From 11–17 October 2026, the IEE hosted the Alumni Conference 2026 under the theme "Rethinking Global Development: New Priorities and the Post-2030 Framework." The event was funded by the DAAD and provided a great networking space for more than 60 alumni, students, researchers, and practitioners. In diverse formats, participants discussed the tension between severe budget cuts and the need to develop innovative, local and impact-oriented strategies for future development cooperation.
The conference programme focused on urgent global issues and changing priorities in development cooperation. The official event began with a keynote address by Sarah Ganter (Global Policy Forum Europe), who discussed global cooperation at a crossroads under financial strain.
The interactive workshops and sessions explored the following key themes in depth:
- Resilience in Action: New Roles for the Private Sector and Civil Society
- Doing More with Less: Innovative Financing Models and New Management Approaches for Development
- Shifting Priorities and the Post-2030 Development Framework
These workshops were designed to be practical, reflective, and solution-oriented, and were led by experienced alumni and co-chaired by academic partners from cooperating programmes such as MIDE (HTW Berlin), SEPT (Leipzig University), and DevGov (University of Duisburg-Essen), with support from IEE staff. The conference also featured expert contributions and panel discussions examining German and international development practice, including perspectives on financial cooperation (GFA), technical cooperation (GIZ), and the future of civil society support (La Playa Centro Comunitario).
The event prioritised connection, networking and future collaboration. It featured a dedicated Career Day with professional development workshops and panels, as well as a Networking Day with activities initiated by alumni through a collaboration lab and supported by inputs of representatives of DAAD and AGEP. Participants also enjoyed a cultural excursion to the 'Unterwelt plus Westpark' in Bochum.