- Regional development & management
2026 ARL Congress
Introduction
- The future of EU Cohesion and Regional Policy
- Regional Disparities and Policy under Conditions of Transition
- Long-Term Perspectives on Regional Policy and Regional Transformation
01.10.2026 - 02.10.2026
Cologne, Germany
The ARL – Academy for Territorial Development in the Leibniz Association – is bringing together researchers, policymakers, and practitioners for its congress on
European Regional Policy in Times of Transition
to be held in Cologne, Germany, on 1 – 2 October 2026.
European regions are facing overlapping crises, ranging from economic and demo graphic shifts to environmental and geopolitical challenges. There is a constantly changing patchwork of spatial structures, including structurally weak peripheries, grow ing and shrinking urban regions, and dynamic rural areas. “Left-behind” places pose major challenges, as does implementation of the Green Deal and the digital transition. With EU budget negotiations and the post-2027 future of the Cohesion Policy at stake, key questions arise about how to ensure territorial cohesion and spatial justice, partic ularly given the uneven impacts of sectoral policies.
This conference aims to create a platform for critical reflection and forward-looking discussion: How can regional and cohesion policy be made effective, just, and sustainable in times of multiple transitions?
Keynote Speakers
Alongside invited panellists (tba), the programme will feature two keynote speakers:
- Professor Andrés Rodríguez-Pose, London School of Economics
- Rachel Lancry Beaumont, European Committee of the Regions, Head of Department for the COTER Commission
For any questions, please contact:
Dr. Britta Bockhorn
Head of International Affairs
Phone: +49 511 34842-25
britta.bockhorn@arl-net.de
