The original plan was to hold an event every other year, the second of which was held in Montreal hosted collaboratively by Concordia, McGill and Montréal Universities in 2005 called EMS05. The name, EMS, was launched by way of this conference and the event is now an annual one.

As of 2006 EMS Network has become a formal entity as an international association with an [Executive Board and an Honorary President]. It has also decided to create a community of interested people through its planned membership scheme. EMS Network is also considering set up a list for discussion within its subject areas with members of the community. It is responsible for the publication of its conference content. In 2006, as part of its future plans, thanks to a collaboration with ISAST (International Society for the Arts, Sciences and technology) and OLATS (Observatoire Leonardo des Arts et Technosciences), a Leonardo-EMS prize was given to a selected communication of a researcher under 35 years of age for publication of the paper in Leonardo (The MIT Press).