AESOP is pleased to announce the launch of the official website for the 2026 PhD Workshop, an annual event dedicated to doctoral researchers in spatial planning, urban and regional studies.
The 2026 edition will be held from 22 to 25 September 2026 at the historic Drosendorf Castle in Austria, a picturesque venue in the Waldviertel region northwest of Vienna. The workshop, themed “Spatial planning at the fringes”, aims to place issues often considered marginal — from socio-ecological limits and peripheral regions to innovative methods and uncharted research areas — at the centre of scholarly debate and reflection.
The new website serves as the central point of reference for all relevant information about the event and will be updated regularly as more details become available.
What to Expect
The AESOP PhD Workshop brings together around 30–40 PhD candidates from AESOP member schools in an engaging and supportive environment, offering opportunities to share research ideas, receive feedback, participate in thematic sessions and connect with peers and academic mentors.
The 2026 workshop will explore diverse spatial, social, temporal, socio-political and methodological “fringes” — inviting contributions that address planning challenges in under-examined contexts and from innovative perspectives.
Call for Applications Opens in January
While the detailed Call for Applications will officially open in January 2026, we encourage interested PhD students and supervisors to stay tuned for further updates on submission guidelines, thematic focus and deadlines.
AESOP, the YA Network and the Local Organising Committee look forward to welcoming an inspiring cohort of doctoral researchers to Drosendorf in September 2026.
More information will be announced soon — please visit the workshop website and AESOP communications channels for updates.
