Conference topic

Spatial development today must grapple with complex sustainability challenges. These have accumulated into what is often referred to as a polycrisis: climate change, biodiversity loss and resource depletion, the restructuring of (post-)industrial economies and territories, as well as growing conflicts over socio-spatial cohesion, inclusion, and democratic stability. While all these challenges must be addressed simultaneously, they rely on outdated planning systems and governance modes and contend with limited (transformative) capacities.

Nevertheless, new policy responses are evolving that try to tackle the complexity outlined. Interlinked urban and regional approaches to biodiversity protection and ecosystem service restoration as well as to climate resilience and telecoupling are central levers for transformative landscape change dynamics. Correspondingly, urban metabolism and circular economies are key for dealing with resource depletion through integrated territorial strategies. These responses are also fostering the conception and adoption of nature-based solutions and socio-technical innovations – in and beyond public policy. They equally support a shift towards new ethical and legal frameworks such as e.g. the rights of nature.

Against this backdrop, two major cross-cutting trends and their emerging conjunction are of particular importance for leveraging new approaches to overcome the above challenges and foster spatial sustainability transformations:

Digitalisation and artificial intelligence (AI) are profoundly reshaping how cities and regions are perceived and experienced, as well as how they are conceived, planned and managed. The adoption and diffusion of big data analytics (e.g. data mining, large language models, deep learning models) operating in real time, increasingly linked to causal and/or agent-based system models and various human–machine interfaces, are creating novel conditions for both individual and collective decision-making and interactions. These technologies enable the description and assessment of a wide range of spatiotemporal changes in almost any given situation, but they also raise new questions concerning, for example, participation, accountability, bias and required skills.
Here we are specifically interested in discussing the following aspects of digitalisation and artificial intelligence (AI), among others:

• Digital twins and simulations in urban and regional development: spatial simulations; learning systems; scenario modelling; 3D visualisations
• Co-creative digital tools and citizen participation: citizen science; digital participation; co-creation platforms; narrative development with generative AI; AI-assisted visualisation; digital decision-support tools
• Social dimensions of digitalisation: algorithmic justice; digital divide; data sovereignty; social inclusion in the digital transformation; ethics of AI in spatial development
• Governance of data ecosystems: data interoperability; FAIR and open data standards; data-policy interlinkages; data governance and stewardship
• System modelling and AI for understanding human behaviour in transformation processes: big data; causality; social complexity; mixed models; human decision-making; stakeholder analysis; agent-based models; system dynamics models.

Transformative governance has been developed over the past decade through transdisciplinary interactions between science and society across diverse domains, and is continuously refined through new concepts, approaches, and methods aimed at enabling and facilitating transformative change towards sustainability. Based on systems thinking and ontological diversity such approaches typically involve processes of futuring, co-creation and experimentation. Transformative governance can lead to the redesign of institutions, policies, and practices, often drawing on place as a catalyst. However, it also entails unresolved issues concerning, for instance, representation, legitimacy, and capacity.
Here we are specifically interested in discussing the following aspects of transformative governance, among others:

• Decision-making for transformative governance: simulation; monitoring and adaptive steering; agent-based modelling of social processes; governance simulations; real-time monitoring of sustainability goals; digital support for real-world labs; smart governance
• Designing and communicating futures: narratives; visualisations; and gamification; participatory scenario development; immersive visualisations (VR/AR); gamification for sustainability; social media analysis for transformation discourses; digital narratives
• Experimentation and learning in transformation processes: real-world labs; knowledge co-production and scaling; transformative monitoring and evaluation; social learning; reflexivity; upscaling of niche innovations; experimental governance
• Justice, power, and legitimacy in the digital transformation: inclusion and representation in transformation processes; transformative justice; power asymmetries; participatory legitimacy; policy-making; political discourse and media; conflict mediation; accountability
• Socio-ecological-technical innovations and public policy for sustainable urban transformation: socio-ecological-technical transitions; urban living labs; transformative capacity; multi-level perspective; co-creation; innovation policy.

Both trends and especially their coincidence have the potential to substantially alter the orientation and dynamics of spatial change, as well as the effectiveness of societal efforts to steer such change towards sustainability. Yet, they are driven by rather distinct coalitions of interest and currently differ markedly in terms of their reach and impact. So when, where, and how do these trends intersect? Is a convergence under way, or are there inherent conflicts hindering this? What are the potentials and risks involved? What are the practical examples – and with what results?

The 4th IOER Conference “Space & Transformation”, taking place on 23+24 September 2026, will focus on these questions. It aims to further explore the relations between digitalisation and transformative governance in research, policy and practice with a view to the diverse urban and regional sustainability innovations urgently required.

The Pre-Conference DLGS Summer School 2026 organised by the Dresden Leibniz Graduate School, taking place on 22 September, will address the same overarching topic and offer a training session (only for PhDs).

Contribution requirements

Pre-Conference DLGS Summer School (for PhDs only)

The DLGS Summer School on 22 September 2026 is dedicated to the discussion of current PhD research, peer networking and the training of skills relevant to the conference topic. PhDs at any stage and from any discipline are invited to present their work in progress. The event is conducted in English. 

Format “Reflexive presentation”: Each PhD receives a time slot of 15 minutes to provide a concise insight into their work. To enhance the benefit of the feedback received it is advisable to also include your own self-reflective questions in the talk. Up to three PhDs will be grouped together in 90-minute sessions.

Please submit abstracts of up to 300 words (English only). When submitting, please select the format “Reflexive presentation” in the online form.

If applying for the DLGS Summer School, PhDs can additionally submit contributions to the IOER Conference but need to do so separately and in up to two different conference formats (F1-F5).

IOER Conference 2026

Researchers as well as practitioners are invited to contribute with their work and ideas to the IOER Conference. In general, the conference format is characterised by the following:

• Scope: Contributions from all relevant fields and from both science and practice are welcome.
• Language: The conference language is English. In exceptional cases – esp. formats involving stakeholders – submissions in German are also accepted.
• Face-to-face: Given its highly interactive design and purpose, the IOER Conference relies on personal interaction. Online participation of contributors can exceptionally be enabled only within individual sessions and if e.g. travel funds or low-carbon travel options are not available, or if the participation of key stakeholders with schedule constraints would otherwise not be possible.

Five conference formats (F1-F5) are available for proposing your own contributions. You can develop them individually or with collaborators. Contributions in any format should be conceived with a view to invite discussion and interaction. All sessions will have a duration of 60-90 minutes.

For each format, abstracts of up to 300 words must be submitted (with the exception of the Hackathon – see information on formats).

Publishing opportunities

Several publishing options are available. Participants can indicate their preferences during the submission process:

• Edited Special Issues: Selected contributions may be considered for publication in thematic journal issues, with suitable journals chosen during the review process, managed by the conference team.
• Book of Abstracts: All conference contributions will be included in a digital Book of Abstracts, published via Zenodo to ensure long-term preservation and citation (DOI). Uploads will be handled by the IOER.

Submission requirements

Please use this online form for your submissions.

Submission deadline: 2 April 2026

We look forward to your contributions and to engaging discussions with you!