News
Åbo Akademi University hosts the annual CHARM-EU conference
Åbo Akademi University will host the CHARM-EU Annual Conference 2026 in Turku on 14 October 2026, bringing together academics, students, policymakers, researchers and stakeholders from across Europe to discuss the role of universities, and universities alliances, in building resilient, democratic and inclusive societies.
The annual conference is one of the flagship events of the CHARM-EU alliance, serving as a platform for knowledge sharing, collaboration and dialogue among partner universities and external stakeholders. The event rotates between alliance members each year and highlights the collective work of European universities in education, research and societal engagement.
This year’s theme, European Universities Alliances, Democratic Values, and Societal Resilience: Building Sustainable Welfare Societies, addresses the growing challenges posed by geopolitical tensions, technological disruption and environmental change. Participants will explore how universities can contribute to strengthening democratic values, fostering trust and supporting sustainable welfare societies through transnational cooperation.
The conference programme features keynote speeches, panel discussions, interactive sessions, workshops and a poster exhibition. Topics include social entrepreneurship, transdisciplinarity, open science, democracy labs, democratic values in education and the role of university alliances during times of crisis.
“Hosting the CHARM-EU Annual Conference is a significant opportunity for Åbo Akademi University to bring together diverse voices from across Europe around issues that are fundamental to the future of our societies,” says professor Marko Joas, Deputy Rector at Åbo Akademi University. “At a time when democratic values and social cohesion are being tested, universities have an important role to play as spaces for dialogue, critical thinking and collaborative problem-solving.”
The conference will take place at Astra, the campus centre that opened in the spring of 2026, and will be attended primarily in person, with selected sessions livestreamed to a wider audience.
“As a member of the CHARM-EU alliance, we are committed to strengthening European cooperation in higher education and research,” says Joas. “The conference provides an opportunity not only to showcase innovative work across the alliance but also to build new partnerships that help address complex societal challenges.”
Established in 2019, CHARM-EU is a European University alliance with nine partner universities across Europe and is known for pioneering approaches to challenge-based learning, transnational education and collaboration across disciplines and borders.
Further details about the conference, including the full programme, speaker lineup as well as the link to the registration form, can be found on the CHARM-EU website.
