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The 2025 edition of the ELIA Leadership Symposium asks: how can we harness the transformative power of collective intelligence? What are the essential elements that not only create community cohesion but also drive meaningful change?
Hosted by Geneva University of Art and Design (HEAD – Genève, HES-SO) in Switzerland, the symposium brings together higher art education leaders, creative-thinking researchers, thought leaders on transformative leadership and alternative management models, economists, futurologists, and more. Together, we will examine the systems and processes needed to enable large groups of individuals to share their knowledge, data, and skills to solve complex problems as they navigate societal challenges. How can art education institutions become more than the sum of their parts? What skills are required to lead a crowd or movement with purpose? And what do we do if the system we operate within begins to crack?
In an era marked by societal fragmentation—fuelled by political upheaval, global conflicts, and the rapid evolution of AI technology—it can often feel as though our art schools, universities, and academies are challenged to lead their institutions through these rapid waves of change.
Through case study analysis, dialogue and collaboration with peers, this symposium will provide international leaders in higher arts education with practical tools and actionable insights to create thriving cultures of care and resilience. Learn strategies to tackle real-world issues such as increased governmental pressure, budget cuts, drops in enrolment, health and wellbeing of staff and students, student protests, global politics, and more.
Whether your leadership style is visionary, laissez-faire, empathetic, consensus-based, or something in between—the ELIA Leadership Symposium will equip you with the knowledge and foresight to bridge the gap between traditional hierarchical management and inclusive governance, ensuring a positive impact both within your institution and for future generations.
The symposium opens with an invitation to connect—through a campus tour and speed networking. A keynote by Marie-Laure Salles sets the tone for exploring collective intelligence as a transformative force in higher arts education. The first breakout sessions dive into budget cuts, political pressures, and the health benefits of the arts, while an “In Conversation” session with global academic leaders offers fresh insight into visionary leadership across diverse contexts.
Rethink leadership through the lens of inclusivity, adaptability, and collective creativity. A dynamic panel on how to lead through the collective kicks off the morning, followed by breakout sessions that explore policy, advocacy, and practices like orchestral conducting as a metaphor for collaborative leadership. In the afternoon, an empowering panel on women reshaping collective intelligence challenges traditional models and uplifts new narratives. At the end of the day, immerse yourself in Geneva’s vibrant art scene!
The final day focuses on practical tools for navigating systemic challenges with care and resilience. Breakout sessions address urgent issues—budget constraints, global conflicts, student engagement, and institutional wellbeing—while also exploring innovative community-building activities like collective cooking. These will be followed by a closing keynote, weaving together threads we have each touched upon.
Registrations for the ELIA Leadership Symposium 2025 are closed.
SINGLE MEMBER PASS
€715
1 participant
Access to all symposium sessions and related events
All symposium materials
Two dinners & two lunches
Coffee breaks & snacks
Networking opportunities (online and in-person)
ELIA team support
Event app
COMBI MEMBER DEAL
€1100
2 participants (+more)*
Access to all symposium sessions and related events
All symposium materials
Two dinners & two lunches
Coffee breaks & snacks
Networking opportunities (online and in-person)
ELIA team support
Event app
NON-MEMBER PASS
€990
1 participant
Access to all symposium sessions and related events
All symposium materials
Two dinners & two lunches
Coffee breaks & snacks
Networking opportunities (online and in-person)
ELIA team support
Event app
*Purchase this deal for a minimum of two participants from the same institution. Add extra participants for the reduced fee of €550 per person.
ONLINE MEMBER PASS
€50
1 online participant
Unlimited access to live streaming & recordings of plenary sessions
Networking opportunities (online)
Access to the Leadership community online
ELIA team support
Event app
ONLINE NON-MEMBER PASS
€75
1 online participant
Unlimited access to live streaming & recordings of plenary sessions
Networking opportunities (online)
Access to the Leadership community online
ELIA team support
Event app
Host institution
Created in 2006 from the merger of two 200-year-old schools, the École supérieure des Beaux-Arts and the Haute école d’Arts appliqués, HEAD – Genève draws on a rich cultural tradition to train a new generation of creative artists. Renowned for its courses in Visual Arts, Cinema, Space Design, Visual Communication, and Fashion, Jewellery & Accessory Design, the school is a European reference in art and design.
Located in the heart of Geneva, HEAD – Genève encourages experimentation, dialogue and excellence, while developing collaborations with local and international partners. Its graduates regularly distinguish themselves on the international scene in the fields of fashion, design, art, and cinema.
Speakers
Jenny Althoff
Jenny Althoff is the Pro-Vice-Chancellor at Konstfack University of Arts, Crafts and Design in Stockholm. She has extensive experience in art, design, pedagogy, and interdisciplinary research. She has led design projects in collaboration with companies and institutions, taught internationally, and co-founded interdisciplinary education programmes and hubs. Her research areas have focused on play as a method for risk-taking, inclusion, and innovation, as well as on developing systemic sustainability in the public sector. Jenny is a strong advocate for transdisciplinary practices that aim to create new knowledge, strengthen our collective imagination, and enhance our readiness to act for societal transformation.
Christopher Bailey
Christopher Bailey is the Arts and Health Lead at the World Health Organization and co-founder of the Jameel Arts and Health Lab. The lab builds a global research network focused on the health benefits of the arts, exploring effective practices and the foundational science behind their impact on physical, mental, and social wellbeing. Educated at Columbia University, Oxford University, and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Bailey transitioned from acting and playwriting to working as research manager at the Rockefeller Foundation. He was later recruited to WHO, where he led health informatics and online communications before founding the Arts and Health programme. As an ambassador for the field, Bailey has performed in venues globally. His work amplifies the WHO definition of health, emphasising that health is the highest level of physical, mental, and social wellbeing, not merely the absence of disease.
Judith Baubérot
Judith Baubérot is a French conductor and violinist trained at the Haute École de Musique de Genève under Laurent Gay. Her final recital with the Orchestre des Pays de Savoie earned her a special prize from the Geneva Chamber Orchestra, leading to an invitation to conduct during its 2024–2025 season. She has deepened her craft through masterclasses with Péter Eötvös, Domingo Hindoyan, Nicolás Pasquet, Gregory Vajda, and Jean Deroyer, working with renowned ensembles such as the Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire and Ensemble Ars Nova. Since September 2024, she has been Principal Conductor of the University of Geneva Orchestra and assistant in HEM’s conducting department. Committed to cultural outreach, she joined Brazil’s NEOJIBA project in 2024. Passionate about opera, she assists Marc Leroy-Calatayud and the OCG in productions including Roméo et Juliette, Electrofaune, and Werther. With Quatuor MOMO, winner of multiple prizes, she explores bold, interdisciplinary projects blending tradition and innovation.
Annette Birkholz
Annette Birkholz is a certified systemic creative consultant, coach, and facilitator. She works at the interface of organisational development, executive coaching, and art-oriented and embodiment methods. Her clients range from NGOs to international corporations—including many organisations and individuals from science institutions, media, the arts, and development work.
Over the past five years, as part of the faculty at the Erich Pommer Institute in Potsdam, she has facilitated female leadership programmes for women in the audiovisual and series industries, as well as in film, theatre, performance, and art institutions.
With her systemic archery method—developed over 15 years as Director of the Archery Academy Berlin—and other experience-based art interventions (such as Tango Argentino, stone sculpture, and directing), she offers brave spaces where individuals, teams, and organisations can connect, explore, and reflect on their patterns, challenges, values, and aspirations—thus embarking on their individual and/or organisational transformation journey.
Roni Brown
Roni Brown is Professor Emeritus, University of the Arts London. Roni’s career has spanned over three decades, serving in senior leadership positions in creative higher education institutions. Prior to her retirement, Roni was Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic, University of the Arts London, where she provided strategic leadership in teaching, research and knowledge exchange working with her colleagues to create an institutional setting in which creative learning and intellectual curiosity can thrive.
Roni joined UAL in 2019 as Pro Vice-Chancellor and Head of London College of Fashion. Previously she was Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University for the Creative Arts (UCA).
Between 2017 and 2021 Roni was South-East Area Chair for Arts Council England and a member of its National Council developing her career long interest in the intersections between national arts policy and education strategy. She is a member of the Board of Governors at Arts University Bournemouth and is involved in shaping creative education policy through advisory roles, including with GuildHE, the representative organisation for small and specialist UK higher education providers.
Roni is Professor of Visual and Educational Cultures, holds a PhD in the History of Architecture and Design from De Montfort University and is published across the disciplines of Design History and Material Culture Studies.
Javier Fernández Contreras
Javier Fernández Contreras, PhD, is a Geneva-based architect and architectural theorist, and Head of the Space Design/Interior Architecture Department at HEAD – Genève (HES-SO). His work explores the relationship between architecture, representation and media, with a particular focus on the role of interiors in shaping contemporaneity. He directs several academic programmes, including the Master of Arts in Interior Architecture (MAIA), which examines space design at the intersection of ecology and media; Scènes de Nuit, a research platform investigating the entanglements between night and architecture; and The Future of Humanitarian Design (HUD), which explores how architecture and political science can together address the growing challenges of humanitarian action. His recent publications include The Miralles Projection (2020), Manifesto of Interiors (2021), Intimacy Exposed: Toilet, Bathroom, Restroom (co-editor, 2023), A Nocturnal History of Architecture (co-editor, 2024), and The Interiors of Social Media (forthcoming, 2026).
Huug de Deugd
Huug de Deugd is the President of the University of the Arts The Hague, where he holds ultimate responsibility for the university’s strategic direction. Prior to this role, he served as a member of the Executive Board and the interim President of Inholland University of Applied Sciences. At Inholland, Huug began his career as an English teacher, later advancing to department head, faculty director, and secretary to the board, before joining the Executive Board. He studied English Language and Literature at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.
Kadiatou Diallo
Kadiatou Diallo lives and works as a freelance curator, mediator, and cultural practitioner in Basel. Her academic background is in cognitive psychology and visual arts. Her work explores artistic practice, with a focus on Africa, as a tool for transformative social processes and knowledge generation. Together with Dominique Malaquais, she founded SPARCK, the Space for Pan-African Research, Creation and Knowledge, in 2008. In 2016, she moved to Basel from Cape Town as an Atelier Mondial scholarship holder and guest curator at the Klingental exhibition space. In addition to curatorial and collaborative projects, Kadiatou has worked as a research assistant at the Centre for African Studies at the University of Basel and as a lecturer in the Master of Arts in Public Spheres (MAPS) at the EDHEA (École de design et haute école d'art) in Sierre.
Carine Ayélé Durand
Carine Ayélé Durand is a social anthropologist who earned her doctorate from the University of Cambridge in 2010. Her museum career began in 2000 with a formative experience at the African Museum in Verona, Italy. In 2001, she joined the Natural History Museum in Lyon—now the Musée des Confluences—where she began her long-standing focus on collaborations between European museums and Indigenous communities. Over the course of her career, Durand has held a range of roles as curator, researcher, and cultural heritage consultant in France, the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Spain. From 2015 to 2022, she served as chief curator at the Musée d’ethnographie de Genève (MEG), before being appointed director in July 2022.
Aurélie Elisa Gfeller
Aurélie Elisa Gfeller is Associate Professor and Dean of Studies at HEAD – Genève. A Princeton-trained historian, she also holds Master’s degrees in history and art history from the University of Lausanne, and in international relations from Stanford University. Her career bridges academia, policy, and the cultural sector, with previous roles at EPFL, the Graduate Institute Geneva, and Geneva’s Opera House. At HEAD, she has driven institutional transformation through the creation of new competency centres, international partnerships, and innovative programmes in AI, digital education, and cross-disciplinary learning. A published scholar on European integration and global cultural heritage, her work has appeared in leading journals including the American Historical Review, Journal of Global History, and the International Journal of Heritage Studies.
Hoernemann&Walbrodt (Duo)
As a duo, Hoernemann&Walbrodt develop artistic formats, processes and interventions for diverse social contexts. They create performative and participatory concepts in public spaces across Europe, initiating collaborations between scientists, artists and social actors. Their work engages with themes such as diversity, sustainability, civic participation and social cohesion, using performance, installation, video, drawing, movement, art-based moderation and objects. They design creative processes ("scores") that activate co-creativity, self-empowerment and participation across different sectors of society.
Jennifer Hoernemann trained in contemporary dance and performance at the Amsterdam School of the Arts (NL), the College of Arts (UK) and the Action Theater Institute (USA). Since 1996, she has developed transdisciplinary, site-specific and mixed-media performance works. Her practice explores improvisation, embodied knowledge and the dynamic between body and space.
Walbrodt is a visual and performative artist working in contexts of transformation. He considers all materials and locations as potential studios and museums. He has created artistic interventions such as Atelier in the Company and the Regulatory Authority for the Impossible, and co-creates transdisciplinary environments with scientists, citizens, executives, children—and sometimes even stones and animals.
Pascal Hufschmid
Pascal Hufschmid is an art historian specialising in photography. He has spearheaded multidisciplinary projects both within and outside Switzerland, drawing on his expertise in museology, the art market and international organisations. Since 2019, he has served as the Executive Director of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum in Geneva. In that role, he has sought to foster dialogue between humanitarian action, art and research – and to bring a broader audience into the debate through exhibitions such as 'To Heal a World. 160 Years of Photography from the Collections of the Red Cross and Red Crescent' (2022). He is also a board member of Pro Helvetia, the Swiss Arts Council, and the Edgelands Institute, as well as the chairman of the Academic Council at HEAD – Genève, the University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Geneva.
Noor Khader
Noor Khader is a visionary architect, researcher, and educator with Palestinian roots, who grew up in Kuwait and is based in Germany. She works at the intersection of planetary thinking, regenerative design, critical inquiry, and pedagogies of care. Her practice reimagines architectural education as a space for creative autonomy and relational awareness that recognises a broader ecology of actors, weaving together human and non-human agencies to nurture responsiveness, situated knowledge, and collaborative co-creation across disciplines.
Through leading design studios, contributing to interdisciplinary programmes, and initiating community-driven projects, she cultivates resolve, synergy, and versatility by centring enduring questions: Why are we here? Why do we do what we do? And how can we live better together?
Alongside her academic work, Noor is a trauma-informed health guide facilitating somatic and reflective sessions drawn from symbolic and contemplative systems. She supports individuals and groups who recognise their gifts and agency, and are devoted to bringing beauty, care, and creative alignment into their lives and communities.
Through her artwork, singing, writing, and poetry, Noor explores themes of identity, imagination, and liberation, dissolving illusions of false belonging and opening pathways towards authenticity, connection, and presence.
Leticia Labaronne
Leticia Labaronne is Professor and Head of the Center for Arts Management at Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), as well as Director of the Executive Master's programmes in Cultural Management and Fundraising Management.
Leticia worked in the performing arts for over 10 years before joining academia. Originally from Argentina, she holds a BA in International Studies (UK), an MSc in Public and Nonprofit Management (Switzerland), and a PhD in Cultural Management (Germany).
Her expertise covers a wide range of topics related to the management of arts and cultural organisations, including new paths for financing and funding, performance measurement, and evaluation. Leticia is Vice-President of ENCATC, the European network on cultural management and policy, co-funded by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union.
La Collective Ruches / the Hives Collective
La Collective Ruches / the Hives Collective is connected within the Master TRANSforme, one of three visual arts master's programmes of HEAD - Geneva. The programme offers frameworks to reflect about modes of collaborative production. It centres on art as a possible vector for social transformation, and the use of pedagogical processes as a tool for collaborative practice. The collective is comprised of four students. Anna Kotelnikov (France) studied in Cergy. She works with audio and visual media to develop a lesbian gaze. She also cofounded many socially engaged projects like the Orchestre du Nouveau Monde, the choir of the Avalanche or the queer podcast "26 rue des lesbien·ne". Louise Pereira Guerra (France, Brazil) co-founded and co-managed an artist residency in the Gers countryside for five years, where she became interested in collectives and their dynamics viewed through a feminist lens. Phoebe van Essche (Switzerland, South Africa) completed her bachelors in visual culture and fine art at Bennington College, Vermont, USA. She is currently researching post-colonial utopias through conceptions of commoning and conviviality. Thomas Roget (France) graduated in fine art at Ecole Media Art, Chalon-sur-Soane, France, after studying filmmaking in Lyon. He works around queer existence and how archive, road signs and institutions ingest those aspects or not. The Hives Collective has a kinship in rethinking the economies of group learning, transmission, and communication.
Priya Mara Lanfranchi
Priya Mara Lanfranchi, born in 1998, is a Swiss artist of Nepalese origin. After training in contemporary dance at the Ballet Junior de Genève, she received a Bachelor’s degree in Visual Arts from HEAD – Genève in 2023, where she is currently continuing her artistic research. The moving body is the central axis of her practice, which unfolds through performance, text, and installation. Her visual work questions how memories deteriorate, fragment, and transform. Drawing from intimate experiences, she explores themes of power dynamics, uprooting, exile, disorientation, and the exoticisation of racialised women.
Annika Månsson
Annika Månsson is the Founder & CEO of Happy at Work, created in Geneva in 2008. A keynote speaker, trainer, and coach, she is a pioneer in workplace wellbeing, positive psychology, and sustainable leadership. For more than 15 years, she has supported organisations in preventing burnout, managing psychosocial risks, and building healthier, more resilient teams. Originally from Sweden, Annika has inspired over 12,000 people in 25 countries through her conferences and trainings. Before launching Happy at Work, she held leadership positions for over 15 years at the Danone Group. She holds a Master’s in Marketing and Management and is certified in NLP, MBTI®, Belbin®, Prosci Change Management, Mindful Self-Compassion, and Neuroscience-based Leadership.
Simon Marti
Simon Marti is the Head of the EUA Council for Doctoral Education (EUA-CDE), the largest European forum in this field, representing more than 280 universities in 39 countries. He joined EUA in July 2024 after heading SwissCore, the Swiss Contact Office for European Research, Innovation and Education in Brussels, for the past five years. His previous positions include Head of the Office of Science, Technology and Higher Education at the Embassy of Switzerland in the United States, as well as Project Manager in Education Management and Research with the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation in Bern. Simon is a political scientist and holds an master's from the University of Bern and a doctorate from the University of Basel.
Venka Purushothaman
Venka Purushothaman is the Deputy President and Provost at LASALLE College of the Arts, University of the Arts Singapore. A distinguished academic and award-winning art writer, he is committed to transformative cultural and educational leadership. Venka founded the Asia-Pacific Network for Cultural Education and Research (Singapore) to build cultural capacity in Asia and chairs the International Advisory Council of Living Arts International (New York), supporting artists in post-conflict Cambodia. He co-founded the Global Design Initiative and chairs the Strategy Board of Shared Campus, an arts university consortium.
Venka is a prolific writer and serves on international arts editorial boards. He holds a PhD in cultural policy from the University of Melbourne and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts (UK) and Musashino Art University (Japan). He is a member of the Association Internationale des Critiques d'Art (France) and the International Cultural Relations Research Alliance at the Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen (Germany).
Laurence Rassel
Laurence Rassel is a cultural worker whose practice spans curating, teaching, and organising. She is currently the Director of erg (École de Recherche Graphique – école supérieure des arts) in Brussels, where she leads a collective, process-oriented, and pedagogically engaged initiative. At erg, Rassel redefines conventional notions of authority, fostering an institutional model in which everyone is empowered to shape its structure. From 2008 to 2015, she was Director of the Fundació Antoni Tàpies in Barcelona, an institution committed to the study and dissemination of modern and contemporary art. Prior to that, from 1997 to 2008, sauhe was a founding member of Constant, a Brussels-based non-profit arts lab operating at the intersection of art, media, and technology.
Henry Redwood
Henry Redwood is a Senior Lecturer in War Studies at King’s College London where he also serves as Co-Programme Director for Political and Strategic Communications at King’s and is Co-Lead of the Art and Conflict Hub. His research explores the intersections of conflict, trauma, archives, and the arts, with a particular focus on participatory and arts-based methodologies in post-conflict and war-affected settings. He has published widely on archival politics, the politics of memory, war ontologies, and the role of creative practices in transitional justice and trauma recovery. Dr Redwood’s recent work critically examines how trauma is represented, recorded, and responded to in contexts of ongoing colonial violence in Ukraine, with an emphasis on interdisciplinary, locally grounded, and creative approaches. He has led and collaborated on numerous international projects, including partnerships with Ukrainian institutions such as the Kyiv School of Economics, ArtDot, and the Museum of Contemporary Art NGO, which has included delivering practical training in trauma-attuned arts practice. He is currently co-developing a practical handbook on Trauma-Attuned Arts Practice with partners including ArtDot, Human Hive, Innovation for Wellbeing, and Opera Circus.
Marie-Laure Salles
Marie-Laure Salles has been Director of the Geneva Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies since 2020. Before that, she was Founding Dean of the School of Management and Innovation at Sciences Po Paris, as well as the creator of a school she established in 2016, and Professor (Professeur des Universités) at the Centre de Sociologie des Organisations (CSO), Sciences Po Paris. She holds a PhD in Sociology from Harvard University, an habilitation à diriger des recherches from Dauphine University, and a PhD honoris causa from Stockholm University. She is a member of Academia Europaea (Swiss contingent) and a Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur.
Her research interests include the role of social networks in the transnational diffusion of rules, practices, and ideas; the historical transformation of capitalism and national political institutions; the dynamics of transnational governance; the ethics and philosophy of international relations; and the forces enabling or hindering progress on sustainability and justice agendas in economic and social policy, both nationally and internationally.
Jeff Schwartz
Jeff Schwartz is Associate Vice President and Dean at Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota, Florida. He has a proven record of advancing innovative programmes and curricula that strengthen student enrollment, learning, and success. A specialist in aligning student learning outcomes with accreditation standards, he also excels at building strong networks across academic and local communities to promote institutional goals. Known as an energetic and collaborative leader, Schwartz manages with humor, compassion, and high yet fair expectations, and is deeply committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion. He earned his BFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, MFA from American University, and completed executive training at Harvard University’s Institute for Management and Leadership in Education. An active studio artist, Schwartz exhibits internationally, with work inspired by Florida’s Gulf Coast and Sarasota’s mid-century architectural legacy.
Milena Stefanovic
Milena Stefanovic is Assistant Professor of Strategic Management, Marketing, and Entrepreneurship at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts, University of Arts, Belgrade. She has over fifteen years of professional management experience in the private and civil sector in the Western Balkans, as well as developed competencies and practical knowledge in advocacy processes and public diplomacy. Additionally, she has experience in regional cooperation through the development of networks and training programmes aimed at strengthening the capacity of public administration in the Western Balkans region. She participated in the work of the Forum for Culture, of the European Movement in Serbia, where she served as vice-president from 2015 to 2019. She holds a PhD from the Faculty of Dramatic Arts, a Master’s in Public Administration from SDA Bocconi, and a BA in Philosophy from the School of Philosophy, University of Belgrade.
Matylda Taszycka
Matylda Taszycka is Head of Research Programmes at AWARE: Archives of Women Artists, Research and Exhibitions, where she leads initiatives, directs publications, and oversees research dedicated to women and non-binary artists. Among her responsibilities, she also coordinates the AWARE Prize for Women Artists. A graduate of the École du Louvre in Paris, she previously worked at the Monnaie de Paris before joining the Polish Institute in Paris as Head of Visual Arts. She is also an independent curator and art critic. In 2023, she curated Wanda Czelkowska. Art Is Not Rest at the Museum Susch in Switzerland. More recently, she co-curated Trajectoires que je suis. Lauréates du prix d’honneur AWARE at the FRAC Champagne-Ardenne in Reims (2025, France). Since 2024, she has additionally been teaching the history and theory of contemporary art at the École du Louvre.
Veerle Van der Sluys
Only recently, Veerle Van der Sluys has taken on the role of General Director of LUCA School of Arts, Belgium. One can say that her professional journey stands out as unconventional within the context of a typical arts school career path. With a PhD in Physics (1995), she began her career in academia, developing advanced nuclear reaction simulations. After moving to the U.S. in 1997, she deepened her expertise in computer science and emerging new technologies at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark. Returning to Europe, she worked as a software architect for several companies, gaining practical experience in complex software projects. Since 2009, she has been active at LUCA School of Arts, focusing on the intersection of art, design, and technology in both research and teaching. From 2016 to 2024, she was Vice Dean Research, shaping LUCA’s artistic research policy. The last two years, she also served as Executive Director of the FilmEU Association, the legal entity representing the FilmEU European University Alliance on Film and Media Arts . Combining scientific rigor, technological expertise, and a deep understanding of interdisciplinary art and design research, she powerfully champions the role of art and design in driving innovation.
Crystal Williams
Crystal Williams believes that education, art and design, and commitments to equity and justice are essential to societal transformation. For more than two decades, her work to elevate and amplify the multiplicity of human experience in higher education has galvanised the imagination about who we have been and who we can become.
The daughter of an educator and a musician, Williams is an award-winning poet and essayist and the recipient of numerous fellowships, grants and honours. Today, when not on campus or connecting with RISD alumni and friends of RISD around the globe, one can often find her wandering art galleries or museums, at live theatre and spending time enjoying the company of beloved friends. Williams earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from New York University and a Master of Fine Arts degree from Cornell University. In April 2022, she became the 18th President of Rhode Island School of Design.
Béatrice Zawodnik
A seasoned performer, educator, and manager, Béatrice Zawodnik has pursued a committed and passionate career for over 25 years, dedicated to culture, artistic creation, and education. Holding numerous degrees and distinctions in the musical, pedagogical, and managerial fields—notably a virtuosity diploma in oboe and a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from IDHEAP—she has performed as a soloist and chamber musician and has taught oboe and chamber music. She also co-founded and led, both artistically and administratively, several ensembles, including Ensemble Vortex and Ensemble Vide. In parallel with her artistic career, she has developed a strong presence in cultural management and institutional leadership over the past fifteen years. She has held executive and pedagogical leadership roles at major higher music education institutions in Switzerland, contributing to curriculum development, academic coordination, and strategic direction.
Practical information
Hotels
ELIA has made pre-bookings for participants at several hotels within walking distance or a short public transport ride from the main venues. Participants of ELIA Leadership Symposium are encouraged to book their accommodation in Geneva as soon as possible. All recommended hotels are taking ecological steps to improve their sustainability and offer more environmentally friendly options.
You can find a list of hotel options and booking information here.
Participants are strongly encouraged to travel by train to Geneva, if possible. For international trains, you can check and buy international tickets directly on the official Swiss railway website. Depending on the length of your stay or your journey to Switzerland, look for Swiss travel cards, for example the Half Fare Card.
Geneva Airport (GVA) is around 4 kilometres away from the city centre. From the airport, you can take the train or several buses to reach your final destinations (stop Genève Aéroport).
Other Information
Geneva is a culturally vibrant city with a wealth of activities to explore. Here are some recommended websites to help you make the most of your visit.
The main venues of the ELIA Leadership Symposium are accessible for guests with reduced mobility.
If you have specific accessibility needs (e.g., transport assistance, support from a staff member, or a printed programme in large print) or need assistance with event registration (including registering an assistant accompanying you), please contact us at janja.skerget@elia-artschools.org.
EDI Statement
ELIA and the host institution are dedicated to hosting events that prioritise equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. We have worked together with our host, HEAD – Genève, to make this event a safer and more accessible space for all.
Should you have any specific accessibility needs (such as transportation assistance, support from a staff member, or a large-print programme), or if you need help registering for the event and/or registering an assistant to accompany you, please contact the ELIA Team so we can ensure this event is inclusive and accessible to you.
All our events have a support system in place. If you witness any harassment or discriminatory behaviour during the event, please contact a member of the team or call or send a message: {+31 650401938}. This phone line will be monitored for the duration of the event.
If you prefer to make an anonymous report, please use this online form here.
We value any feedback you may have on how inclusive and accessible you find this event. You can submit your feedback in the event evaluation report that will be disseminated after the event. Your honesty is appreciated and will help us to understand how to improve the inclusivity and accessibility of our future events. All feedback will be collected anonymously.
Ecological responsibility
ELIA and HEAD – Genève recognise that large international conferences can have a negative environmental impact due to participant travel and the event’s overall footprint (e.g., consumption and waste). To reduce the environmental impact of the ELIA Leadership Symposium, both ELIA and HEAD – Genève will make greener choices in organising the conference and encourage participants to join us in this effort!
ELIA and HEAD – Genève consider sustainability a key priority, and several measures have been implemented to minimise the meeting's environmental and climate impact:
ACCOMMODATION: All recommended hotels are easily accessible from the conference venue, either on foot or by a short public transport ride. These hotels are taking ecological steps to enhance their services and make them more environmentally friendly.
TRAVEL: Participants are encouraged to travel to Geneva by train, if possible, or to make other sustainable travel arrangements. If flying is necessary, consider a direct flight (if available), as it has lower carbon emissions than a flight with a transfer. For travel within Geneva, walking, cycling, or public transportation are recommended.
FOOD & DRINKS: Catering at the event has been selected based on sustainability criteria and will include local, seasonal, and/or vegetarian options. Participants are encouraged to bring their own reusable water bottles.
MATERIALS: Printed materials and giveaways will be kept to a minimum. During registration, please indicate if you require a printed programme (large print is available). Participants are encouraged to bring their own (tote) bags to carry conference materials, as tote bags will not be provided at the venue.
AWARENESS: To raise awareness about environmental sustainability, we will communicate our sustainable actions to our suppliers and partners. Before, during, and after the conference, we will engage with participants to foster dialogue and co-create a more sustainable event.
