UniverCities is the title. Budapest is the location. 20 through 22 November the date. And the interaction between higher education institutions and the cities, towns and regions that host them is the theme.

Which environment do higher education institutions and knowledge industries require, where do they thrive? In metropolises and megapolises, which attract talent because of the tolerant atmosphere and the advanced technology they provide, as the American urban studies theorist Richard Florida argues? Possibly. But is this the only 'environment' in which higher education institutions flourish? What about all these cosy little towns, such as Oxbridge, Lund, or Freiburg, which are hosts to internationally well-reputed universities? And, not to forget, remote underdeveloped regions with declining demographies or regions undergoing economic transformation, where universities are being founded as instruments of economic and social rejuvenation. In these cases, it is the university or college which is to rebuild the town or region - and not the other way around.

The ACA Annual Conference 2016 will address all these different 'habitats' - big cities, small towns and remote and challenged regions. In doing so, it will not only explore the relationship between higher education institutions and municipalities, but also of university-enterprise interaction and cooperation between academic institutions and civil society actors in their city, town, or region.

Once again, ACA has invited many highly reputed speakers, from universities and from cities, from international institutions and ACA member organisations. We cannot help but being boring and stick to our long-time motto: ‘only the best’.  

The ACA Annual Conference 2016 will be jointly organised by ACA and the Tempus Public Foundation, Hungary's ACA member and the Erasmus+ National Agency for Hungary, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

Register now