FOSTER Final Conference Celebrates Four Years of Collaboration and Impact [20.07.26]
The final conference marked the conclusion of the FOSTER project, bringing together partners from across Europe to reflect on achievements, exchange ideas and strengthen collaborations for the future.
After four inspiring years, the FOSTER Final Conference marked not only the end of a project, but also the celebration of an incredible journey of collaboration, learning and impact.
Our team from the University of Hohenheim was proud to contribute throughout the conference. Anna Struth guided the event as lead moderator, while Jun.-Prof. Verena Seufert and Julia Thompson shared their expertise during the policy panel discussions. Nuray Duman and Arezou Babajani played a key role in capturing the main messages from the parallel sessions and bringing them back into the plenary, helping to connect ideas across the conference.
It was also a pleasure to welcome our long-standing local partner, the Stuttgart Food Policy Council (Ernährungsrat Stuttgart), represented by Uli Ostarhild and Clara Körner. Bringing local experiences into the European policy dialogue perfectly reflects what FOSTER has been about from the very beginning: connecting actors across scales to foster meaningful transformation of agri-food systems.
The conference also provided an opportunity to reconnect with colleagues and partners from across Europe, exchange ideas, celebrate shared achievements and present the project's outcomes. A special thank you goes to Alessandra Schmidt Gerson, the overall programme coordinator of the final conference, and to Taiisi and Bibiana, who kept the many logistical aspects running smoothly. It was also wonderful to see many of our partners recognised throughout the conference, including Kerstin Pasch, Thom Achterbosch, Kerstin Kuhl, Anne Loeber, Bobby Tsvetkov, Valentina Guerrieri, John Ingram, Rosina Malagrida, Sigrid Hettinga, Hugo Magalhães and Dr. Peter Holl, among many others.
A big thank you to everyone who contributed to making FOSTER such an inspiring and impactful project. We look forward to building on the collaborations, ideas and networks developed through FOSTER and carrying them forward into future research, education and practice.
