The PoliRuralPlus Final Conference will take place on 20 November 2026, from 10:00 to 17:00 CET, in a hybrid format at the Czech Technical University in Prague (CTU) and online via Microsoft Teams. Held in English, the event will bring together project partners, regional stakeholders, researchers and policymakers to examine the project’s results and discuss their further use in rural and regional development.

As PoliRuralPlus approaches its conclusion, the conference will connect three central strands of its work: digital tools for informed decision-making, stakeholder cooperation in pilot regions, and innovations developed through the project’s Open Calls. A shared question will run through these discussions: how can the knowledge, technologies and partnerships developed within the project continue to serve rural communities?

From Spatial Data and AI to Regional Decisions

Generative AI, spatial data and policy innovation will provide a framework for examining how digital technologies can support regional planning. Presentations and demonstrations will introduce the PoliRuralPlus Action-Foresight Toolbox, including JackDaw, alongside the project’s multi-actor approach.

The focus will be on practical applications: how tools can help stakeholders explore territorial information, assess development options and connect evidence with local priorities. Demonstrations will also consider links with the New European Bauhaus and implications for regional planning and policymaking.

Experience from the Latvian pilot will bring a regional perspective to the discussion, connecting technological development with the needs and working practices of stakeholders.

Connecting Local Innovation with Wider Policy Impact

A central theme will be how project results can inform policy implementation and be taken up at regional and national levels. Discussion with regional stakeholders will examine the conditions needed to move from individual applications and pilot experience towards wider use.

The conference will also provide opportunities for hands-on exploration of AI tools, supporting exchanges between developers and those who may use these technologies in their work.

Open Calls: From Community Engagement to AI Applications

The PoliRuralPlus Open Calls will feature as a pathway connecting local needs with technical expertise. The conference will examine the project’s €857,000 cascade funding scheme, supporting 26 sub-projects across 14 countries, and the progression through its Outreach, Mobilise, Develop and Enhance stages.

A Czech case study and examples from the wider European portfolio will illustrate how community engagement, hackathons and application development can build on one another. Presentations will address outcomes and lessons learned, including technological barriers, data governance and the validation of AI tools in regional settings.

Sustaining Results and Future Cooperation

The final part of the conference will turn to the continued development of JackDaw and opportunities to connect PoliRuralPlus results with other research and innovation initiatives.

These exchanges will address a practical priority for the project’s next chapter: sustaining its tools, knowledge and partnerships so that regions can continue to use and develop them after the project ends.

Conference Participation

On-site capacity is fully allocated to project partners and invited guests. Online participation will be possible via Microsoft Teams. For further information, including online access details, please contact petra.ritschelova@fit.cvut.cz.

PoliRuralPlus has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No. 101136910. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.