Date and time
Conference Statistics
The Regional Studies Association’s Annual Conference 2025 #RSA25 was held in partnership with the School of Economics and Management at the University of Porto, Portugal. This four-day conference brought together academics and policymakers to exchange news, views and research findings from the fields of regional studies and science, regional and economic development, policy and planning. There was representation from 57 different global territories as we gathered both established experts and early career researchers in the beautiful city of Porto.
The conference featured 750+ presentations, high-profile plenary speakers, a number of specially convened sessions, workshops, professional development and networking sessions, walking tours and field trips. The social programme included the conference dinner and a reception, side events, exhibitor stalls and post-conference tours to explore Porto.
Impressions and Feedback from 2025 Annual Conference
We received some wonderful feedback from the attendees and our partners. We would like to share some of the comments emailed to us below:
‘I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the excellent organization of the RSA Annual Conference 2025. It was a pleasure to present my work’ (Pedro Araújo Pietrafesa)
‘I just wanted to say what a superbly interesting and well organised conference you and your team curated. I can imagine how stressful and exhausting it must have been to put on something like that but the week was perfection! Congratulations!!’ (Gulnar Hasnain)
‘On behalf of our research team, I would like to sincerely thank you for organizing such an engaging and well-structured conference. The topics were highly relevant, the speakers inspiring, and the entire event ran smoothly from start to finish. It was a pleasure to be part of such a professionally organized and intellectually stimulating environment’. (Mykola Melnyk)
‘Thank you for the wonderful organization, I really enjoy the conference in Porto and learned a lot’. (Xiaohua Zhong)
‘I wanted to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude for the wonderful experience at the RSA2025 Conference in Porto. As a first-time attendee at an international academic conference, I was truly impressed by the seamless organization, engaging sessions, and the warm, inclusive atmosphere. Your team’s hard work and attention to detail made the event both enriching and enjoyable, especially for someone like me who was navigating such an experience for the first time’. (Xilong Wang)
‘It was my first time attending the RSA conference, and it was an extremely stimulating and enriching experience. I had the chance to engage with researchers from other countries, exchanging opinions and ideas. I also had the privilege of establishing new professional connections that I hope will continue to grow over time’. (Francesca Zagli)
‘Let me congratulate you on the conference in Porto. It has been a real success’ (Raffaele Paci)
‘I would like to congratulate and thank you all for organizing such an amazing conference once again. It was very nice and I’m already looking forward to Gothenburg next year’ (Igor Santos Tupy)
‘Thank you so much for an amazing experience in Porto. Everything was perfect’ (Melek Karahasan)
‘I would like to thank you and all the RSA staff for the excellent organization of the RSA Annual Conference 2025 in Porto. Everything was very good, including the academic and social programs’. (Renato Garcia)
‘I would like to sincerely thank you for organizing such an insightful and well-run conference. It was a truly valuable experience’ (Elsa Amaddeo)
‘I wanted to thank you again for the wonderful organization of the Porto conference. Despite the huge number of attendees, everything was truly smooth’. (Sebastiano Cattaruzzo)
‘I would like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to you and the entire RSA team for the excellent organization of the 2025 Annual Conference in Porto. It was a truly enriching experience, well-curated sessions, and a vibrant atmosphere that fostered meaningful academic exchange’. (Ritesh Ranjan)
‘I would like to sincerely thank you and congratulate you on the excellent and seamless organization of RSA2025. It was a truly rewarding experience, both professionally and academically. I thoroughly enjoyed the high quality of the sessions and the overall coordination of the event’. (Panagiotis Iliopoulos)
‘Congratulations on the excellent event—everything was perfect’ (Helen Belisário)
Academic Organisers
Luís Carvalho, School of Economics and Management, University of Porto, Portugal
Isabel Mota, School of Economics and Management, University of Porto, Portugal
Aurora Teixeira, School of Economics and Management, University of Porto, Portugal