Practical information

Welcome to the European Student Affairs Conference 2026 ! Below you’ll find useful details to help you plan your visit to Kiel and make the most of your conference experience.

Venue

This 9th edition of the European Student Affairs Conference takes place on July 8-9, 2026 in the Hanseatic city of Kiel, in the North of Germany, on the beautiful Baltic Coast. You can also sign-up for pre-conference events on July 7, 2025 and an optional campus tour on July 10, 2026.

The venue for the conference is:

Studentenwerk Schleswig-Holstein
Campus of Christian-Albrecht-University Kiel 
Mensa 1 building CAD
D-Westring 385
24118 Kiel, Germany

The venue is easily accessible by public transport and offers modern facilities for all conference sessions.

By Train:

Kiel is well connected by train to major German cities such as Hamburg, Berlin, and Frankfurt. Kiel Central Station (Kiel Hauptbahnhof) is approximately 3 km from the venue (10-15 min by bus on lines 11 or 81, 5-7 min by taxi, or 40 min walking). For train schedules and tickets, visit the Deutsche Bahn website.

By Plane:

The nearest major airport is Hamburg Airport (HAM), located about 90-100 km from Kiel. From the airport, you can reach Kiel by train (approx. 1.5-2 hours to Kiel Hbf, then +10-15 min to venue) or direct shuttle/bus (approx. 1.5 hours to Kiel center).

As part of the conference program, participants are invited to join an optional Campus Tour in Hamburg on 10 July.

The tour will take place at STW Hamburg and offers an opportunity to explore state-of-the-art facilities, meet local researchers, and exchange ideas in an inspiring environment.

Participation in the Hamburg tour is available for an additional fee of €40 for ECStA members and €80 for non-members.

Please note that participants should plan an extra night in Kiel, as the trip from Kiel to Hamburg will start early in the morning on 10 July. Transportation from Kiel to Hamburg will be organized by bus for all registered participants. Further details regarding the schedule and meeting point will be provided closer to the event on this site.

The main language of the campus tour in Hamburg will be English. Please contact us for further support or if you are worried about linguistic barriers.

Our host the STW Schleswig-Holstein has kindly compiled a list of hotels, restaurants and cultural recommendations for the conference participants. Please click here for more information.

The main conference language is English with simultaneous interpretation in German and French of the plenary sessions. We aim to make this conference as accessible as possible! Please contact us for further support or if you are worried about linguistic barriers.

The participation fees include the full cost of meals during the conference.

  • All scheduled coffee breaks and two lunches during the conference on 8-9 July 2026
  • One conference dinner on 8 July 2026
  • Lunch on 10 July for the registered participants in the campus tour in Hamburg

Note: During all lunch breaks, participants will be served a variety of healthy and freshly prepared meals at the serving counters of the main university canteen, which will be in full operation. Separate reserved seating for conference attendees is available.

Wi-Fi will be available for all conference participants. Access vouchers will be provided on site.

  • A limited number of registration-fee waivers and scholarships for students and professionals are available upon prior request.
  • Support is offered for participants requiring invitation letters for visa applications.
  • Networking opportunities will be available through interactive World-Café round tables.
  • A co-working space is provided for participants wishing to work during the conference.
  • Individual cultural programs in Kiel can be arranged upon request.

An invoice for the conference participation fee will be sent to you at the e-mail-address provided in the registration form.

Free and sufficient parking spaces are available at the university’s parking garage located behind Mensa I (Westring 385, 24118 Kiel).
The building offers space for around 450 vehicles, including designated spots with charging stations for electric cars.

Secure bicycle parking is available in double-deck parking boxes, along with a small service station. The parking structure has a clearance height of 2.10 m and comfortably wide parking spaces.
Access to the parking garage is via “Am Studentenhaus” through a gated entry and exit system.
Pedestrian access to all levels is available on the west side of the building via a staircase and elevator.

Please contact us at: internationales@studierendenwerke.de