Jan Lundell, Chair of the EUCMOS2020/2023 Local Organizing Committee: 
"The planning process of the congress was very interesting. We initially aimed to host the congress in 2020 and our planning process was already in full speed in 2019. We were excited to host the event in Finland for the first time – however, the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic led to two years of successive cancellations. Then, in 2022, the war in Ukraine broke out so we had to cancel due to increased prices and people’s unwillingness to travel. Finally, in 2023, we were able to organize this live here in Jyväskylä.

Participants seem to be genuinely happy about the food, the location and most importantly, happy to meet each other face to face, this you can tell by listening to the vivid conversations they are having. It is even difficult to drag them out of the conference site in the evenings. The facilities close at 6PM and we saw participants move to the docks to sit by the lake and continue to discuss science."

Ermelinda Maçôas, Assistant Professor at the University of Lisbon and former Post-Doc Researcher at the University of Jyväskylä: 
"It has been great, the setting is amazing. This scenery is fantastic! Moreover, the infrastructure is top-notch. The congress boasts high-profile speakers and high-quality discussions. The program design ensures ample networking chances, including coffee breaks, poster sessions and lunches.

The social agenda also plays a role: visit to the city hall, a planned boat excursion and a congress dinner. All these occasions provide an opportunity to discuss science in a more relaxed way, often serving as catalysts for networking and collaborating among researchers."

Jan Lundell: 
"Of course, there is! After the congress the students have created international professional networks. Now the faculty can send the students out to work in different laboratories and environments all over the world. It prepares them for the future and makes them more courageous and motivates them. We must keep in mind that the chemistry is the discipline of the future. When our very good, motivated students proceed to the job markets it’s a big asset for us and hopefully some of them come back to Jyväskylä and create companies and innovate here."

Jyväskylä identifies as the Human Technology City. Established in 1837, Jyväskylä has always been closely associated with Finland’s education and teacher training has long traditions here. Nowadays, Jyväskylä plays host to a large student population – almost 30% of those living here are students.

Jan Lundell: 
"Jyväskylä is an ideal venue for hosting congresses. Its accessibility and excellent support make organizing such events a breeze. From the attendees' standpoint, the city is embraced by nature, boasts a compact layout that's easily navigable. It's a dynamic, youthful city where walking or biking is a convenient means of transportation."

Rui Fausto, Chair of the EUCMOS2020/2023 International Organizing Committee, EUCMOS President: 
"Our experience in Jyväskylä has been delightful; the place is very beautiful, the lake creates a very nice and soft environment. The people are very friendly and the congress is very well organized. Everything runs smoothly and it’s a very quiet and inspiring place - the quietness of the surroundings provides an ideal environment for us researchers to ponder about scientific matters."

The European Congress on Molecular Spectroscopy brings together the minds behind groundbreaking research in the field. EUCMOS2020/2023 marked the 35th instalment of this esteemed series, tracing its roots back to 1951 when the first gathering was held in Europe. After a series of postponements, the much-awaited congress found its home in Jyväskylä, Finland, for the very first time. Finnish summer, sun, nature, and people provided a wonderful scenery for discussions and networking in the various fields in spectroscopy.

• 35th European Congress on Molecular Spectroscopy
• 14-17 August, 2023
• Organiser: University of Jyväskylä
• Participants: 61.
• Abstracts: 152
• Watch the video from the conference.

Jyväskylä

• 145 000 residents
• University of Jyväskylä: a highly popular multidisciplinary university with a total of seven faculties
• Jyväskylä Convention Bureau: free of charge services for congress organizers.