University of Hamburg to host the 2026 EUGLOH Annual Summit
More than 300 participants from 15 countries are expected to join the Summit – from university students and researchers to staff and leadership – for two days of learning and exchange hosted at the University of Hamburg’s campuses in Germany’s second-largest city. The varied programme will explore how themes such as interdisciplinary cooperation, citizen engagement and transnational learning can together drive innovative solutions that help shape healthier and more resilient societies.
Held at the university’s Von-Melle-Park campus in central Hamburg, the Summit’s first day is devoted to teaching and learning, with the day’s programme structured around three thematic tracks: Teaching and Learning Without Borders, One Transnational Campus, and Citizens and Science in Dialogue. The opening session will feature welcome speeches from Hauke Heekeren, president of the University of Hamburg; Delphine Placidi-Frot, vice president for International and European Relations of Université Paris-Saclay; and Margarida Lima Moreira, a representative of the EUGLOH International Student Board.
A panel discussion entitled “Beyond Boundaries: Rethinking Innovation at the Crossroads of Disciplines and Sectors” will be moderated by Hamburg Invest, the city’s business services agency, and will feature speakers from the University of Hamburg, Siemens Healthineers and the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, among others.
The first day will continue with parallel workshops addressing topics such as service learning and career development in global health, followed by panel sessions on themes including belonging in higher education, student health management and citizen-science collaboration. The day will conclude with a networking session entitled “Discover the EUGLOH Hub: Meet the Alliance Universities”, during which all EUGLOH member universities will be present with stands. Bringing together members of the EUGLOH community and the wider University of Hamburg community, the session will offer opportunities to connect with representatives from all EUGLOH member universities, exchange ideas and experiences, and discover new opportunities to get involved in the Alliance.
On its second day, the Summit will focus on research and will thus bring speakers and participants to Science City Hamburg Bahrenfeld, a Hamburg district dedicated to combining scientific research and innovation with urban living. The day will begin with an opening session at Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), one of the world’s leading research centres focused on the use and study of particle accelerators, featuring welcome addresses and keynote speeches from Beate Heinemann, chairperson of the DESY Board of Directors; Blanche Schwappach-Pignataro, dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf; and Julia Fitzner, Unit Head Collaborative Analysis at the World Health Organization.
Research-related workshops at the Center for Free-Electron Laser Science (CFEL) and other locations will follow, covering topics such as immersive media for health and entrepreneurial journeys in the life sciences. Illustrating the close connection between science and society, a class from a Hamburg school will take part in the session “Lab: Serious Games as a Global Health Education Tool”. The students will explore a board game developed through a EUGLOH Living Lab, which uses play as a way to raise awareness of rabies and engage young people with global health issues.
The Summit will close with a final session, including a panel discussion titled “Shattering Glass, Shaping Excellence”, in which leading scientists will explore the importance of diverse perspectives and backgrounds in research innovation, as well as guided tours of the research campus.
A detailed overview of the entire 2026 Annual Summit programme is available on the Annual Summit webpage on the University of Hamburg website.