9–12 March 2027 | Cottbus & Berlin, Germany
AESOP is delighted to announce that the 21st AESOP Heads of Schools Meeting will take place from 9 to 12 March 2027, hosted jointly by Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus–Senftenberg (BTU) and Technische Universität Berlin (TU Berlin).
The 2027 edition will offer a unique opportunity to explore planning challenges across different territorial contexts, bringing together planning school leaders, scholars and practitioners from across Europe.
Experiences and Challenges in the Transformation of Cities and Regions – from Peripheral Areas to Metropolitan Centres
Under the theme “Experiences and Challenges in the Transformation of Cities and Regions – from Peripheral Areas to Metropolitan Centres”, the meeting will explore the profound and uneven transformations currently reshaping European cities and regions.
Economic restructuring, climate change, demographic shifts and social inequalities are creating new demands for spatial planning. While these challenges take different forms in peripheral areas and metropolitan centres, these territories remain closely interconnected through flows of people, knowledge, investment and infrastructure.
The meeting will provide a platform for exchanging experiences and reflecting on how planning can respond to these transformations, with particular attention to the relationships and interdependencies between peripheral territories and metropolitan regions.
A distinctive feature of the 2027 edition will be its journey from Cottbus to Berlin, combining academic discussions with guided study tours and direct encounters with places undergoing urban and regional transformation.
This approach will allow participants to explore planning challenges at different scales, from individual sites and neighbourhoods to cities, regions and wider territorial networks.
Programme at a Glance
9 March 2027 – Cottbus (BTU)
AESOP Executive Committee (ExCo) Meeting
10 March 2027 – Cottbus (BTU)
AESOP Council of Representatives (CoRep) Meeting
11 March 2027 – Cottbus and transfer to Berlin
Heads of Schools Meeting and guided tours
12 March 2027 – Berlin (TU Berlin)
Heads of Schools Meeting and guided tours
Local Organising Committee
The meeting is being organised by colleagues from BTU Cottbus–Senftenberg and TU Berlin:
BTU Cottbus–Senftenberg
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Prof. Dr. Silke Weidner
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Prof. Christoph Wessling
Technische Universität Berlin
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Prof. Dr. Jan Polivka
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Prof. Dr.-Ing. Angela Million
AESOP warmly thanks the Local Organising Committee for their commitment and enthusiasm in preparing this important gathering for our community.
Stay Tuned!
Further information on the programme, registration and practical arrangements will be announced in the coming months.
We warmly invite all AESOP member schools, planning educators and colleagues to save the dates and join us in Cottbus and Berlin in March 2027.
We look forward to another inspiring opportunity to exchange knowledge, strengthen collaboration and reflect together on the future of planning education and practice across Europe.
Save the Date – 9–12 March 2027!
