From 29 June to 3 July 2026 the sixth World Planning Schools Congress (WPSC) 2026 took place in Helsinki/Espoo, with this year’s theme being “Peripheral Visions: Rethinking Planning.” We at SRF are very pleased to have been part of the congress.

In the “Governance” track, Barbara Demeter-Wenzl presented findings on the topic of borders and cross-border planning as part of SRF’s ESPON collaboration with CESCI and FAU. Her presentation focused on the different administrative logics in border regions and what cross-border cooperation means for the future of spatial planning in times of geopolitical shifts.

In the “Law” track, Luke Juday presented findings from his dissertation. In the “Economics” track, he presented further research findings on demographic change in American cities while also moderating a session in the “Theory” track.

Astrid Krisch presented co-creation processes using augmented and virtual reality from the ENACT project in the "Technologies" track. She also presented approaches to youth participation in Urban Living Labs, developed as part of the SHARED GREEN DEAL project during a special session on "Urban Experimentation".

Franziska Sielker served as a panelist in the round table “Towards a New European Spatial Vision” while also participating in sessions in the “Governance” track on European economic corridors and cross-border governance.

It was a valuable opportunity for professional exchange with colleagues from around the world, and we would like to extend our sincere thanks to the organising team at Aalto University, the University of Helsinki, and Tampere University for an inspiring conference.

More information about the 2026 World Planning Schools Congress is available on the website of the Global Planning Education Association Network, opens an external URL in a new window.