From 14 to 19 June 2026, the RLS Sciences Overall Conference 2026 brought together researchers from around the world in Munich and Linz to exchange ideas, strengthen collaborations, and initiate new joint projects, including in the field of aerospace. As the lead of the Global Aerospace Campus working group, Munich Aerospace played a key role in shaping the week-long conference and used the event to further strengthen international collaboration across the network.
The RLS Global Aerospace Campus is one of five working groups within the Regional Leaders Summit (RLS), a forum that brings together the regional governments of Bavaria (Germany), Georgia (USA), Québec (Canada), São Paulo (Brazil), Shandong (China), Upper Austria (Austria), and the Western Cape (South Africa).
Within the RLS forum, RLS Sciences leverages the unique composition and complementary strengths of the RLS network to foster scientific research both within and across them. Its mission is to promote academic, scientific, and technological exchange while facilitating the development of multilateral research projects.
RLS Sciences Overall Conference 2026
Held every two years, the RLS Sciences Overall Conference strengthens the RLS Sciences network and encourages collaboration both among the seven regions and within its individual working groups. This year’s conference, hosted in Bavaria (Munich) and Upper Austria (Linz), also marked the 10th anniversary of RLS Sciences.
Four days of intensive discussions, new ideas, and personal encounters made the conference a memorable milestone for the entire network. Nearly 100 researchers from all seven RLS regions came together to reflect on a decade of successful collaboration, celebrate the anniversary, and explore new opportunities for future cooperation. As the lead organization of the Global Aerospace Campus working group, Munich Aerospace was closely involved in the conference programme and took the opportunity to further strengthen international exchange within the network.
The conference opened on Sunday, 14 June, with keynote presentations addressing the increasingly important topic of resilience. Prof. Dr. Klaus Schilling from the Center for Telematics discussed the role of small satellites in creating resilient and secure infrastructures. Prof. Dr. Eva-Maria Kern, President of the University of the Bundeswehr Munich, shared valuable insights into the role of science and technology in prevention and risk management, presenting five key messages on this important topic.
On Monday, parallel thematic sessions of the individual research groups took place at the Catholic Academy in Munich. Within the Global Aerospace Campus working group, participants first received updates from all seven regions. The newly developed Global Aerospace Campus online course “AI in Aerospace” was then introduced, including its overall concept and planned content. In the afternoon, attention shifted to Bavaria’s aerospace ecosystem and its innovation landscape. The session “Promoting Innovation and Talent in Aerospace in the Munich Area” showcased and discussed successful approaches to fostering innovation and developing skilled talent. The day concluded with a festive celebration marking the 10th anniversary of RLS Sciences.
On Tuesday, participants took part in a series of technical excursions. The aerospace group visited the Technical University of Munich (TUM) Campus in Garching, touring several research institutes before travelling by bus to Linz, where the second part of the conference was held. On the way, the group stopped at FACC, gaining fascinating insights into the development and production of advanced composite lightweight structures for the aerospace industry. The programme in Linz concluded with a traditional Upper Austrian dinner in a local beer garden.
Wednesday began with a workshop dedicated to the future development of the Global Aerospace Campus. Afterwards, all conference participants gathered to learn more about Smart Agriculture initiatives across the seven RLS regions. In the afternoon, the group visited the Hydrogen Research Institute as well as the Wels Campus of the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria.Am Mittwoch starteten wir den Tag mit einem Workshop zur Weiterentwicklung des Global Aerospace Campus. Anschließend kamen alle Teilnehmenden zusammen, um mehr über Smart Agriculture in den sieben Regionen zu erfahren. Am Nachmittag besuchten wir das Wasserstoff-Forschungsinstitut sowie den Campus Wels der Fachhochschule Oberösterreich.
At the closing reception in the Landhaus Linz, Thomas Stelzer, Governor of Upper Austria, congratulated RLS Sciences on its tenth anniversary and once again highlighted the importance of resilience. He emphasized that close cooperation between the participating regions is essential to advancing innovation and scientific excellence across the network’s research priorities, including the newly established focus area of Precision Agriculture.
It was a pleasure to welcome so many researchers from all seven RLS regions. Once again, the conference demonstrated that personal interaction and the opportunity to spend several days working closely together are invaluable for building trust, strengthening partnerships, and driving future collaboration across the entire network.
