENSURE THAT SUPPLIERS ACT ACCORDING TO THE COMPANY’S OWN VALUES?

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AFSHAN KHAN REGIONAL DIRECTOR, EUROPE & CENTRAL ASIA, UNICEF

TOPIC 2: SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON...

ONE AREA IN WHICH EVERY CHILD DOES NOT HAVE EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES AND ONE WAY TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE Every child is born equal in rights, yet the social, economic, and political realities of our world do not guarantee they grow up equal in opportunities. Rapidly increasing connectivity presents a unique opportunity to bridge the equity gap in health, education, security, and political rights on both a national and global scale.

HAVE YOU FOR INSTANCE THOUGHT ABOUT...

HOW TO SECURE PRIMARY EDUCATION IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES?

HOW SOCIAL BUSINESSES OR MICRO INVESTMENTS MAY HELP COMBAT POVERTY?

HOW CIVIL SOCIETY AND GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS CAN REMEDY SOCIAL INEQUALITIES AMONG DANISH CHILDREN?

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ULRIK JUUL CHRISTENSEN CO-FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN, AREA9 GROUP

TOPIC 3: SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON...

HOW TO ACHIEVE A SPECIFIC COMPETENCE THAT WILL BE IMPORTANT ON THE FUTURE LABOUR MARKET As technologies advance at an exponential pace, employees and leaders must continuously improve their competences to stay relevant to the labour market.

Meanwhile, competition intensifies as both low-cost and highly skilled labour become more easily accessible due to continuing globalisation. How will we be able to compete with automation and workers around the world?

HAVE YOU FOR INSTANCE THOUGHT ABOUT...

HOW EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS CAN WORK WITH COMPANIES TO BETTER PREPARE STUDENTS FOR THE LABOUR MARKET?

HOW ADAPTIVE LEARNING CAN SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF CERTAIN COMPETENCES?

HOW SCHOOLS CAN SUPPORT THE STUDENTS IN ATTAINING SOCIAL SKILLS?

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STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN AARHUS SYMPOSIUM CHALLENGE LAUNCH 2017

MEET THE ESSAY REQUIREMENTS

Before you start writing your essay, you should be aware of the few formal requirements listed below.

YOUR ESSAY MUST Be of a maximum of 4,800 characters (incl. spaces) or two standard pages Be written in English or Danish Not include your own name on any of the pages Be handed-in no later than September 23, 2018, at 23.59

CONNECT WITH OUR MESSENGER BOT To write an extraordinary essay, you need a good idea. If you need inspiration to kick-start your creative writing, connect with our Messenger Bot through our Facebook page. The Messenger Bot is your guide to Aarhus Symposium Challenge 2018 and will provide you with inspiration to answer your preferred challenge.

FIND THE MESSENGER BOT ON:

M.ME/AARHUSSYMPOSIUM

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WRITE YOUR ESSAY

Once you have a good idea, the next step is finding the best way to deliver it.

While there is no one right way to structure an essay, you can find a few basic tips below.

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INTRODUCTION Motivate your essay to catch the reader’s interest State the main point you will be making throughout your essay

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BODY Argue your case to support your main point Present how you interpret the challenge along with any key concepts necessary for your answer

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Nuance your argument and consider both its strengths and weaknesses

CONCLUSION Sum up your main conclusion Ensure that you have answered the challenge

HOW TO MAKE YOUR ESSAY STAND OUT To strengthen your argumentation, you can reference a statistic, a scientific statement, or similar.

A narrower scope may furthermore ensure a more focused argumentation.

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SCREENING PROCESS After you have submitted your essay, it will be evaluated by four separate and independent boards. Each board reviews different aspects of your essay in order to find the most outstanding one. See below for information regarding the full screening process.

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PRELIMINARY BOARD REVIEWS • Compliance with formal requirements • Grammar and spelling • Whether the Challenge is answered

SCREENING BOARD REVIEWS • Strong argumentation • Innovative and original content • Well-written and inspiring language

KNOWLEDGE BOARD • Reviews the overall quality of the essay • Gives constructive feedback on content and language • Nominates essays to Leaders’ Forum

THE AARHUS SYMPOSIUM BOARD OF DIRECTORS • Evaluates the essays nominated for Leaders’ Forum • Selects the winner of the Aarhus Symposium Award

THE AARHUS SYMPOSIUM AWARD THE WINNING ESSAY OF AARHUS SYMPOSIUM CHALLENGE 2017 AN ESSAY ON THE REFORMATION OF AN OLD INSTITUTION TO A NEW REALITY

By Bastian Emil Jørgensen, MSc in Economics, University of Copenhagen The year is 1849. The king Frederik the 7th of Denmark signs the new Danish constitution on a mild summer day in June. It is a remarkable document that abolishes the absolute monarchy and the privileges of the nobility. The Danish democracy is born. But the birth is not easy and the generation-long conflict with the German Confederation threatens the integrity of this very young Nordic democracy.

[...]

A reformation of the military conscription will have spill-over effects that will strengthen every part of the digital society as thousands of citizens will be well-equipped to stand against cyber attacks. In every organisation, community and firm, people with a strong knowledge on cyber threats will be able to make a significant difference. They will be able to set up preventive measurements to avoid weaknesses in digital systems and they will know how to respond effectively in cases of attacks.

Cyberwarfare is real and it is everywhere. China has reportedly employed more than 100.000 cyber experts to tackle the threats of tomorrow and Denmark should follow. In a society where every part is being affected by digitalization and the vulnerabilities that follow, one of our oldest public institutions will benefit from a reform. A reform, that will strenghten our democracy and make an important part of our constitution relevant for our generation and the next to come.

BASTIAN EMIL JĂ˜RGENSEN

THE WINNER OF THE AARHUS SYMPOSIUM AWARD 2017

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LEADERS’ FORUM YOUR OPPORTUNITY Leaders’ Forum is your unique opportunity to engage with one of today’s most prominent leaders. On the day of Aarhus Symposium, an informal setting sets the scene for the exclusive one-hour Leaders’ Forum.

LEADERS OF TODAY CONNECTING WITH LEADERS OF TOMORROW If you write an extraordinary essay, you will be invited to participate in Leaders’ Forum.

This is a unique opportunity for you to engage with the leader whose challenge you have answered in your essay. On the day of Aarhus Symposium, an informal setting lays the basis for the exclusive one-hour session where you will meet a leader of today. Here, you have the chance to discuss the ideas presented in your essay and gain valuable insights into how leaders seize opportunities within the complex, connected world of today.

Prior to the session, our Knowledge Partner, McKinsey & Company, will host a workshop for all Leaders’ Forum participants. The workshop will help prepare you for Leaders’ Forum and provide you with tools on how to communicate in a professional and clear manner.

Helle Valentin, Global Chief Operating Officer, Watson Internet of Things, IBM, engaging in dialogue with participants in Leaders’ Forum 2017.

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AARHUS SYMPOSIUM CHALLENGE

YOUR CHANCE TO...

SECURE ONE OF 650 SEATS FOR

AARHUS SYMPOSIUM

SECURE ONE OF 350 SEATS FOR

AARHUS SYMPOSIUM FOCUS PARTICIPATE IN

SPECIAL PARTNER EVENTS QUALIFY FOR

LEADERS’ FORUM WIN THE

THE AARHUS SYMPOSIUM AWARD

AARHUS SYMPOSIUM 14

HAND-IN DEADLINE

SEPTEMBER 23, 2018

WWW.AARHUS-SYMPOSIUM.ORG