Analysing urban pressures & disruptions
Understanding the forces reshaping cities across the MENA region.
Call for Participation ESU Lab · Mansoura University
International Conference on Urban Revitalization in the MENA Region
Applications close 12 October 2026
--Days
--Hours
--Minutes
--Seconds
When
16–19 Dec 2026
Four-day conference
Where
Port Said
Egypt
Funded places
4 MU participants
Travel, stay & daily allowance
Deadline
12 Oct 2026
Single PDF by e-mail
About the conference
Resilient, inclusive & sustainable urban futures
Join us in exploring the urban vulnerabilities of cities across the MENA region. The conference brings together researchers, planners, municipalities, local initiatives and other urban actors to examine how historic and contemporary cities respond to rapid urbanization, conflict, demographic change, climate pressures and infrastructure challenges.
Through comparative research, dialogue and knowledge exchange, we aim to share experiences, identify transferable lessons and develop context-sensitive approaches for more resilient, inclusive and sustainable urban futures.
Conference themes
Three lenses on urban pressure
Contributions address urban revitalization, urban vulnerability, heritage and sustainable urban development across historic and contemporary cities.
Comparative contextualization
Placing urban pressures side by side across diverse regional contexts.
Mapping responses to urban pressures
Documenting how cities, institutions and communities respond.
Output 01
A book of abstracts featuring all accepted contributions.
Output 02
Selected contributions invited to submit full papers to a peer-reviewed special issue.
Mansoura University applicants
Eligibility & application
Who can apply
All applicants must be affiliated with Mansoura University, either as postgraduate students or academic staff members.
Priority is given to PhD researchers and master's students with demonstrated practical and/or research experience.
4Funded places
for MU participants
for MU participants
Travel
Accommodation
Daily allowance
What to submit
- Abstract max. 300 words
- CV max. two pages
- Copy of your ID or passport
- Current certificate of enrollment
- Proof of English proficiency
Combine everything into one PDF (max. 10 MB) and send it to the ESU Lab official e-mail: [email protected]
Important dates
From application to Port Said
12 Oct2026
Application deadline
Last day to send your PDF application.
15 Oct2026
1st stage selection
Shortlisted applicants are notified.
18 Oct2026
Final selection
The four funded MU participants are confirmed.
16–19 Dec2026
Conference
Port Said, Egypt.
Partner universities
A regional & international network
Brandenburg University of Technology (BTU)Germany · Lead
Cairo UniversityEgypt
Alexandria UniversityEgypt
Mansoura UniversityEgypt · ESU Lab
University of BaghdadIraq
Galala UniversityEgypt
Arab Academy for Science, Technology & Maritime TransportEgypt
German Jordanian UniversityJordan
Participation is exclusively open to students from the partner universities. Each partner university manages its own application and selection process — students from other partner universities should follow the call published through their own university's channels.
The conference is supported by the Egyptian Sustainable Urbanism Lab (ESU Lab) as the representative of Mansoura University (MU) in the partnership programme “Higher Education Dialogue with the Muslim World – Short Term Measures 2026/27”, led by Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus–Senftenberg, Germany, and funded by the DAAD.
Applications close 12 October 2026
Bring your research to Port Said
Send your abstract, CV and supporting documents as a single PDF to ESU Lab and join the conversation on the future of MENA cities.
For further inquiries, contact the MU Project Coordinator, Dr. Mokhtar Akl.
Return to esu-lab.com