NEWS
RUN-EU ICARUS 5 Conference 2026
16 July 2026
The 5th edition of the RUN-EU ICARUS Conference, the Annual International Conference on Applied Research with Business and Society, will take place online on 2 October 2026 (full agenda will be shared soon).
This year’s conference, under the theme “Reimagining Innovation and Collaboration in Uncertainty: Invention, Impact and RUN-EU”, will explore the importance of imagination, creativity, innovation, collaboration and impact across RUN-EU and beyond.
About the Conference
The ICARUS Conference 2026 invites researchers, educators, innovators, industry partners and societal stakeholders to reflect on how universities and European university alliances can act as vehicles of educational, social and economic change.
In a world shaped by armed conflicts, the aftermath of Covid-19, the global climate emergency, migration, technological transformation and changing social institutions, the conference will create space for critical discussion on how research, education and collaboration can generate meaningful impact.
The event will also address broader debates around ethics, work, research, social justice, innovation and collaboration with industry. As the role of the contemporary university continues to evolve, with a greater emphasis on skills, applied knowledge and societal engagement, ICARUS 5 will ask important questions about who we are as educators, innovators, scientists and researchers, and how we can collaborate effectively under uncertain conditions.
Conference Theme
The theme “Reimagining Innovation and Collaboration in Uncertainty: Invention, Impact and RUN-EU” encourages participants to consider questions such as:
- Who are we as educators, innovators, scientists and researchers?
- How do people collaborate in new conditions of uncertainty?
- How can we optimise our research impact?
- What kinds of impact are we already creating individually and together?
- How might we reimagine the future individually and as a research collective?
- What are the implications for university collaborations with business and industry for the future of RUN-EU?
Conference Focus Areas
The conference will focus broadly on:
- Case studies of applied research projects and their implications for society, business and economies.
- Examples of industry-related or industry-based research and impact.
- Reflections on ethics, methodological innovation and research challenges.
- Researchers’ perspectives on the meaning of innovation, invention and creativity in different settings.
- The meaning of impact and how impact is created or sustained regionally, nationally and internationally.
- Collaborative research and examples of good practice in interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary research.
- Technology, including artificial intelligence, and collaboration.
- Research addressing emerging societal and scientific challenges across borders.
- Transformations in higher education, research, teaching and supervision practices connected to the conference themes.
Call for submissions
ICARUS 5 welcomes submissions from researchers at all career stages, including early career academics (ECAs), mid-career and late career researchers, as well as research teams.
The conference is especially supportive of submissions from early career academics who wish to showcase their work and its wider implications. Participants are invited to submit proposals for:
- Full papers
- Quick fire presentations
- Research projects
- Work in progress presentations
- Conference panels
- Roundtable events
Submission Guidelines
1. Full Papers, Quick Fire Presentations, Research Projects and Work in Progress Presentations
Applicants should submit the required information via the relevant MS Forms links provided at the bottom of this page.
- Title
- Abstract of no more than 200 words
- Five keywords
- Full list of author names
- Institutional affiliations
The deadline for submissions is 9 September 2026.
2. Conference Panels and Roundtable Events
Applicants should submit the required information via the relevant MS Forms links provided at the bottom of this page.
- The proposal should include:
- Title
- Five keywords
- Proposed discussion focus
- List of speakers
The deadline for submissions is 9 September 2026.
Submission and Registration Links
Proposal Submission Form:
ICARUS 5 Conference 2026: Proposal Submission Form
General Registration Form:
Coming soon
Registration for participants who wish to attend the conference without presenting will open in due course.
Notification of Outcomes
Authors will be notified of the outcome within a maximum of two weeks after the submission deadline. Successful applicants will then be invited to register for the conference.
Training Opportunity
In addition to the main conference, RUN-IRI will coordinate an online training event targeted mainly at postgraduate researchers and early career academics on co-organising a conference. This training will be offered online after the main conference event.
Programme and Agenda
The detailed agenda and conference programme are currently being finalised. Please keep an eye on the RUN-EU website, as this page will be updated in due course. In the meantime, applicants and participants will also be notified of relevant updates by email.
For any queries, please contact ICARUS_2026@tus.ie.
Hosted by
TUS, Ireland