emma 2026

LUT University is a public science university in Finland, bringing together the fields of technology, business and social sciences. 

Bringing the conference to Lappeenranta is significant not only because Finland was one of the founding countries of emma over 20 years ago, but also because this will be the first emma conference held in Finland. Organizing this conference is a special honor for LUT Business School and a natural continuation of the successful emma Summer School for doctoral students that we hosted in Lappeenranta in August 2023.

The emma conference aligns perfectly with the academic and solution-oriented profile of LUT Business School, which emphasizes sustainable business revolution and social impact. Research on media business is one of our strengths, and we actively pursue collaborations with media industry companies both in Finland and internationally.

emma 2026

The theme of the conference is linked to two interrelated current megatrends: the political bipolarization of the world and the rapid development of generative artificial intelligence. While artificial intelligence has the potential to exacerbate societal polarization through mechanisms such as disinformation and hybrid influence, it also offers new avenues for combating these phenomena.

The conference aims to explore solutions for the responsible utilization of artificial intelligence—focusing on creating sustainable business solutions, supporting ethical leadership, and enhancing organizational processes in ways that strengthen the foundations for responsible journalism and democratic communication.