Speakers

Prof. Godfrey Baldacchino – 3CL Foundation & University of Malta

Godfrey Baldacchino is Professor of Sociology at the University of Malta and Chair of the 3CL Foundation. He is an internationally recognised scholar in the study of islands and small states, with some 50 books and 200 peer-reviewed articles and chapters. He served as Pro-Rector (2016–2021) at the University of Malta; as Canada Research Chair and UNESCO Co-Chair (Island Studies) at the University of Prince Edward Island, Canada; and as Malta’s Ambassador-at-Large for Islands and Small States (2021–2024).

Matthew Bartolo – Willingness Clinic

Matthew Bartolo is the founder of nifhmek.ai, providing AI integration consulting to help organisations navigate digital transformation, and a founding partner of Willingness Malta, Malta’s first multidisciplinary mental health clinic. He specialises in sex and relationship therapy, founding Sex Clinic Malta and Man Up Malta, and is internationally recognised for training on sexuality education, relationships and mental health.

Bertrand Borg – Times of Malta

Bertrand Borg is Online Editor at Times of Malta, driving Malta’s most-read news platform and leading newsroom training. An experienced journalist, he has also spent several years working in the development and human rights sector.

Dr Mark Bugeja – University of Malta

Dr Mark Bugeja is an AI and XR specialist focusing on computer vision and machine learning, currently Senior Software Development Manager at the Institute of Tourism Studies and a lecturer at the University of Malta.

Prof. Viktorija Car – University of Split

Professor Viktorija Car is a Professor at the University of Split and Research Fellow at Mississippi State University, specialising in journalism and media policy. She founded and served as the first Editor-in-Chief (2010–2017) of the Media Studies journal.

Ruth Debrincat – Malta National Skills Council

Ruth Debrincat is Senior Director of Policy and Employment Relations at Malta’s National Skills Council, where she develops strategies on digital and transversal skills. She represents Malta at OECD and EU policy fora on skills and workforce adaptability. Ruth has previously led national initiatives on upskilling, apprenticeships and adult learning, and contributes to EU-wide projects addressing digital transformation in labour markets.

Taylor Freeman – Axon Park

Taylor Freeman is Founder and CEO of Axon Park, a global virtual campus platform transforming education through immersive VR, and a Forbes 30 Under 30 honouree (2017). He taught the first remote VR class at MIT (2018), founded two incubation spaces housing 150+ AR/AI startups, and has collaborated with NASA, Google and Stanford.

Christine Garzia – 3CL Foundation

Christine Garzia is a researcher with the 3CL Foundation, affiliated with the University of Malta. She is an expert in labour market research, has led pan-EU projects on training and employability, and is currently a doctoral researcher comparing women’s experiences in informal economies.

Dr Gege Gatt – EBO

Dr Gege Gatt is CEO and co-founder of EBO, an AI company delivering conversational AI solutions for healthcare and financial services. He is also a lawyer, Executive Board Member of the Malta IT-Law Association, and specialist examiner for ICT Law doctoral theses at the University of Malta.

Prof. Alex Grech – 3CL Foundation & University of Malta – Conference Chair

Professor Alex Grech is the founding Executive Director of the 3CL and Associate Professor at the University of Malta. He holds a PhD in Internet Computing; his teaching and research explore society’s reflexive relationship with technology, including digital citizenship, digital literacy, information disorders and the social power of new media.

Rev Dr Jean Gové – AI & Humanity Lab, University of Hong Kong

Rev Dr Jean Gové is a Research Affiliate at the AI & Humanity Lab, University of Hong Kong, focusing on cognition and consciousness in AI. He is a member of the EU AI Research Group at the Vatican’s Dicastery for Culture and Education and provides AI training for teachers in Malta’s church schools.

Paula Gori – European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO)

Paula Gori is Secretary-General and Coordinator of the European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO) at the European University Institute, coordinating 15 hubs across 28 countries to combat disinformation through fact-checking, media literacy and academic research.

Jacob Kearey-Moreland – Lakehead University

Jacob Kearey-Moreland holds an MEd from Lakehead University and founded the Lakehead Farm Club and Farm Lab. He is a 2020 Lloyd Dennis Award recipient for outstanding citizenship, focusing on garden-based learning and food sustainability.

Maia Klaassen – University of Tartu & Baltic EDMO (BECID)

Maia Klaassen is a Junior Research Fellow in Media Literacy at the University of Tartu and Coordinator of BECID (covering Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania). She is Programme Manager for the MA in Disinformation and Societal Resilience and has over a decade of experience facilitating media literacy training.

Dr Nina Shengelia – University of Tbilisi

Dr Nina Shengelia is a UK-qualified lawyer based in Tbilisi and founder of the Social Media Council Georgia, convening legal scholars to address FIMI risks. She lectures at Tbilisi State University on Disinformation and Media Law and is a member of the IMS High-Level Group of Experts for Resilience Building in Eastern Europe.

Prof. Vladimír Šucha – European University Institute

Professor Vladimír Šucha is currently a lecturer at the European University Institute. He served as Head of the European Commission Representation in Slovakia until the end of 2024 and previously as Director-General of the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (2012–2019). He has also held senior roles with various organisations including UNESCO.

Dr Victoria Vdovychenko – University of Cambridge

Dr Victoria Vdovychenko is Joint Programme Leader of the Future of Ukraine Programme at the University of Cambridge and Associate Professor at Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University. She researches hybrid warfare, strategic communication and Ukraine’s resilience strategies.

Respondents and Day 2 Facilitators

Jacques Cordina- 3CL Foundation

Jacques Cordina is a research and content executive at the 3CL. Jacques is currently researching the multigenerational workplace and how universities and academies can reform to remain relevant in the age of AI. He also has a keen interest in information disorders and platform governance.

Alex Galea- 3CL Foundation

Alex Galea is a copywriter and video producer for the 3CL Foundation, currently studying media and communications at the University of Malta. His interests are focused on digital literacy, digital citizenship and security.

Jacob Grech- European University Institute

Jacob Grech is a PhD researcher in Political and Social Sciences at the European University Institute. He focuses on issues at the intersections of international relations and policy studies, in particular borders, illicit economies, and European integration.

Nina Olsen- 3CL Foundation

Nina Olsen is currently pursuing a Master of Fine Arts by Research at the University of Malta. Her research examines internet culture and its artistic representation, focusing on how digital platforms, algorithms, and visual media shape collective identity and social behaviour. Nina is the curator and artist behind the exhibition featured in the summit.