The World Planning Schools Congress 2026 in Espoo and Helsinki

Planning researchers, practitioners and educators from around the world gathered in Helsinki and Espoo in the turn of June and July 2026 for the World Planning Schools Congress, the largest academic planning event ever held. Over five days, more than 1500 participants took part in 1200+ presentations, 67 roundtables and 92 special sessions under the theme Peripheral Visions, Rethinking Planning. 

The congress was hosted jointly by Aalto University, University of Helsinki and Tampere University. It was the first time the congress was organised in Europe and in Finland. The congress was preceeded by a PhD workshop at Tampere University, offering early-career researchers a dedicated space for peer exchange ahead of the main event.

With over 1200 scientific presentations across 15 tracks, 67 roundtables and 92 special sessions, WPSC 2026 was the largest academic planning event ever held. Seven plenary sessions brought together leading voices from across the globe to address some of the most pressing questions in planning theory and practice.

The congress was organised locally by a team led by Professor Raine Mäntysalo as the Chair of the Local Organizing Committee, with Professor Dominic Stead and Senior University Lecturer Hossam Hewidy as deputy chairs, Professor Pia Bäcklund from University of Helsinki, postdoctoral researcher Eva Purkarthofer, coordinator Maija Pero, and Conference Specialist Mirjam Gamrasni.

Throughout the week, student volunteers from Aalto University, University of Helsinki and Tampere University worked hard to ensure participants had the best possible congress experience.

Keynotes addressed the digitalization of planning and what Finland's digital plan information system reveals about the tension between democracy and technocracy; the role and value of spatial planning in China's high-quality development; and the new geopolitics of planning in an era of globalisation 2.0 and emergent peripheralities. A panel explored digital advancement and the sustainability transition, while a provocative keynote asked what planning theory and practice gets fundamentally wrong. 

The Aalto University campus provided the main setting for a congress of exceptional scale. The Undergraduate Centre accommodated the scientific programme with a total of 47 rooms reserved for parallel sessions, roundtables and other activities throughout the week. As the largest hall seats around 600 people, plenary sessions were streamed simultaneously to other rooms in the building.

For WPSC 2026, Espoo proved to be a well-functioning destination for a large international academic congress. Participants particularly appreciated the reliable and fast public transport connections, the sense of safety and cleanliness, the friendly atmosphere and easy access to nature.

The location also made it possible for participants to combine the congress with exploring the wider capital region. 

“The event was running smoothly, which is no easy feat with 1,500 participants. We feel that the congress managed to strike a balance between offering engaging scientific content and opportunities for networking and to experience the host cities,” says Eva Purkarthofer.

The congress offered opportunities to meet colleagues, experience Finnish urban environments and connect academic discussions with places and planning practice. The social and complementary programme extended the congress well beyond the lecture halls. Twenty mobile workshops gave participants the opportunity to explore real planning challenges around the capital region and connect with local practitioners and researchers. For an academic community focused on cities and planning, connecting the scientific programme with real-life examples in the host destination was particularly valuable. 

"Such opportunities are always extremely appreciated by the academic community, as they highlight real planning cases and help visitors to get to know the host cities beyond the touristic impressions", Purkarthofer says. 

Read more about the congress on Aalto University website and Visit Espoo website. 

Photo credits: Emmi Kyrö, Milo Taleva, Ida Gündogdu & Yuka Shinohara.