THE Europe Universities Summit 2026

The THE Europe Universities Summit 2026 will be the meeting point for leaders, innovators and changemakers across academia, policy and industry to explore how European higher education can strengthen its role on the global stage.
 
As universities face rapid technological shifts, evolving government and stakeholder relations, and complex geopolitical challenges, collaboration has never been more vital.
 
The summit will create space for new ideas focused on interdisciplinarity, cross-sector partnerships and bold strategies that equip institutions for the future by exploring four core themes:
 
Reputation and global engagement
 
Strengthening global impact through strategic alliances, stakeholder relationships, and transnational education to address worldwide challenges.
 
Innovation through collaboration, entrepreneurship and research
 
Driving innovation by enhancing postgraduate programmes, fostering entrepreneurial mindsets, and overcoming financial and structural barriers to research excellence.
 
Interdisciplinarity in higher education
 
Embracing interdisciplinarity and merging new disciplines like STEAM to ensure fair accreditation and accessibility across subjects.
 
Strategy, leadership and focus
 
Exploring organisational structure and governance that builds institutional success for future generations.
 
During the multi-day conference, delegates will attend workshops, plenary sessions and panel discussions on various topics, including:
 
- Unearthing institutional competitive edge and building global reputation
 
- Creating graduate and doctoral programmes to safeguard future research and innovation talent
 
- Operational planning, policy and governance to sustain universities futures
 
- Leading through crisis: How can institutions safeguard their values, principles and strategy while under continued scrutiny?
 
- From STEM to STEAM: Scaling excellence in interdisciplinarity
 
The event will host 300+ attendees, 160+ universities and organisations and 70+ speakers, including:
 
Jan Palmowski, Secretary-General, Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities
 
Joan Guàrdia Olmos, Rector, University of Barcelona
 
Hasan Mandal, Rector, Istanbul Technical University
 
Kieran Fernandes, Executive Dean and Professor, Durham University Business School
 
Giovanni Molari, Rector and Professor, University of Bologna
 
Book your ticket before the end of March 2026 and access the early-bird discount and save €100.