DUT Conference 2026

Hybrid

Date: 10 Jun
Time: 08.30 – 17.45 (CEST)
Location: Brussels

We invite you to join us in Brussels on 10 June 2026 for a full-day conference to engage in dialogues on how to future-proof cities and to expand your network.

The Decade of Action implies a growing urgency to translate high-level goals in the Urban Agenda for the EU, UN Agenda 2030, European Green Deal, and Competitiveness Compass into tangible local outcomes. With a mission to fund transformative research and innovation to build capacities of urban stakeholders and empower them to drive urban transitions in Europe and beyond, the European Partnership Driving Urban Transitions (DUT) is uniquely positioned to help cities deliver on European and global sustainability commitments.

The DUT Conference 2026 will highlight DUT’s flagship activities and strategic direction towards 2033, as well as concrete results, lessons learned and scalable solutions from DUT-funded projects on urban mobility, energy and circularity.

The conference will bring together stakeholders from academia, public authorities, private sector, civil society, policymakers and European institutions and initiatives. It will showcase and discuss transdisciplinary collaboration, innovative solutions, and scaling opportunities through a bottom-up research model that supports climate neutral, resilient and inclusive urban transition in Europe and worldwide. To ensure a truly global dialogue we invite participants and projects from across the globe.

On the programme

Panels with experts, European and local leaders discussing the soft power of cities and how to build bridges between local experiences and European urban policies.
Break-out sessions showcasing results and solutions from the first generation of DUT-funded projects in 15-minute City, Circular Urban Economies and Positive Energy Districts
Panel sessions and workshops giving insights from DUT flagship activities, such as the DUT City Panel and Urban Doers Community
Open Area: a space for DUT’s strategic partners and stakeholders to showcase their work
Networking

More details on the programme will follow soon.

The DUT Conference 2026 marks a milestone moment - moving from building the partnership to demonstrating impact, and making the case for a strong, long-term European urban R&I agenda. Against the backdrop of discussions on the next European framework programme, the conference will also offer a timely reflection on why a strong, mission-driven urban research and innovation agenda is essential for Europe’s future.

We expect 250 participants to join the event on site and many more to join the conference online. Attendance is free of charge.