Go-create: Counting down to Gothenburg!

The countdown to the EAIE 2025 Conference and Exhibition in Gothenburg has begun! Between 09 and 12 September 2025, many topics within the world of international higher education will be discussed during sessions, networking events, informal gatherings, and the opening and closing plenaries. As we look toward this exciting gathering, EAIE podcast host Laura Rumbley had the pleasure of interviewing both of our esteemed plenary speakers for this year, Andreas Ekström and Melati Wijsen.

In these short getting-to-know-you chats with Andreas and Melati, various topics are addressed, ranging from their perspectives on international living and learning to how they interpret this year’s conference theme, Go-create. Get a sneak peek at what’s on the minds of this year’s keynote speakers and what they plan to talk about in Gothenburg by tuning in to this EAIE podcast episode!

About Andreas Ekström

Andreas Ekström is a Swedish journalist, author and digital futurist and has been a leading commentator on all things digital worldwide. He is a senior staff writer and columnist at Sydsvenskan, a daily morning paper in Malmö, Sweden. As a seasoned reporter with extensive experience covering the field, Ekström offers valuable insights into how the worlds of media, business and politics are shaped by the leading digital power players globally. He is also an author of several books; "The Google Code", published in 2010, made him a household name in the Nordics. His latest in English is called "On Finding". 

About Melati Wijseen

Melati Wijsen is an international full-time changemaker and embodiment of youthful energy. With a passion for the natural world and a commitment to protecting it for future generations, she founded Bye Bye Plastic Bags with her younger sister in 2013 at 12. After years of committed campaigning by many, Melati and her community celebrated the passing of a ban on plastic bags, straws and styrofoam on the island of Bali.  

Melati has developed a passion for environmental education and policy change. This led her in 2020 to the World Economic Forum as part of their first-ever official youth cohort. She also sat on the inaugural Expert Advisory Panel for the Earthshot Prize. In 2021, she premiered her film, Bigger Than Us, at the Cannes Film Festival.  

Building on ten years of change-making, Melati continues to share what she’s learnt in classrooms, boardrooms, and world stages through her company, YOUTHTOPIA.  She is an in-demand speaker on the global stage, including opening for President Barack Obama at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam. She has also given two TED talks and spoken at the UN headquarters in New York, all before turning 21. 

Additional resources

For further insights into the topics touched on in this episode, the following resources may be of interest:
→ EAIE Gothenburg 2025