Coimbra Group Annual Conference 2026: Keynote and session panellists announcement
30 March 2026
This year’s Annual Conference is hosted by the University of Granada from 16 to 19 June under the main theme “Transforming the local and social environment through Research and Innovation”. Together with our hosts, we are proud to announce the first confirmed speakers for the public conference taking place on 18 June 2026.
Session I – Keynote Speaker “Universities, Science and Territories: Building Shared Futures”
18 June, 9:30 – 10:25 CET
We are honoured to welcome Beth Simone Noveck, author of Reboot: AI and the Race to Save Democracy (Yale University Press, 2026), as our keynote speaker. A professor at Northeastern University, Beth directs The Burnes Center for Social Change and The Governance Lab, focusing on “Democratic AI” or how to apply AI to strengthen democratic institutions and improve government performance.
Professor Noveck brings an exceptional blend of academic insight and practical experience, having previously served in the White House, 10 Downing Street, and the German Chancellery, and founding the White House Open Government Initiative. She currently leads InnovateUS, which supports free public sector learning, as well as the Observatory of Public Sector AI and AI for Impact, which designs and deploys AI tools to improve public outcomes.
Learn more about Beth Simone Noveck here and here.
Session II – Social Agents of Transformation
18 June, 10:15 – 11:15 CET
This session brings together leading voices shaping social innovation and governance across multiple levels:
- Hugo Almeida, Deputy Head of Unit for Rural Areas and Networks (DG AGRI) at the European Commission
- Carlos Torrecilla Salinas, Head of the “Digital Economy” / “Innovation Policies and Economic Impact” Unit at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre.
- Ana Elorza Moreno, Strategic Projects Director at the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT)
- José Mateos Moreno, Director General for Employment and Sustainable Development at the Provincial Council of Granada (Diputación de Granada)
These panellists will explore how universities, governments, and civil society can collaborate to act as catalysts for transformative social change across regions and nations.
A call for contributions has been circulated to the Rectors of all Coimbra Group Universities for the identification of speakers for Session III – Best Practices from Coimbra Group Universities: Research & Innovation Driving Territorial Transformation.
The public conference will be live streamed.
For full programme details, visit the Coimbra Group Annual Conference 2026 programme.
Registration is open until 18 May 2026 through this link.