ARL Congress 2026

ARL / Lea Molina Caminero

The ARL – Academy for Territorial Development in the Leibniz Association – is bringing together researchers, policymakers, and practitioners for its congress on

European Regional Policy in Times of Transition

to be held in Cologne, Germany, on 1 – 2 October 2026.

European regions are undergoing multiple, overlapping transformations. While the green and digital transitions offer new opportunities, they also risk reinforcing existing spatial and social inequalities. Disparities within and between regions – urban and rural, central and peripheral, growing and shrinking – persist or are even deepening. The problem of ‘left-behind places’ has, for good reason, gained increasing attention in recent years. At the same time, geopolitical instability, demographic change, and environmental risks are adding new layers of territorial vulnerability and contestation.

Regional policy is thus at a crossroads. The upcoming EU budget negotiations, the uncertain future of Cohesion Policy post‑2027, and the mounting pressure to redirect funds toward green innovation, competitiveness, and defence raise fundamental questions about how territorial cohesion and spatial justice can be achieved in the years ahead. The spatial impacts of sectoral policies – such as the Common Agricultural Policy, climate and energy policy, and digital infrastructure – continue to shape spatial development trajectories, often with uneven outcomes.

Keynote Speakers

Alongside invited panellists, we are pleased to welcome Andrés Rodríguez-Pose (London School of Economics) and Rachel Lancry Beaumont (European Committee of the Regions, Head of Department for the COTER Commission) as keynote speakers. Their presentations will address “The EU’s proposed budget and its implications for European integration”and “Future directions of EU cohesion policy".

Programme 

The full and detailed programme – including information on the panellists, individual sessions, and the excursion – is available here: Programme ARL Congress 2026

Venue

Maternushaus 
Kardinal-Frings-Straße 1
50668 Cologne, Germany

Accomodation

For the ARL Congress, room blocks are available at the hotels listed below from 30 September to 2 October 2026 
In case you are interested, please book your hotel room at your own expense directly in your chosen hotel. When booking, please provide the specific keyword listed for the hotel and observe the stated deadline for the reservation.

The listed room rates apply exclusively to the specified period and cover accommodation in a single room per night, including breakfast and the currently applicable VAT. Only a limited number of rooms are available, these will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

In case of a cancellation or failure to occupy the reserved room, the respective hotel may charge cancellation fees in accordance with its applicable terms and conditions.

Hotel Domspitzen (Domstraße 23-25) / Hotel Domstern (Domstraße 26)
50668 Cologne 
Tel. +49 221 99893 0 
info@hotel-domspitzen.de

Hotel Domspitzen
Hotel Domstern  

Single room including breakfast : 89,- Euro per night 
Rooms can be reserved until 14 August by mentioning the keyword ARL.

Motel One Köln-Altstadt
Tel-Aviv-Straße 6
50676 Cologne
Tel. +49 221 272595 0 
koeln-altstadt@motel-one.com
motel-one.com

Single room including breakfast : 119,50 Euro per night.
Rooms can be reserved until 19 August by mentioning the keyword 1283732 / room reservations can only be made by email.

Leonardo Hotel Köln
Waldecker Straße 11-15
51065 Cologne
Tel. +49 30 439703600
reservations.nrw@leonardo-hotels.com
Leonardo Hotel Köln

Single room including breakfast: 120,- Euro per night 
Rooms can be reserved until 2nd September by mentioning the keyword ARL.

Contact

Dr. Britta Bockhorn
Head of International Affairs
Phone: +49 511 34842-25
britta.bockhorn@arl-net.de

For organisational questions, please contact 

Angélique Griguhn
+49 511 34842-32
griguhn@arl-net.de