About the Event

The European Forum Alpbach 2026 (EFA26) runs from August 24 to September 4 in the village of Alpbach, Tyrol, under the theme "How Europe Wins." The forum frames its central question as whether Europe can still win on its most decisive issues, and invites voices from politics, science, business and culture, alongside young thinkers and experienced decision-makers, to respond.

Audience and Attendees

EFA26 is structured around scholarship holders and other participants who choose their own path through the programme's modules. The forum states that no one is meant to remain on the sidelines of the conversation, positioning itself as an invitation addressed to everyone rather than a closed policy summit.

Programme Structure

The forum is organized into three modules. The Academy Days provide its intellectual foundation through seminars, studios and labs, including the Alpbach in Motion Leadership Lab, with participants choosing two seminars or two studios that build on each other over multiple days. The Euregio Days, running Friday August 28 through Sunday August 30, bring a regional focus through a Business and Science day, the Euregio Awards and European Regional Politics, and Tyrol Day with the Euregio Summit. The Conference Days concentrate the forum into a single Main Stage experience each afternoon, paired with a networking event, and close with what the organizers call a strengthened closing session that highlights key outcomes and sets up the next EFA cycle.

Main Topics

The Conference Days are built around four daily focus topics: Capability & Renewal (Mobilising Europe's Power to Act), Finance & Trust (Funding Europe's New Promise), Technology & Society (Developing Europe's Next Infrastructure), and a fourth topic left open to respond to events in 2026. These sit alongside four EFA tracks: Democracy & the Rule of Law, Climate, Finance & Economy, and Security.

Closing Session

The Conference Days close with a strengthened closing session that highlights the module's key outcomes and sets the stage for the next EFA cycle, bringing the forum to a close on September 4, 2026, in Alpbach.

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