International Researh Seminar: Living together for a sustainable common future
8 - 9 June, 2026 at The Western Norway University of Applied Sciences. How can we live in harmony with nature—and with each other? This seminar takes the concept of conviviality as a starting point to explore new perspectives on sustainability, community, and our fundamental connection to all living beings.
Seminar idea
At the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences there is a strong research interest in perspectives on nature preservation, sustainability, circular economy, ecocriticism, the human - nature/environment and sensing relations, embodied knowledge and the role and consequences of consumption in outdoor life traditions. These are fields that often compete for influence.
At this seminar we will take a step back to basic questions about our future living conditions and take the concept of conviviality, our way of living together, as a starting point and steppingstone. This starting point critically reverses the individualistic search for wellbeing and increases the focus to solidarity and living together. Even if so called green spaces and time spent on outdoor activities are proved beneficial for health, using nature as a remedy and searching for wellbeing in nature have been criticized for being individualistic and related to overconsumption and the risk of destroying parts of the natural world.
In this seminar we will take a new approach to being with oneself and nature, where nature ceases to exist only as a backdrop. This approach, based on knowledge about relations between humans and nature, increasingly emphasizes being and connection among human beings and nature, addressing the fundamental connection between all living beings and the interpretation of life and the environment.
Conviviality refers to a primary connection with the living environment, conveyed through our own sense of aliveness and embodiment. Connection and contact with, and sense of belonging together with living beings form the basis for an attitude of care and commitment towards living beings. The perspectives point to the relational nature of our existence and our life in relationships and in ecological contexts. In this way, the fundamental kinship of our lived bodies with living nature becomes the basis for an ecological ethic. In the ecological discourse on nature and the environment, the natural side of humans, which we experience as our own corporeality, until now, has hardly played any role. To address this deficiency, the seminar brings concepts as conviviality, connection and embodiment into research and practice for a living future.
Information
Invitation to submit abstracts
We invite colleges to submit their ideas in the form of abstracts and suggest both workshops and panel discussions, limited to 400 words. Based on your proposals, we will design a program aligning with the key idea of the seminar: living together and being together. It means that the we aim to facilitate substantial discussions, dialogue, and engagement through an interactive seminar format. We suggest to submit ideas, not limited to, but mainly addressing the following ideas:
Living together as embodied beings
Cultivating conviviality in a digital age
Knowledge forms for realizing conviviality
Living together for a sustainable future
The sorrow of losing nature to destruction of land
Sami and indigenous knowledge forms
Artforms as ways to sustainable future
The pedagogy of sustainability
Being grounded
Submission e-mail: FutureLiving2026@hvl.no
Deadline for submission 1 of February 2026
Registration information
Deadline for registration: 15 of May 2026
Registration fee: 900 NKR
For students: 250 NKR
Hotel (Note: Hotel room shortage in Bergen due to high season)
Discounted Accomodation
We have organised some special discounts and room block agreements at three selected hotels for conference participants. These rooms are limited and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. More information aout the different alternatives below:
Hotel Citybox, Danmarksplass
One tram stop away from the conference venue
Hotel Citybox, Danmarksplass offers rooms for the duration between the 7th of June and the 9th of June (07/06 - 09/06):
- Standard double room: NOK 1350, per night
Booking: Contact Citybox Hotels at citybox@cityboxhotels.com or by phone +47 46462000. Use the booking reference HVL15 or 174155.
Please note that
- Breakfast is not inclkuded in the price stated above, but can be purchased via partner restaurant JAJA located next to the lobby.
- All discounts are offered for bookings made on or before 11th of April (11/04) (CEST).
Hotel Citybox, Bergen City
Hotel Citybox, Bergen City offers rooms for the duration between the 7th of June and the 9th of June (07/06 - 09/06):
- Standard double room: NOK 1650, per night
Booking: Contact Citybox Hotels at citybox@cityboxhotels.com or by phone +47 46462000. Use the booking reference HVL15 or 286104.
Please note that
- Breakfast is not inclkuded in the price stated above, but can be purchased via partner restaurant OkiDoki located next to the lobby.
- All discounts are offered for bookings made on or before 11th of April (11/04) (CEST).
For the Citybox hotels:
After the deadline for making use of the room block agreement (April 11) has passed, the code HVL15 may still be used to receive a 15% discount, subject to room availability.
Scandic Ørnen, (City centre)
Scandic Ørnen offers a limited number of discounted rooms bookable here for the duration between the 7th of June and the 9th of June.
The discount is gained by using the booking code D000023566, as long as rooms are available.
Other hotels in Bergen
Bergen has many hotels to offer in various locations, both close to the airport and in the city center:
Additional accomodation options may be found here.
Getting around - transportation
Getting to Bergen from the airport
From Bergen Airport the light rail called 'Bybanen', line 1, goes to the city centre. Bybanen stops at the campus on Kronstad. A ticket with Bybanen costs 40 NOK and takes approximately 30 minutes to Kronstad and 45 minutes to the city centre. Bybanen is the best and cheapest alternative for guests arriving by plane. Buy tickets here.
There are airport buses running between the airport and the city centre, called "Flybussen". These do not stop at the campus. A ticket with the airport bus costs approximately 150 NOK.
A taxi from Bergen Airport Flesland takes approximately 20 minutes to the campus at Kronstad, depending on traffic.
Getting to campus from the city centre
If you arrive by train or boat, you will need to go to the campus from the city centre. The easiest way to get to Campus Kronstad is to take the light rail, "Bybanen." Both line 1 and line 2 stops at campus Kronstad, the stop has the name Kronstad. Only line 1 goes by and stops at Danmarksplass.
Conference venue
Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Campus Bergen.
Address: Inndalsveien 28, 5063 Bergen
Mazemap - find your way around campus
At your service in Bergen:
E-mail: arrangement@hvl.no
Phone number: (+47) 55 58 58 00, Opening hours: Monday – Friday 08.00–15.00.
There is restricted parking at campus, and the lightrail is the easiest transport to campus.
Visit Bergen
Bergen is one of the oldest towns in Norway and has a rich history.
If you want to explore Bergen, you will find some information to start with at Visit Bergen.
Keynotes
The organizing committee:
- Gunn Helene Engelsrud. Professor. Department of Sport, Food and Natural Sciences
- Siri Smith. Sustainability Coordinator. Board Secretariat and Corporate Governance
- Lars Edvin Gjelstad. Associate Professor. HVL Business School
- Suzanne Lundvall. Professor II, Department of Sport, Food and Natural Sciences
- Espen Hof Dyngeland. PhD Candidate. Department of Sport, Food and Natural Sciences
Contact us
If you have any questions regarding the conference, please contact
at Gunn.Helene.Engelsrud@hvl.no or call 40875564.