The Barcelona Chair of Housing Studies hosts the II International Congress on Housing and City on 23–24 November

The Barcelona Chair of Housing Studies (Càtedra Barcelona d’Estudis d’Habitatge, CBEH) is organising the II International Congress on Housing and City, which will take place on 23–24 November 2026 at the Auditorium of the Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Carrer Balmes, 134, Barcelona). The event will bring together academics, professionals, institutional representatives and international experts to discuss the main challenges facing housing and the city today.

The institutional opening session, on Monday 23 at 9:00 a.m., will feature Dr Montserrat Pareja-Eastaway (University of Barcelona, President of the European Network for Housing Research and co-director of the Chair), Mr Dan Jørgensen (European Commissioner for Energy and Housing), Ms Isabel Rodríguez García (Minister of Housing of the Government of Spain), Ms Sílvia Paneque i Sureda (Minister of Territory, Housing and Ecological Transition of the Generalitat de Catalunya) and Mr Jordi Valls (Fourth Deputy Mayor of Barcelona City Council), among others.

A programme with eleven thematic panels

Over the two days, eleven panel discussions will be held, addressing topics such as urban transformation and neighbourhood regeneration, the rental market, governance and public policies, property structure and concentration, housing and health, law and legal innovation, mobility and territorial inequalities, gentrification and homelessness, ombudsmen and the right to housing, taxation and cooperatives, and emerging issues such as ageing and public–private collaboration.

Among the featured speakers are Dr Matilde Carlón Ruiz (Professor of Administrative Law, Universidad Complutense de Madrid), Dr Josep Maria Montaner Martorell (Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya), Dr Maribel Rosselló Nicolau (UPC), Dr Juan Antonio Módenes Cabrerizo (UAB), Dr Maria Victòria Forns Fernández (URV), Dr Gabriela Fauth (UOC), Dr Carles Donat Muñoz (UAB), Dr Mariona Tomàs (UB), Dr Mar Esteve-Güell (UAB), Dr Jordi Bonshoms Guzmán (UPF), Dr Pep Laporte Villar (UPF), Dr Miriam Anderson (UB), Dr Rosa Milà Rafel (UPF), Dr Isabel Viola Demestre (UB), Dr Montserrat Crespi i Vallbona (UB), Dr Antoni Milian i Massana (UAB), Dr Guillem Fernandez Evangelista (Arrels Fundació), Ms Esther Giménez-Salinas i Colomer (Síndica de Greuges de Catalunya), Mr Ángel Luna (Síndic de Greuges de València), Dr Montserrat Casanellas Chuecos (UB), Dr Ángela García Bernardos (UB), Ms Cristina Grau López (La Dinamo Fundació), Dr Melissa Fernández Arrigoitia (University of Bristol), Ms Meritxell García i Pujals (Xarxa Sanitària, Social i Docent Santa Tecla), Dr Blanca Deusdad Ayala (URV) and Dr Sergi Valera Pertegàs (UB), among many others.

The closing session, on Tuesday 24 at 6:30 p.m., will be delivered by Dr Koldo Andoni Casla Salazar, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing.

Registration open

Registration is open until 20 November or until full capacity is reached.

Direction and coordination

The congress is directed by Dr Montserrat Pareja Eastaway (UB), Dr Juli Ponce Solé (UB), Dr Judith Gifreu i Font (UAB), Dr David Hernández Falagán (UPC) and Dr Josep Ferrer Riba (UPF). Coordination is handled by Dr Wellington Migliari.