Centre for Euro-Asian Studies leads policy round table discussion in collaboration with United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
On 15 July 2025, the Centre for Euro-Asian Studies (CEAS) at Henley Business School co-organised an international policy round table titled 'Creative Industries: New Frontiers of Growth' in collaboration with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the UN Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA) and other international partners.
The event was hosted by Florence University of the Arts, part of the American University of Florence, Italy. The Henley Business School representatives included Professor Yelena Kalyuzhnova, Director of the CEAS, Dr Olena Khlystova, a Lecturer in Management and Organisational Behaviour and a CEAS member, and Professor Maks Belitski, Director of Henley Centre for Entrepreneurship.
Other speakers and panellists included representatives from the UNECE, Florence University of the Arts and practitioners from the UK, Italy, Turkey and Kazakhstan. They were accompanied by a wide group of academics, practitioners, policymakers and artists.
Discussions covered a broad spectrum of issues, with the focus of exploring how creative industries are navigating rapid technological changes, responding to crises and driving innovation and resilience. Further topics included digital transformation, the role of artificial intelligence in music, female business, regional innovation, using the performing arts as innovation tools, scaling businesses through digital marketing, resilience in the UK music industry and organisational resilience strategies across the creative industries in the Euro-Asian Region.
This high-level event was part of the wider research activities within a British Academy-funded project, titled 'Investigating the Resilience of the Creative Industries in the UK: Evidence from the COVID-19 Pandemic'. Building upon previous research undertaken by the CEAS, developed in past workshops and the British Council's Kazakhstan Creative Spark programme, the project aim is to examine the resilience mechanisms developed in the UK creative sector during the pandemic and inform policy recommendations, both nationally and internationally.
The event concluded with a vibrant performance by St Joseph's College Choir from Reading, followed by a networking event, offering participants the opportunity to deepen cross-sector collaboration. This round table continues CEAS' ongoing commitment to policy-relevant and impactful research and international knowledge exchange, marking an important step in building resilience and sustainable growth across creative industries globally.