UM hosts international conference on human-technology relations

The University of Malta hosted "Technologically Mediated: Rethinking Human/Technology Relations" on 10 December 2025 at the Valletta Campus, bringing together scholars from multiple disciplines to examine contemporary technological challenges. The one-day conference featured presentations across eight parallel panels, with international speakers joining UM researchers for the event.

The conference opened with a keynote address by Neb Kujundzic from the University of Prince Edward Island, who explored the intersections of technology with inclusivity, transparency, sustainability, community, and humanity. This was followed by sessions spanning philosophy, computer science, law, creative arts, linguistics, and political theory.

The programme showcased the range of current research in technology studies. Panels examined transhumanist ethics, patent law, phenomenological accounts of technological mediation, creative studio practices, AI regulation, and visual poetry. Topics covered included inequality in human enhancement technologies, speculative approaches to drawing machines, blockchain governance structures, and algorithmic governance in EU regulatory compliance.

Speakers from European institutions participated alongside UM faculty and researchers. The parallel-session format allowed for focused discussions on specific themes while maintaining connections across different disciplinary approaches, from mechanical perspectives in storytelling to the phenomenology of wearable technologies.

Organised by Prof. Christian Colombo and Dr Niki Young, the conference addressed questions about technology and society through interdisciplinary dialogue, bringing together perspectives from philosophy, science, law, and the arts.