WPSC PhD Workshop Program
26-29 June 2026, Tampere
The academic program is held in the Main Building of Tampere University (Kalevantie 4), second floor, unless otherwise stated.
Thursday 25 June (pre-program)
- 14.30 Doors open, coffee, getting together (Tampere University Main Building)
- 15.00 Presenting Tampere city, history & future – Markus Laine & Helena Leino, Tampere University (auditorium A1)
- 15.30-17.30 Guided walking tour in Tampere City Centre
- Free time (dinner at one’s own cost)
- 18.45 Gathering in the lobby of the Old City Hall (Old City Hall, Keskustori 10)
- 19.00-20.30 City of Tampere evening reception* (Old City Hall, Keskustori 10)
Friday 26 June
- 9.00 Doors open (Tampere University Main Building)
- 9.15 Official opening of the PhD workshop – Pekka Verho & Minna Chudoba, Faculty of Built Environment, Tampere University (auditorium A1)
- 9.30 Introduction to the PhD workshop (auditorium A1)
- 10.00 Keynote 1: PERIPHERAL – Hanna Mattila, University of Turku (auditorium A1)
- 11.00 Division into small groups
- 11.15 Lunch + coffee (YO Restaurant)
- 12.15 Citizen kitchen table presentations (Café & Aula Toivo)
- 15.00 Parallel PhD Seminars 1 (auditoria A2, A3, A4)
- 16.00-17.00 Small group mentoring meetings (Café & Aula Toivo)
- Evening program: Free time suggestions
Saturday 27 June
- 9.00 Doors open (Tampere University Main Building)
- 9.15 Keynote 2: VISIONS – Peter Ache, Radboud University (auditorium A1)
- 10.15 CASE: Hydrogen imaginaries as saviours of an ordinary city, case Pori region – Aleksi Neuvonen, Demos Helsinki (auditorium A1)
- 11.15 Lunch + coffee (YO Restaurant)
- 12.15 Parallel PhD Seminars 2 (auditoria A2, A3, A4)
- 13.30 Parallel PhD Seminars 3 (auditoria A2, A3, A4)
- 14.45 Small group mentoring meetings (Café & Aula Toivo)
- 16.30 Tram excursion
- 18.30 Evening program: Free time in Hiedanranta
Sunday 28 June
- 9.45 Doors open (Tampere University Main Building)
- 10.00 Journal of Planning Education and Research (JPER) session** (Café & Aula Toivo)
- 12.30 Lunch + coffee (YO restaurant)
- 13.15 Parallel PhD Seminars 4 (auditoria A2, A3, A4)
- 14.20 Parallel PhD Seminars 5 (auditoria A2, A3, A4)
- 15.30 Keynote 3: RETHINKING – Eik Hermann, Estonian Academy of Arts (auditorium A1)
- 16.30-17.30 Small group mentoring meetings (Café & Aula Toivo)
- 19.00 Evening program: Dinner (Restaurant Plevna)
Monday 29 June
- 9.00 Doors open (Tampere University Main Building)
- 9.15 Closing session of the PhD workshop (Café & Aula Toivo)
- 11.00 Certificates of participation (Café & Aula Toivo)
- 11.15-12.15 Lunch & coffee (YO restaurant)
- 12.30 Transfer to Aalto University, Espoo
- 16.00 Espoo WPSC program starts
- Reflections from the PhD Workshop (Aalto-sali, Espoo)
- Keynote 4: PLANNING – Hanna Mattila, Pilvi Nummi & Eveliina Harsia-Mikkola: Democracy or technocracy? Insights into digitalization of planning and the digital plan information system in Finland
(*) The City of Tampere evening reception is held at the Old City Hall (Keskustori 10) on Thursday 25 June 2026 at 19:00-20.30. It is a cocktail event where some sparkling wine and small cocktail bites are served. Please wear your event name tag when entering the reception.
(**) Journal of Planning Education & Research (JPER) Session (Sun 28 June)
The session offers PhD students a chance to meet journal editors and learn about the academic publishing process, along with intensive small-group discussions centered on participants’ own manuscripts.
