RSA Events

Richard Layard and Jan Emmanuel De Neve present a case for making wellbeing the central goal – for government, for business and for educators. Drawing from their field-defining publication on the science of wellbeing across the life course, they call for a shift in policymaking to maximise the wellbeing of individuals and to engage citizens to contribute to more resilient, rebalanced and regenerat...

In one of his final speeches as CEO of Unilever, Alan Jope will share how his experiences have helped shape his views on how business will transform over the next decade. Alan will share insights and lessons learned leading a company with a €60bn turnover, covering 190 markets, with products that are used by 3.4billion people every day and with a vision to be the global leader in sustainable busin...

The world stands at a cross-roads, in urgent need of a compelling vision that can renew faith in democratic and liberal ideals, and galvanize collection action towards a better future for all. For economist and philosopher Daniel Chandler, the ideas we need right now are to be found in the work of one of the giants of 20th-century philosophy, John Rawls. In Rawls, he argues, we have an unparallele...

“Education is the root of all the more specific crises such as climate change, governance breakdowns, impending war and social unrest.” - Zachary Stein, writer, educator, futurist The 2022 Times Education Commission set out to examine the entire UK education system and consider its future in the light of the Covid-19 crisis, declining social mobility, new technology and a shifting skills landscape...

In his 2023 RSA President’s Lecture,  Sir Peter Bazalgette will outline the current context of the creative industries and discuss opportunities to unleash the energy and potential of the sector to drive transformational change across society and the economy. Sir Peter is joined by five creative entrepreneurs, innovators across the sub-sectors of screen, CreaTech, games and fashion, whose projects...

In her final public event as Scottish First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon reflects on an extraordinary career in public life. At the RSA, she’ll share thoughts on what shaped and sustained her during her premiership, as leader of an ambitious small nation taking a progressive agenda to the world stage, during a period of complex national and global challenges. From Covid to climate emergency, the Firs...

Rana Foroohar , associate editor at the FT and one of the world's leading economic commentators, argues that path to prosperity, sustainability and equity lies in a local, place-based economics fit for the 21st century.  The journalist Joseph Stiglitz has acclaimed for being 'consistently right about globalisation', argues that with the pandemic exposing the vulnerability of global trade and suppl...

The dominant global educational system was designed to meet the needs of the Industrial Age - an age of mass production and consumption which has brought us to today's multifaceted ecological, economic and social tipping points. There is now growing awareness that we need to learn a new way of living and working in harmony with each other, as well as the natural world - and that needs to start at...

A good team needs a considerate leader that can encourage cooperation and create a resilient environment where people can operate at their best. A good team should be built on strong social bonds that hold tight even when their only point of contact is a phone or a computer. But how does this work and how can psychology help us better understand how human groups function? Join leading experts from...

Nails, springs, wheels, magnets and string - these individual wonders have built our modern world. Each component has a long history and is the result of many iterations and refinements. Together, they have enabled humanity to see the invisible, build the spectacular and communicate across vast distances.  Join award-winning engineer and broadcaster Roma Agrawal as she deconstructs our most comple...

At the RSA, in partnership with the Ukrainian Institute London , Oleksandra Matviichuk will reflect on her work as head of the Center for Civil Liberties, an organisation that has promoted the protection of human rights and has worked tirelessly to document war crimes and human rights violations perpetrated in Russia’s war against Ukraine. Join us to explore how new alliances for the defence of hu...

Government decisions determine the welfare of the poor and elderly, the state of our health service, the shape of the education system and much more. This spending power is funded by layers of taxes that touch all corners of our income, savings, and spending habits. Look closely at taxation and you’ll find winners, losers and a system that is sorely in need of reform. Join Paul Johnson , Director...

Bringing Professor  Mariana Mazzucato , a world-leading economist heralded as one of the ‘25 leaders shaping the future of capitalism’ (WIRED), together with  Mia Mottley , Prime Minister of Barbados and one of TIME’s 100 most influential world leaders, this event offers a unique opportunity to hear two global trailblazers discuss what it means for governments to lead a just green transition. They...

Across society, politics and culture, the North has a distinct sense of regional identity. With roots in its time as Britain’s nineteenth-century industrial heartlands, Northern identity was once defined by a sense of innovation and future-focused thinking. However, the deindustrialisation and austerity of the past few decades have clouded that sense of achievement and led the North to become one...

2023 sees the 20th anniversary of the repeal of Section 28, the UK legislation that banned the ‘promotion’ of homosexuality, stopping schools from discussing same-sex relationships and depriving generations of young people from an inclusive education. To celebrate this anniversary and LGBT+ history month’s 2023 theme of ‘Behind the lens’, the RSA welcomes a panel to discuss what can be learned fro...

As a former Chief Selector of the England cricket team, Ed Smith has developed a unique framework for identifying and maximising talent, spotting team weaknesses, and communicating ideas that lead to stronger leadership, clearer judgements and, ultimately, improved performance. At the RSA, he joins chief executive Andy Haldane to share insights from the very top flights of professional sport, arts...

How should we reimagine and redesign our economic models to better reflect and serve human needs and wants, and the flourishing of all life on our one planet? It is often said that the world faces challenges that are complex and systemic. But in fact, the world is a complex, interconnected “system of systems”. These complexities and interconnectivities amplify the global challenges facing us, whet...

From 2009 to 2014, Baroness Catherine Ashton  was the EU’s first High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. She faced the challenge of representing the views and values of 28 nations during one of the most turbulent periods in living memory. From Russia’s invasion of Crimea to the Iran nuclear negotiations, she faced the challenge of solving immediate problems while constantly as...

Awe is a complex and mysterious emotion. Summoned by the extraordinary, it can be inspired by the divine, the beauty of nature or the force of human achievement. Awe stimulates curiosity and allows us to see the deep patterns in life. It can boost our mood, social connections and improve our life satisfaction.   Yet in our modern world, we have become awe deprived. Our culture has become more mate...

We all know that innovation, invention, and change are essential to economic and social development. But innovation can also fuel inequality, decimate livelihoods, harm mental health and destroy the planet. How can we uplift the benefits of innovation while reducing its potential harms? How can we uplift the benefits of innovation while reducing its potential harms? The answer: Inclusive Innovatio...

This December, BBC World Service launches a major new audio dramatisation of Susan Cooper’s classic family novel The Dark Is Rising . Commissioned by Simon Pitts for BBC World Service, co-produced by Complicité and Catherine Bailey Productions, and adapted by writer Robert Macfarlane and actor/director Simon McBurney , the story - set in the depths of winter - follows young Will Stanton on an epic...

In its 100 years on air, the BBC has witnessed huge cultural change, reported on major political moments, and evolved alongside a digital revolution. Its broadcasting has acted as a mirror to British culture, politics and society and it has become a true national treasure. BBC programming has also shaped domestic routines and united people in their homes and across great distances – especially at...

We see colour everywhere we look. From the bright green of a soda can, the deep red of Valentine’s roses, to the green and black of power tools. But have you ever stopped to think why we associate certain colours with certain feelings, objects and flavours? We know that girls’ toys are often pink and boys’ are often blue, but why these colours? What is the social impact of these colour choices and...

On 26 March 2020, a new law appeared that confined us to our homes. Passed under a state of emergency that was meant to be short but lasted 763 days, this law was one of over 100 lockdown laws that were never debated in parliament. Though certainly justified by the rapid spread of Covid-19, these laws increasingly confused the public and restricted our freedoms more than ever before. New laws like...

From Roe v Wade and Black Lives Matter to gun control and immigration, US politics in 2022 looks as partisan as ever, with debates framed in moralistic terms and parties focusing on mobilising the faithful rather than wooing the sceptical. People increasingly write one another off instead of seeking to win one another over. In this age of continued polarisation, democracy looks close to breaking p...