The University of Gothenburg warmly welcomes you to the

2027 ACCESS Forum
14 - 18 June 2027 | Gothenburg, SE

 
 

2027 Forum Research Themes (RTs)

At the heart of every ACCESS Forum are our Research Theme (RT) workshops—intensive, four-day collaborative sessions that serve as the event’s scientific core.

Research Themes (the subject of each workshop) must related to one of the bilateral Focus Areas (see below) and desmonstrate global impact through alignment with a maximum of three SDGs (selected from the full list of 17).

2027 Forum Focus Areas

Focus Area A. Sustainable Societies & Resilient Institutions
Focus Area B. Environmental Systems Dynamics & Human Adaptation to Climate Change
Focus Area C. AI, Digitalization & Humans/Humanity
Focus Area D. Sustainable Sourcing of Critical Minerals & Society
Focus Area E. Health & Life Sciences
Focus Area F. The Sea

To ensure high-quality and relevant programming, we invite researchers to co-propose these RT topics through an open call. Each proposal must include a detailed design for a workshop of up to 20 participants, bridging the gap between "big picture" goals and tangible academic collaboration. From these submissions, the ACCESS Steering Committee will select a maximum of 12 RTs to take place at the 2027 ACCESS Forum.

The call for Research Themes is now closed.

 
 

Attend the Forum

Once the Research Themes (RTs) are selected, we will open the call for applications to join the selected workshops (RTs). Interested researchers and PhD students can only apply to attend one of the workshops (Research Themes) during the Forum (4 days).

  • The ACCESS Forum is open to researchers from all fields.

    Participants can be senior researchers, early career researchers (within 8 years of PhD award) and PhD students.

    Participants who are currently employed at an ACCESS member universitiy at the time of the Forum are given priority.

    We seek to have a balance in each workshop between senior researchers, early career researchers and PhD-students.

    NOTE: Due to space limitations, participation in the Forum is limited. Participation is therefore not guaranteed, even if you have your own funding.

  • ACCESS does not directly fund Forum participation, however, most ACCESS member universities provide grants to their employees (including PhDs) to attend. Grant availability, amounts, and eligibility vary across universities.

    However, the participation in the Forum is free of charge thanks to the financial contributions from the University of Gothenburg and the ACCESS platform.

    Need funding? Contact your university’s ACCESS representative to explore internal grants and financial support.

Apply to Participate (available from September to November 2026)

Chilean and Swedish government agencies, non-profits, industry, or other organizations that are not current ACCESS partners, including universities that are not current ACCESS members, can learn more about ACCESS and potential participation in the Forum by contacting ACCESS@global.lu.se.

 
 

Preliminary Program

13 June 2027 | PhD event [pre-registration required]

14 June 2027 | Opening Ceremony & Workshops

15 June 2027 | Workshops

16 June 2027 | Workshops

17 June 2027 | Workshops & Closing Ceremony

18 June 2027 | Excursion

 
 

Frequently Asked Questions

  • The main activity at the Forum are Research Theme workshops.

    The program for 2027 is currently being finalized, but the forum typically follows this structure:

    • Sunday: PhD Event

    • Monday: Opening Ceremony & Workshops

    • Tuesday: Workshops

    • Wednesday: Workshops

    • Thursday: Workshop & Closing Ceremony

    • Friday: Cultural/Scientific Excursion

  • In the context of the ACCESS Forum, a workshop is the intensive, four-day collaborative session where a Research Theme is brought to life.

    Unlike traditional academic conferences characterized by rotating presentations or passive listening, an ACCESS workshop functions as a dedicated "working laboratory."

    Participants apply to join one specific Research Theme for the duration of the Forum, remaining with that same group to move their interdisciplinary research forward. This immersive format ensures that by the end of the week, the group has transitioned from initial discussions to concrete plans for future collaboration, such as joint publications, grant applications, and co-supervision of PhD students.

  • Aligned with a specific Focus Area, a Research Theme (RT) is the official subject of an ACCESS workshop and serves as the core scientific pillar of the collaboration.

    Each RT is a jointly designed initiative by a Swedish and a Chilean lead researcher to tackle a specific challenge within their designated Focus Area.

  • A Focus Area is a broad strategic pillar that defines the scope of a Research Theme.

    While the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a global direction, our Focus Areas translate these goals into the specific societal and scientific contexts shared by Chile and Sweden.

    Research Themes (RTs) must align with one of these Focus Areas to ensure that all collaboration remains interdisciplinary and addresses the most pressing challenges facing both nations.

    Learn more about the relationship between Focus Areas and SDGs here.

  • The primary goal of each Research Theme (workshop) is to transition from initial ideas to concrete plans for future collaboration.

    By the end of the week, these groups aim to have developed tangible roadmaps for the future, such as joint publications, grant applications, and the co-supervision of PhD students, etc,

 
 

About the Host

You can learn more about the University of Gothenburg here.

 

Contact Us with Questions

Travel Funding: University Contact Persons
Forum Logistics & PhD Event: TBD