The conference Hidden Connections is about complexity.Complexity is many things to many people: a synonym for what is not understood, an expression of deep intellectual insight, or the promise of solutions to the big problems of our world. In the world of science, complexity typically refers to problems that require us to deal with a sizable number of factors, which are interrelated in an organic whole .Complexity has been around since the big bang. So has emergence, the phenomenon that systems behave in ways that cannot be explained by the analysis of its components. Biological and social systems emerged out of dynamic interactions, as did the evolution of language, conflicts and the influence of men on the liveability of his world.The impact of science is determined by the problems it manages to solve.Until a few decades ago, science had no ways to solve complex problems.Interdisciplinary science and high-speed computing has started to change that. Yet most complex problems are still beyond the reach of science, as they may always be. Contrary to reductionist sciences that have become the exclusive domain of specialists organized in ever narrower disciplines, the future of complexity science lies in its connectivity with the real world and its capability to solve the problems the world poses to it."Hidden Connections" somehow seems to capture the essence of complexity as well as the intuitive sense that we need to understand such connections in order to solve such problems. It also hints at the excitement of finding connections between systems or problems that were previously considered to exist in isolation. This conference will touch on all these aspects and show that they too are connected.The conference will have twelve unique speakers. All are leaders in their field and will give meaning to complexity from the perspective of their interests and background. Together they cover a broad spectrum of areas, from the role of collaboration to transform social systems, to microbial films, economic complexity, unraveling complexity though computer simulation, language evolution, to governance and the challenges in mastering emergent complexity. To hear the speakers share their insights in complexity and partake in their discussions will be a great experience for all participants to the conference. The setting of the conference is informal. After each talk there will be ample time for the audience and the speakers to discuss and meet.This is the third conference in what by now has become an annual NTU event, in which some of the best scientists and thinkers in the area of complexity will share their views with you.This conference also marks the launch of the NTU Complexity Institute.