In an era of accelerating geopolitical, technological, and environmental crisis, what is the anchor that prevents our societies from drifting apart? This question lies at the heart of the CHARM-EU Annual Conference 2026. As we face disruptions that test our social fabric, we recognize that true resilience depends on foundational values—democracy, trust, and inclusion. These values underpin resilient societies and enable constructive dialogue and collective action in times of crisis.
European University Alliances are uniquely positioned to protect these values by serving as long-term, systemic spaces for democratic learning and practice. By integrating innovative governance, transdisciplinary research, and deep engagement with our cities and regions, we are moving beyond traditional education to build sustainable welfare societies. At the conference, we will gather to explore how our transnational cooperation can act as a platform for co-creation, ensuring a resilient future for Europe and beyond.
Sessions will cover topics such as:
- Social Entrepreneurship
- Transdisciplinarity
- The role of alliances in times of crises
- Democratic values in the classroom
- Open Science
- Democracy labs
Venue: Astra, Porthaninkatu 3, Turku, Finland in an on-site format
How to arrive: https://share.google/Gm1ISsiOAo11s9cMO
Format: On-site with partial live streaming. The morning pannel session will be live streamed on the CHARM-EU YouTube Channel. The rest of the conference is designed to be attended onsite only.
Host of the CHARM-EU Annual Conference 2026: Åbo Akademi University
PROGRAMME
Full speaker lineup and detailed session abstracts are currently being finalized. Please check back for updates.
Morning Sessions
8:00 – 9:00 Registration & Coffee
9:00 – 9:15 Opening by Rector Professor Gunilla Widén
Rector of host university ÅAU, Professor Gunilla Widén, welcomes the conference participants.
9:15 – 9:45 Universities as democratic actors
Keynote Speech by Professor Kimmo Grönlund
9:45 – 10:45 From Mobility to Democratic resilience: The Role of European University alliances
European University alliances are often framed as vehicles for mobility and institutional cooperation, yet their potential role in supporting democratic values remains underdeveloped. In a context of growing political fragmentation across Europe, this panel examines how alliances can move beyond exchange formats such as Erasmus+ and contribute to democratic resilience.
Panel Session
10:45 – 11:15 Coffee Break
11:15 – 11:30 Energizer
11:30 – 12:15 Interactive Lecture
12:15 – 12:30 Group Picture
12:30 – 13:30 Lunch
Afternoon Sessions
13:30 – 15:00 Workshops – parallel sessions
Social Entrepreneurship: Building Solutions for Resilient Communities
How can we turn academic ideas into tools for societal welfare? This workshop explores the link between innovation and social impact. Participants will work in small groups to “pitch” a solution to a local community challenge, focusing on how entrepreneurship can support democratic values like equity and inclusion.
How to make your research or teaching methodologies more transdisciplinar?
Moving from theory to practice, this session explores how researchers and teachers can adapt their projects/work on a more transdisciplinar way of doing things.
From Inclusion to Resilience: European University Alliances in times of crises
In recent years, universities and alliances have had to respond to different types of crises: social inequalities, mental health issues, migration, political tensions, climate-related challenges and increasing mistrust towards institutions. At the same time, European University Alliances are becoming long-term cooperation structures with the capacity to connect universities, local stakeholders and communities across borders. This workshop would like to explore a simple question: beyond academic cooperation, how can alliances connect and support people and communities in times of crisis? The workshop would also be an opportunity to exchange experiences between alliances and reflect collectively on what could realistically be developed together in the future.
CHARM-EU Values in the Classroom: Practical Methods
How do we “teach” democracy? This session is for educators and students to share tools for bringing CHARM-EU values into the curriculum. We will explore how to facilitate difficult conversations and ensure that “Challenge-Based Learning” remains rooted in respect and fundamental rights.
Open Science Made Simple: Sharing Knowledge for a Stronger Society
Open Science is often seen as a technical hurdle, but it is a democratic tool. This workshop provides a “starter kit” for researchers to make their work open and transparent. We will discuss the benefits of sharing data and how it builds public trust in science and democratic institutions.
In the democratic lab: live deliberative experiment
Chair: Isak Vento
The results of this experiment (including an analysis based on the questionnaires) will be presented with the closing remarks in 10-15 minutes.
15:00 – 15:30 Coffee Break
15:30 – 16:00 Poster Session
The poster session will be a space where members of European University Alliances, university staff, students and external stakeholders can exchange ideas and discuss the posters.
16:00 – 16:15 Interactive Quiz
Cultural interactive quiz with questions from CHARM-EU universities, cities, countries, traditions, music, food, culture in general, football, etc.
16:15 – 17:00 Closing Remarks
Evening Programme
17:15 – 19:00 Cocktail with musical elements