CfP: “Empowering Transitions to the X-Minute City” CL4 and CL6 Workshop
A call for abstracts for the joint workshop of NECTAR Cluster 4 (Urban Mobility Transitions) and Cluster 6 (Accessibility) which will be held at the University of Porto, Porto, Portugal, 14–15 September 2026.
Achieving sustainable urban mobility is a central challenge for contemporary cities, closely linked to climate action, social inclusion and urban quality of life. However, mobility systems can only become truly sustainable if everyday activities are organised at short distances. Physical proximity is not merely one option among many forms of sustainable mobility; it is a foundational condition that enables walking and cycling, reduces reliance on motorised modes, frees up public space and supports more inclusive urban environments accessible to people of all ages and abilities.
This workshop focuses on how empowerment-oriented approaches can help overcome car-dependent lock-ins and support sustainable mobility grounded in proximity.
In this workshop, we aim to bring together researchers, planners, practitioners and industry
representatives on the theme of empowering transitions to the x-min city. The workshop is back-to-back with the consortium meeting of the UNLOCK15 project (https://unlock15.eu/), focussed on empowering citizens and local authorities to unlock barriers.
Topics of interest include (but not limited to):
- New narratives and compelling stories inspire change in urban mobility.
- Evidence of new mobility cultures among young generations.
- The role of proximity-centred accessibility conditions in sustainable transitions.
- Modal shift and behaviour, promoting sustainable transport modes.
- Equity, fairness, and social issues, addressing urban inequalities.
- Multilevel governance and stakeholder collaboration.
- Governance structures supporting transformative capacity.
- Citizen involvement in mobility projects.
- Innovative solutions and experimentation in mobility.
- Stakeholder engagement.
If you are interested to participate in this workshop, please send an abstract of your presentation (about 500 words) including author names and affiliations and keywords, to (see details in pdf) before June 15, 2026. The notification of abstract acceptance will be distributed June 30, 2026.
See the full details of the workshop and call in the following pdf:
Organizing committee
Cecília Silva, University of Porto (Portugal), NECTAR Cluster 4 Co-chair
Benjamin Büttner, TUM (Germany), NECTAR Cluster 6 Co-chair
António Ferreira, University of Porto (Portugal)
Cauê Rios, University of Porto (Portugal)
Maria Eduarda Cavalcante, University of Porto (Portugal)
Beatriz Versiani, University of Porto (Portugal)
Olivier Bonin, Université Gustave Eiffel (France), NECTAR Cluster 4 Co-chair
Ahmed El-Geneidy, McGill University (Canada), Cluster 6 Co-chair
Karst Geurs, University of Twente (Netherlands), NECTAR vice-chair
NECTAR Conference: “Planning for Urban Mobility Transitions in Times of Uncertainty”
NECTAR Conference CfP: Planning for Urban Mobility Transitions in Times of Uncertainty
Call for papers for the 18th International NECTAR Conference to be held in Munich, Germany between 13 – 15 July 2026.
In a world increasingly shaped by crises including climate emergency, energy scarcity, geopolitical instability, digital disruption, and public discontent. The role of urban mobility planning is under unprecedented pressure to adapt. How can we move forward when the future is unclear?
We welcome interdisciplinary, practice-oriented, and theoretical contributions that address these themes, as well as papers on topics in the fields of transport, communications, and mobility at large.
Please see the following document for full details and the conference website (www.nectar26.eu). Deadline for abstract submission (500 words max.) is January 31, 2026.
NECTAR Cluster 6 (Accessibility) at the mobil.TUM 2024 conference
NECTAR Cluster 6 (Accessibility) is organising a special session at the mobil.TUM 2024 conference in Munich, Germany, 10-12 April 2024. The topic of the session is “The Roadmap for Shaping the ±15-Minute City: Proximity-centred Accessibility in Practice”. Deadline for abstracts is 20 November.
See for details the call for papers here:
17th NECTAR Conference 2024
The 17th NECTAR Conference will take place in Brussels, Belgium, 3 – 5 July 2024. The NECTAR conference will be organized by the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and hosted on its campus. The focus of the conference is on how transport and communications research can support the different roles stakeholders take in transport planning: Stakeholder involvement in transport: Who, why, how and with what impact?
Please find the general and cluster-specific calls for papers here and on the conference website: https://mobilise.research.vub.be/nectar-conference-2024-general-call-for-papers
Important dates:
Abstract submission: Jan 31, 2024
Notification of acceptance: Feb 29, 2024
Confirmation of attendance: April 30, 2024
NECTAR Conference 2024
The 17th NECTAR Conference will take place in Brussels, Belgium, 3 – 5 July 2024. The NECTAR conference will be organized by the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and hosted on its campus. The focus of the conference is on how transport and communications research can support the different roles stakeholders take in transport planning: Stakeholder involvement in transport: Who, why, how and with what impact?
The conference website can be found under: https://events.vub.be/nectar-conference-2024
Abstract submissions have been closed. Registration is open until 30 April.
Cluster 1 Workshop: “Beyond Cost-Benefit Analysis”
Cluster 1 is organising a workshop “Beyond Cost-Benefit Analysis: Methodological and Theoretical Advancements in Transport Appraisal“. The workshop is hosted by the Mobilise Mobility and Logistics Research Group and the Cosmopolis Centre for Urban Research of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium), at the Brussels campus of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel on 23-24 October 2023. The call can be found here:
The extended deadline for abstract submission is 19 June 2023.
CL 6 Workshop on “The impact of ICT on accessibility after the pandemic: new formats of shopping, work and transport”
The Department of Transport and Regional Economics of the University of Antwerp and NECTAR Cluster 6 (Accessibility) are organising a workshop “The impact of ICT on accessibility after the pandemic: new formats of shopping, work and transport” in Antwerp (Belgium), 12-13 October 2023.
The deadline for the NECTAR Cluster 6 workshop on “The impact of ICT on accessibility after the pandemic: new forms or shopping, work and transport”, taking place in Antwerp on 12- 13 October 2023, has been extended to June 14. Topics of interest include the impact of ICT, e-commerce and new mobility services on accessibility and travel/mobility relations. See the call for papers for more details. See for details the Call for Papers below.
The Organising Committee:
Joris Beckers, Universiteit Antwerpen (Belgium)
Elnert Coenegrachts, Universiteit Antwerpen (Belgium)
Ann Verhetsel, Universiteit Antwerpen (Belgium)
Benjamin Büttner, Cluster 6 co-chair, Technical University of Munich (Germany)
Juan Carlos Martín, Cluster 6 co-chair, University of Las Palmas GC (Spain)
Karst Geurs, NECTAR chair, University of Twente, the Netherlands
CL1 Workshop on “Beyond Cost-Benefit Analysis: Methodological and Theoretical Advancements in Transport Appraisal”
Call for Papers – Cluster 1 is organising a workshop “Beyond Cost-Benefit Analysis: Methodological and Theoretical Advancements in Transport Appraisal”. The workshop is hosted by the Mobilise Mobility and Logistics Research Group of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium), Brussels campus of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 23-24 October 2023. Deadline for abstract submission is 5 June 2023. The call can be found here.