We are thrilled to announce that the 2025 AESOP Young Academic Conference will take place in Prague, Czechia in March 2026. The 2026 conference will be organised by cooperation between Department of Spatial Planning at Faculty of Architecture at Czech Technical University and the Faculty of Environmental Sciences at Czech University of Life Sciences.
Why Attend?
- A unique opportunity to connect with fellow young academics and leading senior researchers
- Engaging discussions on pioneering research in spatial and urban planning
- No conference fee! – making knowledge exchange accessible to all!
Save the dates and stay tuned for more details – we can’t wait to welcome you to Prague!
Conference Theme of 20th AESOP Young Academics Conference:
Conference Theme: Urban Interactions Revisited
Bridging disciplines for an accessible and inclusive environment.
Urban and rural spaces facing challenges of the 21st century.
The ways in which people interact with their environments—whether in cities, rural areas, or transitional spaces—are shaped by a complex interplay of physical structures, social dynamics, governance frameworks, and global or local challenges and trends. Accessibility, in its many meanings, remains a crucial concern across disciplines, influencing mobility, economic opportunities, social inclusion, and environmental sustainability.
In the 21st century, climate change, demographic shifts, economic transformation, and increasing inequalities are reshaping traditional spatial planning concepts, which continue evolving into new forms of mobility, flows or community engagement. The nature of accessibility and inclusion is expanding beyond physical proximity to encompass broader social, economic, and institutional dimensions.
This conference aims to foster interdisciplinary dialogue among planners focusing on urbanism, design, regional planning, social sciences, territorial governance and decision-making processes,economic drivers, as well as specific transport or technological concepts and applications. This approach is reflected in four thematic tracks: the first track addresses spatial organization and its role in shaping accessibility through proximity and permeability; the second track focuses on the movement of people, goods, and ideas and their impact on connectivity and territorial resilience; the third track explores decision-making frameworks, political tools, and technological innovations that influence planning and governance; the fourth track examines the aspects of ensuring inclusive urban and rural environments and their adaptation to major challenges and trends.
In the context of these themes, a mobile workshop in a post-industrial region of North Bohemia will provide a practical perspective on its current state and ongoing change. The conference aims to foster critical reflection, knowledge exchange, and collaboration by exploring interactions from multiple perspectives. Participants are encouraged to reassess established approaches, seek innovative solutions, deepen theoretical insights, and strengthen interdisciplinary connections. The conference is intended to be part of a dynamic discussion that addresses both systemic and practical aspects of accessibility in contemporary urban and rural environments.
Key dates:
Conference Date: March 2026 (exact dates will be announced in due course)
Call for Abstracts: September 2025 (exact dates will be announced in due course)
