CHARM-EU 2026 Annual Conference: Democratic Values and Societal Resilience

Democracy, trust, and inclusion are at the heart of the 2026 edition of the annual Charm-EU conference, to be held on October 14 in Turku, Finland. In the face of escalating geopolitical, technological, and environmental crises, the event will explore the role that alliances of European universities can play in strengthening the resilience of our societies and preserving the conditions for dialogue and collective action.

In an era marked by an escalation of geopolitical, technological, and environmental crises, what anchor can prevent our societies from fragmenting? This question will be at the heart of the Charm-EU 2026 annual conference.

In the face of upheavals that are testing the fabric of our society, the resilience of our societies depends more than ever on fundamental values: democracy, trust, and inclusion. These principles are essential for maintaining constructive dialogue and the capacity for collective action in times of crisis.

Spaces for Cooperation and Democracy

Through their transnational scope and their ability to bring together universities, regions, and societal stakeholders, European university alliances serve as ideal forums for upholding these values over the long term.

By combining innovative governance models, transdisciplinary research, and close engagement with cities and regions, they go beyond the traditional framework of higher education to help build more resilient and sustainable societies based on collective well-being.

The annual Charm-EU 2026 conference will provide an opportunity to explore how this transnational cooperation can foster the co-creation of new responses to crises and help build a resilient future for Europe and beyond.

Live on YouTube

The various sessions will address topics such as social entrepreneurship, transdisciplinarity, the role of alliances in times of crisis, democratic values in the classroom, open science, and democracy labs.

Among these events, the roundtable discussion “From Mobility to Democratic Resilience: The Role of European University Alliances,” which will focus on the role of European university alliances in strengthening democratic resilience, will be streamed live on Charm-EU’s YouTube channel from 8:45 a.m. to 9:45 a.m., while the rest of the conference will take place exclusively in person.

For more information, see the article on the 2025 edition of the Charm-EU annual conference.