Our activities
Renaissance Numérique works in an open and collaborative way. The exchange of ideas is voluntary and positive. Members play an active role in drawing up the think tank’s program of activities, and in steering and leading its working groups and thematic commissions.
Permanent commissions
Launched in 2023, Renaissance Numérique’s permanent commissions are steered and led by one or two members of the think tank, and gather 5 to 15 members. These commissions meet several times a year to work on a permanent basis around four themes:
- Digital governance and geopolitics
- The digital economy
- Digital inclusion
- Environment and the digital transformation
Working groups
Depending on the strategic issues identified by the think tank and current events, one or more working groups can be set up on an ad hoc basis with members who are interested in working on a given topic, to collectively produce a note, a report or propose an event. A working group is generally set up as follows:
- A member or the permanent team proposes a topic identified as strategic for the think tank and civil society.
- A small group of members is formed to collectively frame the topic.
- This small group of a few members may choose to produce a short-term reflection, resulting in the publication of a note. It may also propose to set up a working group, generally comprising around ten members, and resulting in a more substantial production, such as a report.
- In addition to working collegially, the working group usually conducts a dozen hearings with key players at national, European and international level, to feed into its reflections and gather a diversity of viewpoints and expertise.
“Dialogues”
Renaissance Numérique’s “Dialogues” are series of one-day workshops bringing together French, European and international experts to debate the social, economic and technological issues surrounding a particular digital topic. This engaging, international, multidimensional and multidisciplinary approach enables a restricted circle of participants (often around twenty) to take part in high-level exchanges.
Between December 2022 and July 2023, Renaissance Numérique brought together experts from around the world for three “Dialogues” around the Metaverse:
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Metaverse Dialogue #1 – “Collective narratives, affordance and use cases”
Metaverse Dialogue #2 – “Economics of the human body and avatars in the Metaverse”
Metaverse Dialogue #3 – “Data, privacy, identity: potential legal challenges”
The “Metaverse Dialogues” led to the publication of a comprehensive report titled “Governing the Metaverse and tomorrow’s internet”, in November 2023. A large part of the discussions held during the three Dialogues fed into the analysis, conclusions and recommendations put forward in this report.
In 2024, Renaissance Numérique will be launching a new series of Dialogues, this time around the regulation and governance of artificial intelligence (AI): the “AI Dialogues”.
Renaissance Numérique regularly organises high-level events that are either open to the public or reserved for its members. The think tank’s positioning, putting the public interest and citizens’ rights at the centre of discussions, enables a rare quality and freedom of exchange with the decision-makers who shape the digital world and digital policies in France and Europe. These events also offer members the opportunity to exchange views with the persons who, on a daily basis, drive and implement digital innovation in their field of activity.
“Rencontres OFF”
Renaissance Numérique’s “Rencontres OFF” (“OFF-The-Record Meetings”) give its members a privileged and private opportunity to discuss current and highly strategic issues with the actors involved in drafting and implementing public policies in the digital field. Since the launch of this cycle of events, our members have had to opportunity to meet and discuss with over 40 personalities involved in French and European digital public policy making.
During our latest “Rencontres OFF”, our members gathered around:
- Eugene Kaspersky, Founder and CEO of Kaspersky
- Philippe Latombe, Member of the French Parliament
- Guillaume Avrin, Head of the French National Coordination Strategy on AI
- Nicolas Deffieux, Director, PEReN (Expertise Hub on the Regulation of Platforms placed under the umbrella of the French Ministry of the Economy and Finance)
- Yann LeCun, Vice-president & Chief AI Scientist, Meta
- Benoît Loutrel, member of the college of the Autorité de régulation de la communication audiovisuelle et numérique (Arcom)
- Laure de la Raudière, President of Arcep (French regulatory authority for electronic communications, post and press distribution)
"Rencontre OFF" with Laure de La Raudière (Arcep)
"Rencontre OFF" with Benoît Loutrel (Arcom)
"Rencontre OFF" with Guillaume Avrin (Head of the French National Strategy on AI)
"Rencontre OFF" with Yann LeCun (Meta)
"Rencontre OFF" with Eugene Kaspersky (Kaspersky)
"Rencontre OFF" with Member of the French Parliament Philippe Latombe
“Aux Sources du Numérique” (ASDN)
“ASDN” are monthly meetings with authors of recent books or papers on digital issues. The aim of these events, which are open to the public, is to discover the authors’ analyses on issues raised by the digital transformation of society, and to discuss them collectively.
During our latest ASDN meetings, we had the chance of welcoming:
- Julien Nocetti, around the 23rd issue of Annales des Mines, “La souveraineté numérique : dix ans de débats, et après ?”, (2023)
- Raphaël Doan, around his book Si Rome n’avait pas chuté (Passés composés, 2023)
- Dominique Boullier, around his book Propagations. Un nouveau paradigme pour les sciences sociales (Armand Colin, 2023)
- Hubert Guillaud, around his book Coincés dans Zoom. A qui profite le télétravail? (Fyp Editions, 2022)
- Anne Alombert, around her book Schizophrénie numérique (Allia, 2023)
- Charleyne Biondi, around her book Dé-coder, une contre-histoire du numérique (Bouquins, 2022)
"ASDN" with Charleyne Biondi
"ASDN" with Anne Alombert
"ASDN" with Hubert Guillaud
"ASDN" with Raphaël Doan
"ASDN" with Julien Nocetti
Renaissance Numérique’s publications are the result of collective reflections led with members of the think tank. They aim to shed light on the changes brought about by the digital transformation of society. These publications may be produced by the think tank’s working groups, permanent commissions, or stem from ad hoc events or research projects.
Reports
Each year, Renaissance Numérique publishes an average of one report based on a collective analysis of a specific topic. Renaissance Numérique reports are produced over a period of several months, and draw on the skills and knowledge of members who have specifically formed a working group around the selected topic, as well as additional external experts (generally through interviews or events). Each Renaissance Numérique report puts forward recommendations defending the interests of civil society.
Notes
Renaissance Numérique notes are publications that are shorter than reports (usually around or less than 10 pages), that most often reflect the think tank’s position on a topical issue or one at the heart of digital debates, a proposal or bill, or a public consultation. They can also be the result of a reflection led by one of the think tank’s permanent commissions. Each note is drafted and reviewed by a small group of members.
Event summaries
Event summaries report back on discussions taking place during events that are (co)organised or attended by Renaissance Numérique.
“Actors’ views”
Renaissance Numérique regularly publishes interviews of key players in the French and international digital ecosystem. These are called the “Actors’ Views”.
Op-eds, publications and media coverage
Renaissance Numérique regularly makes sure its voice is heard in the public debate, by publishing articles and opinion pieces in general and specialised newspapers, and by appearing in the media.
Our monthly newsletter
At the end of each month, Renaissance Numérique produces a newsletter. Followed by several thousand readers, it offers an overview of the think tank’s news and publications over the past month, as well as invitations to upcoming events.
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