ECPR General Conference 2021

Following the unprecedented postponement in 2020, we are planning to bring the next ECPR General Conference to the University of Innsbruck, from 31 August – 3 September 2021.

The celebration of our Golden 50th year, like most things in 2020, has not turned out the way we envisaged – in the ‘golden-roofed’ city of Innsbruck. Instead, what seemed like overnight, we found ourselves with a mammoth task at hand: to transition our flagship event and the largest gathering of political scientists in Europe into a virtual environment.  

The result surpassed our every expectation. The Virtual General Conference gathered 2,210 political science scholars to embrace the new reality and showcase an impressive programme comprising 72 Sections, 4 Roundtables and hours of discussions, debates, and fruitful scholarly exchanges. Even in the most pressing circumstances, together, we created a positively rewarding and enriching experience.

Nevertheless, we understand that face-to-face interaction remains one of the most valued elements of event attendance for our community, and one of the most challenging aspects to replicate online.

With that, we hope that our vision shall be realised at last, with our 15th General Conference to be hosted at the University of Innsbruck.

About the University of Innsbruck
The fifth largest city in Austria, Innsbruck has been a hub of European politics and culture since the fifteenth century. The city’s University celebrated its 350th Anniversary in 2019, and since its founding in 1669, has grown to become an important driving force for the social and economic development of the Tyrol. With roughly 28,000 students and 5,000 employees, the University of Innsbruck is now the largest educational institution in western Austria.

About our General Conference
As a leading industry event, the General Conference continues to facilitate and nurture the development of political science across Europe; delivering an interactive and engaging platform for discussion, debate and innovative thinking. With around 500 Panels across c.70 Sections, the academic programme covers the breadth of political science; developed and delivered by high-profile members of the profession.