Conference on Sovereignty and Strategic Partnerships
École nationale des ponts et chaussées and ESCP Business School, in partnership with MEDEF International, are organizing the symposium “Critical Materials: Sovereignty and Strategic Partnerships” on May 28, 2026.
The conference will explore issues related to industrial sovereignty and the dynamics of strategic partnerships in a context marked by tensions over critical resources and shifting geopolitical landscapes.
The morning session will focus on sovereignty. It will open with an institutional overview of policies for securing supplies of strategic minerals and metals, their downstream value chains, and materials more broadly, before addressing key industrial challenges.
The afternoon session will be dedicated to strategic partnerships. Drawing on feedback from industry practitioners, discussions will examine the conditions for successful cooperation between stakeholders at different scales.
This event is organized on the initiative of the Mastère Spécialisé® Critical Materials program at École nationale des ponts et chaussées.
Date and time: Thursday, May 28, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Venue: Montansier Amphitheatre, ESCP Business School, 8 Avenue de la Porte de Champerret, Paris 17th district
Program (to be confirmed):
- 9:00 am – Welcome coffee
- 9:45 am – Morning session: Sovereignty
Panel discussion and keynote addresses - 12:50 pm – Lunch break
- 2:00 pm – Afternoon session: Strategic Partnerships
Introduction
Panel discussion and keynote addresses - 4:45 pm – Closing remarks
- 5:15 pm – Networking cocktail reception