9th IAHR Europe Congress on "Innovating Hydro-Environment Engineering for a Sustainable Future. Artic waters and beyond" Luleå, Sweden | 9 to 12 June 2026 

High level panels  Keynotes  Sponsors  Special Sessions  Technical Visits  Young Professionals  Master Classes 

  Over 240 abstracts from 38 countries received!

The 9th IAHR Europe Congress will bring together leading minds, researchers, and professionals dedicated to advancing hydro-environment engineering and exploring sustainable solutions for our planet's most critical water challenges Read more

Keydates

• Early Bird Registration until March 15, 2026 Register today!

  High level panels 

Panel: EU Water policy Implementation and research needs – challenges from north to south in Europe

The high-level panel brings together experts from research, policy, and practice to explore how science can better support the implementation and evolution of policies and EU water-related directives. The discussion will focus on translating cutting-edge research into policy-relevant evidence, identifying priority research and innovation needs, and strengthening the interface between scientists, regulators, and practitioners.

Designed as an interactive exchange, the session offers a unique opportunity to connect research outcomes with real-world regulatory needs, foster cross-sector dialogue, and build networks that support future collaboration at the science–policy–innovation interface. The panel discussion will be led by an experienced moderator and offer time for questions from the audience.

Moderator

Carina Christiansen, Senior Adviser in European Affairs, North Sweden European Office

Panelists

Lena Friborg, Head of Environment, Region Västerbotten, North of Sweden
Prof. Philippe Gourbesville, President IAHR
Prof. Ole Gunnar Dahlhaug, NTNU, President European Energy Research Alliance (EERA), Joint Program on Hydropower
Lovisa Fricot Norén, Vice President BU Hydro Nordics, CEO / VD Vattenfall Vattenkraft AB, Sweden
More panelists to be announced!

Learn more about the High Level Panels

  Keynotes 

Learn more about the Keynote Speakers

  Sponsors and Exhibitiors

The congress offers various sponsorship alternatives spanning from comprehensive packages to flexible solutions.

• Enjoy maximum visibility, premium branding, and direct engagement with the participants by becoming Platinum Sponsor of the congress!

• Join us as a Gold or Silver Sponsor to support the event and connect your brand with innovation and collaboration.

• Become the host of a technical session, an award or a social event to associate your company with ideas that matter.

• Or approach us with your own idea to support the 9th IAHR Europe Congress in Luleå to design a tailored sponsorship package aligned to your company’s goals.

You can find more information on the different sponsorship packages and several options for additional visibility in the sponsorship brochure, and please do not hesitate to contact the congress secretariat with further questions.

Confirmed Sponsors

Exhibition

The congress even includes an exhibition during all three congress days. The exhibition will take place during the conference at Kulturens Hus next to the rooms for the technical sessions and the lunch space. It will offer companies a possibility to present their brand and innovative solutions within the area of water and environment. If you need further information, please do not hesitate to contact us.

• Exhibition packages

• Plan of the exhibition space

If you want to become a sponsor, contact the Congress Secretariat: iahr2026@ltu.se

Learn more about the Sponsorship & Exhibition

  Approved Special Sessions

The following special sessions have been approved by NOC and ISC. The closed special sessions are formed with only invited speakers, but are open to all registered congress participants to attend as audience members.

Open Special Sessions

1. Integrated Flood Risk Management from Science to Practice
2. Earth Observation to Monitor Land and Water Ecosystems
3. Building Coastal Resilience with Nature-based and Eco-Engineered Coastal Protections (RESICOAST 2026)
4. Water resources, environmental impacts and climate adaptation (EERA, JP Hydropower SP4)
5. Advances in Surrogate-Based Monitoring and Numerical Modeling for Reservoir Sedimentation Management
6. Air-water stratified flow
7. Ensuring Long-Term Resilience of Urban Water Infrastructure: Design and Rehabilitation Approaches

Closed Special Sessions with Invited Speakers

8. SEDIMARE: A Doctoral Network on Sediment Transport and Morphodynamics in Marine and Coastal Waters
9. From Laboratory to Nature: Hydrodynamics and Mixing in Vegetated Streams
10. Sanitation Management in Sparsely Populated Areas in Cold Climate
11. Pumped Storage of Electricity in Existing Hydropower Facilities
12. Pan-European Network on Sustainable Hydropower (PEN@Hydropower)

Learn more about the Special Sessions

  Available Technical Visits

Finnfors (museum + operating station) and Sikfors

Full day, approx. 08.00 - 16.00

This visit offers a “then-and-now” journey through more than a century of Swedish hydropower—starting at Finnfors, Skellefteälven’s first power station, and continuing to the modern Sikfors facility on the river Piteälven.

At Finnfors on the the river Skellefteälven, participants will visit Skellefteälven’s first power station, today preserved as the Finnfors Power Plant Museum, where original generators, instruments and turbines remain in place inside a landmark early hydropower building. The visit also includes local history of the village that grew around electrification (photo exhibition, the Machinists’ Residence) and the hands-on “Teknikboa”.

Adjacent to the museum is the operating Finnfors hydropower station, illustrating how historic sites are kept competitive through modernisation and uprating. Most recently, the new generating unit Finnfors G6 was inaugurated in 2023, adding about 10 MW and bringing the plant’s total capacity to around 54 MW. 

The second stop is Sikfors on the Piteälven. The modern station (built 1990) has two units (125 m³/s each) and is designed for highly variable flows: ~180 m³/s typical, up to ~1,200 m³/s during high flows, managed with a four-gate spill system. Fish passage is integral to operations, including a smolt deflector and a 115 m fish ladder for salmon and trout. 

The tour includes lunch as well as coffee breaks, giving you plenty of time to network and discuss what you have seen with fellow delegates.

Price: 600 SEK (excl. VAT)

Multifunctional blue green stormwater management

Half-day, approx. 08.00-13.00

Join our half-day technical excursion during the IAHR Europe Congress and learn more about stormwater management in a cold climate. You will get the chance to see e.g., blue-green infrastructure in a newly build urban area, multifunctional swales and the city snow dump where the snow turns to stormwater. The tour includes a coffee break and is ending with a lighter meal, giving you plenty of time to network and discuss what you have seen with fellow delegates.

Price: 450 SEK (excl. VAT)

Learn more about the Technical Visits

  Programme for Young Professionals

During the 9th IAHR Europe Congress the following activities will be specially dedicated towards young professionals participating in the congress.

Young Professionals' Night

The Young Professionals’ Night is an informal and relaxed evening specially dedicated to young professionals. Join us for a boat ride under the midnight sun through Luleå's stunning archipelago! The event will include a barbecue at Sandön and great opportunities to meet your fellow young researchers and the YP network Scandinavia.

When: Tuesday evening after Welcome Reception, June 9, 2026
Where: Luleå Archipelago Klubbviken, starting from the northern harbour

Young Professionals' Sessions

Session 1: Academia vs. Industry: Navigating Career Paths as a Young Professional

As part of the 9th IAHR Europe Congress, we are organizing a panel discussion titled “Academia vs. Industry: Navigating Career Paths as a Young Professional.” The session is designed for early-career professionals who are exploring their long-term career direction and seeking honest, practical insights from experienced leaders.

The discussion will focus on:

• Key differences between academia and industry (work structure, impact, career progression)

• Skills and mindsets that matter most in each environment

• Honest reflections on trade-offs and challenges

• Practical advice for young professionals making early career decisions

• The format will include brief opening remarks from each panelist, followed by a moderated discussion and audience Q&A. Our goal is to create an engaging and candid conversation that provides real value to attendees.

Session 2: Coming soon

The Gerhard Jirka Award for Young Researchers

The Gerhard Jirka Award for Young Researchers awards the best presentation given by a Young Professional during the biennial IAHR Europe Division Congress.

More information will be added soon!

Learn more about the programme for Young Professionals

  Approved Master Classes

Master classes will be held as part of the pre-congress programme on 8th of June, the day before the Congress officially begins, as follows:

• An OpenFOAM solver for sediment transport including a movable bed

• Advanced Experimental Methods for Flow Characterisation

Learn more about the Master Classes

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  Related 

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Interview to Dr. Anders Andersson, Co-Chair of the 9th IAHR Europe Congress 2026